Double-click the desktop icon to open your preferred digital audio workstation. It may take a few seconds for the program to fully launch.
Open a work-in-progress from the "File" menu. The exact process varies according to which program you use. For example, in Apple's Logic program, click "File," "Open Recent" then select the relevant session from the drop-down menu.
Open a tool featuring a waveform analyzer, for example, a graphic equalizer, phase scope or limiter. These are typically located in the "Tools" or "Plugins" menu. A waveform analyzer isn't a tool per se, it's an element of a tool.
Click "Play" so the waveform analyzer has a signal to analyze. You'll notice the waveform moving as the track plays. The waveform is superimposed on a grid. The vertical axis represents amplitude, the horizontal axis represents frequency, or time, depending on what kind of analysis you are doing.
Observe the waveform and note any changes in wave characteristic. For example, if your stereo mix is out-of-phase, the wave peaks will be in different parts of the grid.
Set your threshold parameters. The benefit of using a waveform analyzer when equalizing or mastering audio is that you can set a framework inside which you want to operate. For example, if you set the amplitude level at "-2-db" on a phase scope, as soon as this threshold is breached, a warning light flashes. You can examine the waveform to determine exactly which part of the audio breached the limit. Typical parameters include frequency bands, volume levels and gain levels. Gain is distinct from volume in that it represents signal strength in relation to maximum output, rather than volume relative to the monitoring system.
Tweak the shape of the waveform. On a bench-top analyzer you can this with a "Rate" dial. When using the digital audio workstation interface, you can do this by physically dragging the waveform with your cursor. This reverses the analysis process. Rather than observing the waveform when the sound changes, you can manipulate the waveform to modify the sound. For example, if you're trying to identify a rogue frequency, moving the frequency waveform around the grid will highlight it.
Adjust the audio characteristics in relation to the information gleaned from the waveform analyzer. For example, if the amplitude threshold is breached at 2.34 minutes into a song, apply automated compression to the master mix at that point.