Recording Audio with Cool Edit

Objective:
This job aid shows how to record and edit basic audio for creating new system sounds, MP3s, editing songs before burning them to CD, etc... The job aid is for Cool Edit 2000 or Cool Edit Pro.
 
 
Step one: Connect your speakers to the computer
 

The vast majority of sound cards that come on computers today have three 1/8" (miniplug) jacks on the back, plus a plug for attaching MIDI equipment. Plug in the speaker's cable to your sound card's Line Out port. If your speakers do not have a miniplug connector, you may need an adapter.
 
Step two: Recording from a microphone

If you want to record from your microphone, connect its cable to your sound card's Mic In port. (If your microphone does not have a miniplug connector, see the Recording and Mixing Audio topic for how to use a mixer or microphone pre-amp)

pic2
 
Step three: Recording from another source
 

If you want to record from another source, such as your tape player or keyboard, attach its cable to your sound card's Line In port. You will probably need an RCA to miniplug adapter in order to attach a stereo component (such as your CD player) to your sound card. You can buy this adapter at your local electronics store.

pic3
 

Step four: Open sound mixer
 

In Windows, open up your sound card's mixer panel by double-clicking on the yellow speaker icon in your system tray, near the clock on your task bar. If you do not have the yellow speaker icon in your system tray, you can make it appear by going to the Start Menu, selecting Settings, then, Control Panel, and then Multimedia. Make sure that Show volume control on the taskbar is checked, then click OK. Some sound cards provide their own mixer control panel, and so their icon may be different. If you have such a sound card, refer to its documentation on how to finish steps 4-6.

pic4
 

Step five: Adjust the sound mixer
 

The standard sound card mixer looks like the figure in "Visual Aids - Step 5". When you first open the mixer, you will see all of the possible playback volumes. Make sure that wave is NOT muted, and that its volume slider and the master volume slider are both at least halfway up.

pic5
 

Step six: Set the device to record

 

Set the sound card's recording devices by going to Options->Properties, selecting Recording, and clicking OK. Each of the devices your sound card can record from will be listed here. If you want to record from the Microphone, select it and make sure the volume is at least half way up. If you are recording from some other device plugged into your Line In, select Line and make sure its volume slider is at least halfway up.

pic6_1

pic6_2

pic6_3
 
 

Step seven: Launch Cool Edit

 

Launch Cool Edit 2000 or Cool Edit Pro. In Cool Edit, go to Options, select Settings, and then click on the Devices tab. Make sure that your sound card is selected for both Waveform Playback and Waveform Record.

pic7
 
 
Step eight: Test your recording levels
 
Test your recording levels with Cool Edit's VU meters. Double-click on the VU meters to turn them on, and then either test your microphone or play something into the line-in, depending on what you wanted to record. Use the recording control panel from step 6 to adjust the levels until the VU meters peak out around -2 or -3 dB. Double-click on the VU meters to turn them off.
 
 
 
Step nine: Create a new file
 
Create a new file by going to File->New. Choose your file type, and click ok. Click here for tips on choosing file types.
 
 
 
Step ten: Record
 
Click the record button and record away! When you are done recording, click Stop.
 
 
 
Step eleven: Edit
 
Edit your file and apply any effects.
 
 
Step twelve: Save
 
Save your file in your desired format. Go to File->Save As, name your file, and then select the format from the format list. To create an MP3 file, simply select MP3 from the list and then click Options to set bit rate and other options.