Tailoring is a cut above

Before a fine suit jacket is ever ready to slip on, it must be cut to the exact specifications that a tailor has determined.  The same is true in audio editing.  A recorded track always requires a certain amount of trimming before it can be further edited into an overall project.  Let’s take a quick look at how cutting or trimming, using scissors, applies in both bespoke tailoring and audio editing.  

Did you know audio engineers use scissors?  It’s true!  Fortunately in these modern times, there’s no chance of injury though.  Rather, the scissors are a digital tool, included in most recording software.  Scissors are, of course, also a standard tool at the disposal of any bespoke tailor who is making perfectly fitted outfits for their customers.  In both professions, cuts are made for various reasons.  A clothing tailor uses scissors to cut away excess fabric not needed in the design.  These cuts are broad and allow for easier handling of the fabric as they narrow down the piece.  The same rings true for audio, as an engineer makes cuts early in the process to trim off larger sections of recorded material that may have been originally captured to ensure nothing was missed.  These extraneous sections of audio that are removed could be used as B-roll audio or “blooper reels”, much like excess fabric can be used for smaller applications within a design.

After making broader changes, both disciplines require a more detailed approach.  The clothing tailor needs their scissors to trim precise edges in the material in order to conform to the exact measurements required for their client.  In the same vein, the audio tailor must drill down to exact moments in time to precisely trim audio waves so that they not only fit in time, but also match up correctly to other elements in the recording.  There is much that could be said here about the similarities between the two tailors in regards to the types of projects they are working on, and the material they are working with, but we’ll save that deep dive for another day.  For the purposes of this writing we’ll simply acknowledge that there are additional parallels between the two.

It would be a disservice to conclude without acknowledging the different types of cutting tools used in both professions.  A clothing tailor utilizes a few different pairs of scissors depending on what they are cutting and the desired finish.  Larger bladed scissors are used in cutting larger pieces of fabric.  They can vary in length and construction depending on the weight and thickness of the fabric they are intended for.  In much the same way, the audio engineer uses a “larger” tool when editing bigger sections of recorded material.  It may be a long pause in a vocal recording or an orchestra instrument that rests for a few measures.  Those broad cuts can be made differently than the more surgical cuts needed to trim a specific waveform.  Also, in clothing, there are precise edges needed for seams, and excess thread must be snipped cleanly.  Those applications require smaller scissors with different edges and points.  The waveform of a recording is much like the stitching in fabric (more on that in another writing).  Therefore, to precisely trim a waveform at the millisecond level (the equivalent of a single thread of stitching), a more precise approach must be used.
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Honestly, the way these two disciplines mirror each other in the task of trimming and cutting is remarkable.  Both of them rely on precision and craftsmanship to achieve products that are not only second to none, but are also highly specific to the clients they are created for.  The act of shaping their respective material in this way is central to the work of each of these professionals.  Ultimately, each crafts a product that has a look or sound that is unique, and fits their client perfectly.

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The scissors of an Audio Tailor