SORCERESS
Browse the wiki

SFX Editor

Updated July 4, 2026Open the tool

Open the SFX Editor

The SFX Editor is a browser-based audio editor for preparing short game sound effects. Use it to load an audio file, select the exact part you want, preview it in a loop, mute unwanted sections, adjust level and timing, audition effects, and export the selected clip for use in a game project.

What it does

The SFX Editor is designed for fast sound-effect cleanup and clip preparation rather than full music production. It is useful for tasks such as:

  • Cutting a generated, recorded, or downloaded sound down to the moment you need.
  • Previewing a short selection repeatedly to judge how it will feel in-game.
  • Adding a pause between repeats when testing one-shot effects.
  • Muting clicks, noise bursts, or unwanted portions without changing the total timeline length.
  • Adjusting loudness and playback speed.
  • Adding fade in and fade out for smoother starts and endings.
  • Shaping tone with EQ and filters.
  • Auditioning reverb, echo/delay, distortion, stereo panning, and compression.
  • Exporting the selected clip as WAV or MP3.

Requirements

  • A modern browser with audio playback support.
  • An audio file supported by your browser. The upload control accepts audio files from your device.
  • To save from the public SFX Editor, you must be signed in and have access to saving. If you are not signed in, the save button prompts you to sign in. If your account does not currently have save access, the button prompts you to upgrade.

Interface overview

The editor is divided into three working areas:

  • Controls panel: master volume, speed, VU meter, loop options, fade controls, and equalizer.
  • Waveform area: the visual audio timeline where you select, zoom, preview, reset, and mute regions.
  • Effects panel and effects strip: filter and reverb controls appear in the effects side panel, while echo/delay, distortion, stereo, and compressor appear in the lower effects strip.

On smaller screens, the side panels are opened with Controls and Effects buttons. The lower effects strip becomes a horizontal swipe area; use the swipe hint to move between effect panels.

The page title bar also shows shortcut reminders:

  • Space: Play
  • Del: Mute
  • Scroll: Zoom

Loading audio

You can start by uploading an audio file from your device.

  1. Open the SFX Editor.
  2. Drag an audio file onto the upload area, or click the upload area to browse.
  3. After loading, the waveform appears in the center panel.
  4. The editor displays the file name and total duration.

To replace the current sound, use Load, Load New, or Load New Audio, depending on the visible panel and screen size.

Loading a new file resets the selection to the full file, zoom to normal, and the visible waveform position to the beginning.

Selecting and trimming a clip

The SFX Editor exports the currently selected region. When a file first loads, the full audio file is selected.

Select a region

  1. Click and drag across the waveform.
  2. The selected region remains bright, while audio outside the selection is dimmed.
  3. The green vertical handle marks the selection start.
  4. The red vertical handle marks the selection end.
  5. The selection readout shows the start time, end time, and selected duration.

Adjust the selection handles

  1. Move the pointer near the green start handle or red end handle.
  2. Drag the handle to refine the clip boundary.
  3. If audio is playing while you change the selection, playback restarts shortly after the change so you can hear the updated range.

Reset the selection

Use the circular reset button in the transport bar to restore the full audio file as the active selection.

Zooming the waveform

Zooming helps when you need tighter edits around transients, clicks, or short UI sounds.

  • Use the − and + buttons above the waveform to zoom out or in.
  • Scroll over the waveform to zoom around the pointer position.
  • The zoom readout shows the current zoom amount.
  • Zoom ranges from normal view up to close-detail editing.
  • The timeline labels update to match the visible portion of the audio.

If the waveform is difficult to edit precisely, zoom in and then drag the green and red handles again.

Playback controls

The transport bar contains the main playback controls:

  • Stop: stops playback.
  • Play/Pause: starts or pauses preview of the selected region.
  • Reset selection: restores the full file as the active selection.
  • Time display: shows the current playhead time and the full file duration.
  • Load / Load New: opens another audio file.
  • WAV / MP3: chooses the export format.
  • Save Clip: exports the current selection.

During playback, the playhead appears as a yellow line in the waveform.

