How to Show Separate Audio Waveforms in Kdenlive

This article provides a quick, step-by-step guide on how to configure Kdenlive’s timeline to display multi-channel audio tracks as separate, individual waveforms. By default, Kdenlive may merge stereo or multi-channel audio into a single waveform, but adjusting your global preferences allows you to visualize each audio channel independently for more precise editing.

Step-by-Step Configuration

To split your audio waveforms into separate channels on the timeline, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Configuration Menu:
    • On Windows or Linux, click on Settings in the top menu bar and select Configure Kdenlive…
    • On macOS, click on Kdenlive in the menu bar and select Preferences…
  2. Navigate to Timeline Settings:
    • In the preferences window that appears, click on the Timeline category in the left-hand sidebar.
    • Ensure you are looking at the Display tab (if sub-tabs are present).
  3. Enable Separate Channels:
    • Locate the audio waveform options section.
    • Look for the checkbox labeled Separate channels (or Draw separate channels depending on your Kdenlive version).
    • Check this box to enable the feature.
  4. Apply and Save:
    • Click the Apply button in the bottom right corner, then click OK to close the window.

Once configured, any stereo or multi-channel audio clips currently on your timeline—as well as any new clips you import—will automatically update to display distinct waveforms for the left, right, and additional audio channels.