Spectrum Analysis

Available only in Sound Forge

Tools Menu

The Spectrum Analysis tool allows you to examine the fundamental frequency and overtones present in a recording. To display the Spectrum Analysis window, choose Spectrum Analysis from the Tools menu.

Unlike a Sound Forge data window, which represents audio in the time domain (amplitude vs. time), Spectrum Analysis allows you to examine sound by representing the sound in the frequency domain (amplitude vs. frequency). Data displayed in the frequency domain shows the amplitudes and frequencies of sine waves that, if mixed together, would sound very much like the original sound. Since it’s relatively easy to remember what a sine wave sounds like at different frequencies, it’s possible to visualize what simple waveforms sound like by looking at the spectrum of the sound.

Spectrum Analysis allows you to perform precise Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis and displays the resulting data in two graphical formats: the Spectrum Graph allows real-time monitoring of playback or input, while the Sonogram displays a playback cursor for real-time preview. Both view options make it easy to navigate data and read audio frequency and position.

What do you want to do?

View a spectrum graph

View a sonogram

Change Spectrum Analysis settings