Keyboard shortcuts

  • Space: play or stop playback.
  • Delete or Backspace: mute the selected region.
  • Scroll over waveform: zoom.

Keyboard shortcuts are ignored while typing in text fields.

Muting part of the audio

The editor includes a destructive mute operation for the selected region. Muting replaces the selected part with silence but leaves the rest of the file in its original timing.

  1. Select the part of the waveform you want to silence.
  2. Click Mute Selection, or press Delete / Backspace.
  3. The selected region is replaced with silence.

Use this for removing clicks, noise bursts, unwanted words, or a noisy tail while keeping the surrounding timing intact.

Master controls

The master section is in the Controls panel. Its knobs can be adjusted by dragging vertically.

Volume

Controls playback/export loudness.

  • Range: 0% to 200%
  • Default: 100%

Values above 100% boost the signal and may cause clipping if the source is already loud.

Speed

Changes playback speed and the exported clip speed.

  • Range: 0.25x to 3x
  • Default: 1x

Lower values make the sound slower and longer. Higher values make it faster and shorter.

VU meter

The vertical VU meter shows the current output level while audio is playing.

  • Green indicates normal levels.
  • Yellow indicates hotter levels.
  • Red indicates peaks near the top of the meter.

If the meter is frequently red or the sound feels harsh, reduce volume or use gentler effect settings.

Loop preview

Loop controls help you judge whether a clip works when repeated in a game.

  • Loop: repeats the selected region after it ends.
  • 2s Gap: adds a two-second pause between repeats.

Loop is enabled by default. The gap option is helpful for testing one-shot sounds such as hits, pickups, alerts, jumps, impacts, and UI blips without hearing them continuously back-to-back.

Fade controls

Fade controls apply smooth level changes during preview.

  • Fade In: 0 to 1000 ms
  • Fade Out: 0 to 1000 ms

Use fade in to remove clicks or abrupt starts. Use fade out to soften endings or make a short tail feel more natural.

Equalizer

The Equalizer panel can be toggled on or off. When enabled, it provides three tone controls:

  • Bass: -12 dB to +12 dB
  • Mid: -12 dB to +12 dB
  • Treble: -12 dB to +12 dB

Common uses:

  • Boost Bass for heavier impacts, explosions, and large creature sounds.
  • Cut Bass for UI sounds, coins, clicks, and small objects that should not feel boomy.
  • Boost Treble for sharper clicks, sparks, coins, magic glints, and interface feedback.
  • Reduce Mid if a sound feels boxy or crowded.
  • Boost Mid if a sound needs to be more audible on small speakers.

Effects

Each effect has an on/off switch. Controls remain visible while an effect is disabled, but the effect is only applied during playback when enabled.

Filter

The Filter effect shapes the frequency content of the sound.

Filter modes:

  • Low: keeps lower frequencies and reduces higher frequencies.
  • High: keeps higher frequencies and reduces lower frequencies.
  • Band: emphasizes a band around the selected frequency.

Controls:

  • Freq: 100 Hz to 8000 Hz
  • Q: 0.1 to 20

Use low-frequency filtering for muffled, underwater, distant, or behind-wall sounds. Use high-frequency filtering to thin out a sound or remove rumble. Use higher Q values for more focused or resonant results.

Reverb

Reverb adds space and ambience.

Controls:

  • Mix: 0% to 100%
  • Decay: 0.5 s to 5 s

Short decay works well for rooms and small spaces. Longer decay can make magic, caves, explosions, portals, or cinematic effects feel larger.

Echo / Delay

Echo / Delay repeats the sound after a short time.

Controls:

  • Time: 50 ms to 1000 ms
  • Feedback: 0% to 80%
  • Mix: 0% to 100%

Use short delay times for slapback or thickness. Use longer delay times for clear echoes. Higher feedback creates more repeats.

Distortion

Distortion adds drive and grit.

Control:

  • Drive: 0% to 100%

Use low values for subtle aggression. Higher values can create harsh, robotic, explosive, magical, or overloaded effects.

Stereo

Stereo controls affect placement.

Controls:

  • Pan: -100 to 100
  • Width: 0% to 200%

Pan moves the sound left or right when the Stereo effect is enabled. The Width knob is available as part of the Stereo panel for stereo design reference.

