How can I accurately move the play bar back exactly to where I need to re-listen to?

Question

How can I accurately move the play bar back exactly to where I need to re-listen to?

I'm not sure if this an OS, app, software or hardware question, and couldn't find a better place to post. Hope it's OK. Apologies if not.

When i need to re-listen or re-watch a few seconds on an online school lecture using Safari or a song in iTunes to lean a part on my guitar, the play bar always moves much farther back past where & what I want to hear again - forcing me to watch or listen to unwanted material waiting until the play bar gets back to the part I want. This extra time really adds up!.

Is it possible to move the play bar back (or forward) to the exact place I want?

If the file is on my computer, I open it in recording/editing software, which allows pinpoint accuracy. If the file is online only, I record it to my computer so I can open in my recording app. All needlessly time consuming.

But i cant do this on my iPad or iPhone and a finger on a touch screen trying to move a play bar is much worse than using a mouse or trackpad on a computer.

Can I move the play bar back or forward to exactly where I need it when using simple playback type software (like maybe using the arrow keys) with the same or close to placement accuracy of a recording/editing program?

Thx!

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.5), 4-Core Mid 2012, 30" & 22" Display

Posted on Aug 3, 2013 9:02 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 3, 2013 9:08 AM in response to Steven Shmerler

register the time stamp.

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Answer 2

Aug 4, 2013 9:13 PM in response to leroydouglas

Hi Leroy. Could I trouble you to explain? I've not heard of this before, or know where or how to do it. Is this something I can do on all devices? Computer, iPhone, iPad? Not sure how this works. Thanks.

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Answer 3

Aug 6, 2013 7:32 AM in response to leroydouglas

Does any one know what Leroy is refering to to solve my issue?

"register the time stamp"

Thanks,

Steven

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Answer 4

Aug 6, 2013 8:11 AM in response to Steven Shmerler

Steven Shmerler wrote:

Hi Leroy. Could I trouble you to explain?

Steven Shmerler- I was just referring to taking note of the time stamp and move the slider accordingly. YMMV.

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Answer 5

Aug 6, 2013 9:41 AM in response to leroydouglas

Ah.. yes I see now.

Yes I have my eye glued on the time but the slider doesn't work in sync with what I want.

Meaning. lets say I'm listening to a lecture audio and miss the last sentence, I hit pause at 1:14, and assume I need to review 5 seconds back and want to go to 1:09. I move the slider and it goes from 1:14 to 1:00. And I can't seem to get a smooth second by second relation going with the slider. Just jumps of time.

I can get back to 1:14 and when I try again it goes back to 1:00 which feels like there is a preconfigured minimum block of time that you can go back or move forward.

So what happens is I have to listen from 1:00. So instead of 5 seconds, with the time fidgetting with the slider, I've spent a bit of time. Multiply this over the course (no pun) of a 1.5 hr lecture and the time I spend with the lecture can easily double much of it wasted time, either trying to pinpoint the spot I want, or relistening to material that precedes the point in the track I want.

the only way I've gotten around this is to use a sound editor for audio tracks which has a fluid relationship between the slider and time so I can move back in time second by second.

I am at a loss for why the standard playback apps like QuickTime and Preview are so "clunky" and choppie and why they don't allow for a second by second review, that should be both slider and arrow key initiated.

I don't think I made my point clear at first. Is this better?

Thanks,

Steven

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