8

1008 Glossary
Finger tool Tool (as used in the Piano Roll Editor, for example) that looks like a hand
with an extended index finger. This tool allows you to manipulate the length of events
or perform other operations in other areas of the program.
FireWire Apple trademarked name for the IEEE 1394 standard. A fast and versatile serial
interface, often used to connect audio interfaces, and audio processing units to
computers. FireWire is well suited to applications that move large amounts of data, and
can be used to connect hard disks, scanners, and other kinds of computer peripherals.
There are two versions of FireWire: FireWire 400 and FireWire 800. The latter is a faster
variant, which uses a different connector type. Use of FireWire 400 devices on a
FireWire 800 port is possible with suitable cabling, but it effectively halves the
bandwidth to all devices on the port (also see M-LAN).
flanger The flanger effect is similar to the chorus effect, where a slightly delayed signal
(which is shorter than that of the chorus) is fed back into the delay line input. Flanging
makes a sound thicker, and slightly out of phase.
float window See window type.
folder A folder is a container for regions in the Arrange. It can contain other folders or
regions, much like a folder in the Finder can contain other folders or files. You can
imagine a folder as a project within a project. The inside of a folder looks just like the
Arrange area and track list in a project.
Format button Button on audio channel strips (below the level meter), used to
indicate the input format of the channel strip. Click-hold this button to access the
format menu.
frame Unit of time. A second in the SMPTE standard is divided into frames that
correspond to a single still image in a video file or on video tape.
Freeze function The Freeze function performs individual offline bounce processes for
each frozen track, saving almost 100% of the CPU power used for software instruments
and effect plug-ins. All plug-ins of a track (including software instrument plug-ins, if
applicable, along with all related automation data) are rendered into a freeze file.
frequency The number of times a sound signal vibrates each second, measured in
cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz).
global tracks Global tracks are available at the top of all linear editing windows. They
allow you to view, create, and edit markers, tempo events, and key changes, plus beat
mapping and other operations.
Glue tool This tool can be used to merge regions or events by simply clicking on two
(or more) of them.