Published by PitchChanger · Updated · How these guides are made
How to use this workflow
Name the source and time units
Use one unchanged source revision and record elapsed seconds from its beginning. State whether ranges include their end boundary. The calculations below use start-inclusive, end-exclusive ranges, written [start, end), so adjacent segments do not count the same boundary twice.
Write the output sequence
List retained segments in their exported order, including any deleted ranges in a separate note. Add each retained duration to find the next output start. Recalculate the map whenever the order, speed or retained source range changes.
An original three-segment mapping worksheet
Consider an invented 40-second recording split into A = [0,10), B = [10,18), C = [18,30) and D = [30,40). Delete B and order the retained segments C, A, D. With unchanged speed, the resulting duration is 12 + 10 + 10 = 32 seconds. This is arithmetic for a proposed edit, not a measured browser export.
Swipe or scroll sideways to read all columns.
| Output order | Source interval in seconds | Duration | Output interval in seconds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: C | [18,30) | 12 s | [0,12) |
| 2: A | [0,10) | 10 s | [12,22) |
| 3: D | [30,40) | 10 s | [22,32) |
| Deleted: B | [10,18) | 8 s | No output interval |
Find an event using its offset inside the segment
For a retained event, output time = segment output start + (source event time − segment source start). The event at source 23 s lies in C. Its offset is 23 − 18 = 5 s, so it appears at output 0 + 5 = 5 s. Source 4 s lies in A and maps to output 12 + 4 = 16 s. Source 35 s lies in D and maps to output 22 + (35 − 30) = 27 s.
An event at source 14 s belongs to deleted segment B and has no output location. Do not subtract the deleted duration from every source timestamp: the reordered C segment now comes first, so a single global offset cannot describe this edit. Locate the event in its retained segment before applying the formula.
Swipe or scroll sideways to read all columns.
| Source event | Segment | Calculated output position |
|---|---|---|
| 23 s | C | 5 s |
| 4 s | A | 16 s |
| 35 s | D | 27 s |
| 14 s | B, deleted | Absent |
State the settings that can change the mapping
The example assumes no speed change, added silence or external overlapping timeline. In this Cutter, source-context crossfades smooth boundaries without shortening the total arranged duration. Record the crossfade setting anyway because it changes sound near a join. A different editor with overlapping clips may use different timing rules.
If you change speed afterward, record the new factor and a second mapping stage. For example, the calculated event at output 16 s would move to approximately 16 ÷ 0.8 = 20 s at 80% speed. Do not mix this new coordinate with the 32-second unchanged-speed export. Actual boundaries are resolved to audio frames, so inspect the saved file.
Check landmarks before handing over the edit
Use the worksheet alongside the actual exported WAV. Listen for one unmistakable landmark inside each retained segment and the transition on either side. Check the opening, the final event and any deleted content that must be absent. Record the actual output filename and revision with the map.
Audio Cutter edits one source recording; it does not import independent clips as separate tracks or export a marker list. Keep this map as a separate text note. When you export MP3 afterward through Converter, preserve the WAV reference and verify the final delivery rather than assuming its timestamps have been independently checked.
Common questions
Can I just subtract the length of the deleted passage?
That works only for later material in a simple deletion with otherwise unchanged order and timing. Reordering requires a segment map. Find the retained source segment, then add the event’s offset to that segment’s output start.
Are the example timestamps measured?
No. They are authored calculations for an invented source and edit order. The exported recording must be checked separately, especially at joins and after any further processing. No sample-accurate export measurement is claimed here.