OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Add Markers to Audio
Cue Sheet Generator and YouTube Chapters From Markers on a Waveform
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How the Audio Markers To Cue List works
Use this to add markers to audio files for DAWs and players. Load a track, then list your markers as a time followed by a name, one per line, in whatever
form is quickest: 95, 1:35 or 1:02:10 all work. The stats panel shows each marker on the
clock with the gap to the next one, the Preview button plays the original so you can check
positions by ear, and Export saves the list in the format you need. The audio is decoded in
your browser and never leaves it.
Add markers to audio: getting a good result
A marker list is the simplest possible metadata for an audio file: a time and a name. What makes it awkward is that every program wants it in a different text layout, so this tool takes one plain list and writes it out four ways.
CUE sheet. The format CD burning software and most media players understand for a single
long file with several tracks. Each marker becomes a TRACK entry with a TITLE and an
INDEX 01 position in minutes, seconds and 75ths-of-a-second frames. The FILE line uses
the name of the file you loaded, so keep the .cue next to the audio and players will pick
up the tracks. A CUE sheet marks starts only; each track runs to the next marker.
YouTube chapters. YouTube reads chapters from a description that lists timestamps in
ascending order, starting from 0:00, with at least three entries and each chapter at least
ten seconds long. The export writes m:ss Name lines (or h:mm:ss past an hour) and adds an
0:00 Intro line automatically if your first marker is later than zero, since YouTube ignores
the list otherwise. Paste the text straight into the video description.
Audacity labels. Audacity's label track import (File → Import → Labels) takes tab-separated
lines of start, end and name. Choose Regions to next marker to make each label span until
the following marker, which is what you want for song sections or podcast segments, or
Points to import them as zero-length point labels.
CSV. A plain table with the index, time in seconds, time on the clock and the name, quoted where needed, for spreadsheets, DAW scripts or your own code.
Markers outside the file's duration are dropped, unparseable lines are ignored, and the list is sorted by time before export, so you can type them in any order. Names are optional; a bare time gets a numbered name.
FAQ
Can I place markers by clicking the waveform?
Not directly; markers are typed as text so they can be pasted from notes, a transcript or a spreadsheet. Click anywhere on the waveform while previewing to hear that position and read the time off the status line, then type it in.
Why does the CUE sheet say WAVE when my file is FLAC?
The FILE type field in a CUE sheet is a hint that most players ignore. The tool writes MP3
for MP3 sources and WAVE for everything else, which is what most rippers and players expect.
Does the export change the audio?
No. Every format here is a text file that sits alongside the audio. Use the audio splitter or region exporter if you want the markers cut into separate files.
Do YouTube chapters need the markers in order?
The export sorts them by time, so type them in any order. YouTube also requires a 0:00
entry, at least three chapters and a minimum of ten seconds each; the first is added for you,
the other two are up to your marker list.
See also: all Audio tools, Images, Video & Screen, PDF, SVG, Simulations & Screensavers, Generative Art, Chart Makers, 3D Model Viewers, Drawing Pads, Mockups & 3D Making, Diagram Makers, 3D Science, Tracker Music.
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