Compressor

Compression controls dynamics by reducing louder parts relative to quieter parts.

Controls:

  • Thresh: -60 dB to 0 dB
  • Ratio: 1:1 to 20:1

Lower thresholds make compression happen more often. Higher ratios create stronger level control. Use compression to make effects feel more consistent, controlled, or punchy.

Saving and exporting

The public SFX Editor exports the selected region as a new clip.

  1. Load an audio file.
  2. Select the region you want to keep.
  3. Choose WAV or MP3.
  4. Click Save Clip.
  5. If prompted, sign in or upgrade.
  6. The exported file downloads to your device.

Exported filenames use the original file name with _clip appended.

Export formats

  • WAV: best for game engines, editing, and preserving quality.
  • MP3: smaller file size, useful for sharing or situations where compressed audio is acceptable.

Important export note

The editor previews the full live effects chain while you work. Export focuses on the selected audio region with volume and speed processing. After saving, always listen to the exported file and confirm it matches what you need before importing it into a game project.

Working with Sorceress and WizardGenie

The SFX Editor can also appear as an embedded editor from other Sorceress or WizardGenie audio workflows. In embedded contexts, the visible save buttons may change to fit the host workflow. For example, you may see Save, Save & Close, or a drag option for moving the edited audio into a connected project explorer.

When using the standalone public tool, use Save Clip to download the exported file.

Common workflows

Trim a generated sound into a game-ready one-shot

  1. Load the generated audio file.
  2. Drag over the useful part of the waveform.
  3. Zoom in and refine the start and end handles.
  4. Turn on 2s Gap to judge the sound as a repeated one-shot.
  5. Add a small Fade Out if the ending clicks.
  6. Adjust Volume while watching the VU meter.
  7. Export as WAV.

Make an impact feel heavier

  1. Select the impact portion.
  2. Slightly boost Bass in the Equalizer.
  3. Try a small amount of Distortion for grit.
  4. Use Compression if the sound needs more consistency.
  5. Keep an eye on the VU meter to avoid clipping.

Create a magical or spacious effect

  1. Select the cleanest part of the sound.
  2. Enable Reverb and raise Mix gradually.
  3. Increase Decay for a larger space.
  4. Add Echo / Delay only if you want distinct repeats.
  5. Use Fade Out to smooth the tail.

Remove an unwanted click or noise burst

  1. Zoom in around the problem area.
  2. Select only the unwanted noise.
  3. Click Mute Selection or press Delete.
  4. Play the surrounding area to confirm the timing still feels natural.

Tips for game sound effects

  • Keep clips short and intentional. Most UI and gameplay sounds work best when tightly trimmed.
  • Use loop preview for ambience-like or repeated sounds.
  • Use 2s Gap for one-shots so you can judge each trigger separately.
  • Add a tiny fade out if you hear a click at the end.
  • Use mute selection to remove unwanted noise without changing timing.
  • Avoid excessive volume boosts. If the VU meter is frequently red, reduce volume or use more conservative effect settings.
  • Export WAV when importing into a game project unless you specifically need MP3.
  • Always audition the exported file before committing it to your game project.

Troubleshooting

My file will not load

Make sure the file is an audio format supported by your browser. If it still fails, convert it to a common audio format such as WAV or MP3 and try again.

I cannot save

If you are not signed in, the save button prompts you to sign in. If your account does not currently have save access, the button prompts you to upgrade.

The waveform is hard to edit precisely

Use the + button or scroll over the waveform to zoom in. Then drag the green and red handles to fine-tune the selection.

Playback keeps repeating

Turn off Loop in the Playback section.

There is too much silence between repeats

Turn off 2s Gap.

The sound clips or feels distorted

Reduce Volume, lower distortion drive, reduce EQ boosts, or use more conservative compression settings. Values above 100% volume can make loud sounds clip.

My selection changed while playing

If you move the selection handles during playback, the preview restarts shortly after the change so you can hear the new selection. This is expected.

The selection reset after loading a new file

Loading a new file resets the selection to the full file, zoom to normal, and the waveform position to the beginning.