Audio Playback

HeyDonna provides synchronized audio playback that stays in sync with your transcript, making it easy to review and edit while listening.

Waveform Display

The audio waveform at the bottom of the editor provides:

• Visual representation of your audio file
• Playhead indicator showing current position
• Click-to-seek - click anywhere to jump to that point
• Zoom controls for detailed viewing

Playback Controls

Basic Controls

Speed Control

Adjust playback speed to match your editing pace:

Volume Control

Adjust the volume using the volume slider in the audio panel.

Speaker Voice Samples

Open View → Speakers to identify voices alongside speaker names. With multiple diarized speakers and playable audio, each row offers one 10–15 second sample from that speaker's longest clean turn, or adjacent same-speaker turns if individual turns are too short. Samples never cross another speaker.

The play and locate icons sit beside the edit and delete buttons below the speaker's name. These buttons wrap within the panel when space is limited. Hover or focus an icon to see its tooltip.

• Play voice sample plays only the sample and stops at its end. Another sample replaces the previous one.
• Go to this speaker's turn moves the text cursor and audio position to the first word without playing, even during playback.
• A muted icon means there is no usable uninterrupted sample of at least ten seconds. Its tooltip explains why; clicking shows a notification without starting the action.

Samples follow the speaker labels currently in the transcript, including corrected names. A word must be aligned to a clearly labeled speaker turn before it can be included.

Samples work in general and legal projects. Single-speaker and document-only transcripts retain speaker management without sample controls. If audio or the transcript is still loading, clicking an icon explains the problem in a notification; retry after loading.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Master these shortcuts for efficient playback control:

Synchronized Editing

The audio waveform and transcript stay synchronized:

1. Click on text - The playhead jumps to that word's timestamp
2. Click on waveform - The cursor moves to the corresponding text
3. During playback - The current word is highlighted as audio plays

Tips for Effective Playback

Reduce Speed for Accuracy

When editing difficult sections:

1. Select the text you want to review
2. Press Cmd/Ctrl+P to play at cursor
3. Use Cmd/Ctrl+, to slow down if needed

Use Skip Controls

For quick navigation:

• Skip Back (Cmd/Ctrl+J) is helpful to re-hear something
• Skip Forward (Cmd/Ctrl+L) helps skip past clear sections

Zoom the Waveform

For precise editing:

• Zoom in to see detailed waveform patterns
• Helps identify speaker changes and pauses
• Useful for timing adjustments

Troubleshooting

Audio Not Playing

1. Check that audio file uploaded successfully
2. Ensure your browser allows audio playback
3. Try refreshing the page
4. Check your device volume

Audio Out of Sync

If audio doesn't match the text position:

1. Click on a word with a known timestamp
2. The playhead should jump to that position
3. If still out of sync, try refreshing the page

Waveform Not Showing

The waveform generates during processing. If it's missing:

1. Check if processing completed
2. Refresh the page
3. Contact support if the issue persists