Point of Focus >> Wavs >> How to Make Wavs

Please note: It is illegal to copy and redistribute an authors original work. This tutorial is intended to instruct in making wav files purely for your own enjoyment. It is meant only for private use.

Taking the intellectual property of another and redistributing it is strictly prohibited.

I am going to give you some of the basics here. But before you try and do anything, you should download Cool Edit from the Syntrillium web site. These instructions are for Cool Edit. I imagine that you can apply them to the sound recorder that comes with your computer, but I can't say for sure. I know one thing. Cool Edit is a high quality program and a sound investment for the creation of wav files.

So download the program and install it, then you will be ready.

Also, you may want to download the MPEG Codec at this time if you haven't already. That way you can compress your wavs right after you record them. It will save you the trouble of doing it later but you can if you want to. The codec is available at Joys Pad.

Ok ready? If you have the Cool Edit program installed you are halfway there. One more thing before we start. Your sound. The settings to the sound of your own computer also will effect how the wav will be recorded and of course how it will sound in playback. Our computers are different and I can explain what I do with mine...you need to scrutinize your own system though. There maybe things that will affect the sound that are particular to your computer.

So basic sound first ok? It's a good idea to have a sound icon on your taskbar. Then you can access it easily. If you do, great, if you don't, you just need to open your control panel and click on MULTIMEDIA. The 1st window should have a "show volume icon in taskbar". Enable it then click APPLY then OK. Now you should see a little yellow megaphone type icon on your taskbar. Do you feel like going back into that folder? There are settings there that will also effect how your wavs are recorded and how they sound in playback. Set your preferred quality to CD quality. I keep my slider at about the 50% mark there. It seems to work well. Always click on Apply and then on OK when you leave an area you make changes to. That will ensure that the changes are saved. Now double click the taskbar icon. You will see a window that has at least a volume slider. You can enable more sliders but this will depend on the options you choose. At the top of this window click on OPTIONS. You should bring up a window that will allow you to change options for playback and recording. Recording control CD and line in should be checked in the recording options. I have volume, wav, cd audio and synthesizer checked in my playback. If you've never looked here before make sure you check microphone so you can make sure it is NOT enabled.

Now you can set your sound and volume the way you want. You may have to record a few songs first and play around with the sliders to determine how it works best for you. Sound too loud may give you noise in your recording and etc. You will need to get to know that for yourself.

Ok assuming you have Cool Edit installed you will find it by going to Start, Programs, Syntrillium. Click on Cool Edit. It's been a while since I've had the unregistered version but if I remember correctly...you will get a window that has about 7 options. In the unregistered version you can enable only two. You want to put a dot in the circle next to the 1st and 5th option. (I've forgotten what they are but I'm sure it's the first and fifth). Click ok and you will have your recorder in front of you.

Click on File--->New, at the left top of the device. You will see a window with options. Only 3 and they are pretty easy. Basically these options will set the quality of your recording. Now a sample rate of 44,100 at 16 bit and stereo, is CD quality. However, if you record at that rate you will probably not be able to hear them in the chat rooms and you will also have a file so huge your hard drive will fill up fast. I guess it would be nice, but.....you will have to lower your ideals here. What I have found makes the best sounding wavs...it's a little bit of a trade off but I think they come out the clearest....is to use a sample rate of 22,050, mono and 16 bit. That is since I have been compressing them to MPEG 3 layer. When I used to compress them to MSADPCM, the settings I used were 11, 025, mono and 16 bit. You will have to decide. Everyone has little tips and tricks so talk around. I'll just give you the basics here.

Ok you've picked your settings, click ok. At the top of the device again is View. Click on that for a drop down list in which CD player is at the bottom. Place a check mark in the box so the CD player is enabled in Cool Edit. You can record using your own CD device if you want to (the one that hopefully came with your puter) this is just a little perk.

Place a CD in your CD drive. If it starts playing auto stop it for now. That's the button on the CD player all the way to the left. Click on the record button and then, click on the play button of the CD player. You can also change the track. Those are located above the CD controls. See the numbers? You're now recording, and I hope listening as well. I hope you see a waveform gently moving across the device. When your song finishes click the stop button on the recorder and then the stop on the player. There will probably be dead space at the beginning and end of the wave which you will want to delete before you save, Highlight the dead area by placing your cursor at the point closest to the beginning of the wavform and dragging to the opposite end of the area while holding down your left mouse button. Let up on the mouse button when you get to the end. That will highlight the area to be removed. Go to the top and click on Edit, Cut. It's gone. Do the same at the other end. Try to be precise on this. Then before you do anything else, listen to what you have recorded. Sounds ok? Want to save it? Ok if you're going to make another song go back up to File and click on New. The window will pop up asking you if you want to save it. Click YES. Now a window will appear so you can set the Drive and Folder you want to save it in. After you have set that up, there are two more things. First you will want to give it a name. It follows the windows configuration. You can name it anything you want, but more than 8 letters and windows will cut it short and follow it with a tilde and a number. Not to worry, name it whatever you please it will still play.

There is another box just below that one that says "Save as type". There is a drop down box with options. Windows PCM will save it without any compression. If you are recording a whole song it will be pretty large. If you use Microsoft ADPCM that is ok. You will have to work it out according to how you've recorded it and whether you did install the MPEG codec. If you choose MsADPCM, click on the options box make sure it s enabled for multiple passes with higher quality. If you want to MPEG compress it you need to choose "ACM Wavform" Then go to options. You don't have to title it but you will have to have MPEG in the box next to format. Choose it from the drop down menu. Below that is Attributes . Choose the one that is 32 bits 22,050Hz and mono (4kbs) . Hint~you want it to correspond to the way you recorded it. You will see a list of attributes. If you recorded in stereo choose the stereo one that most closely corresponds to you r other recording settings. Click ok (that will disappear) Click save on the window it took you back to and Cool will do the rest.

Please do me a big favor and read the help files on Cool. I know it's tedious but you will learn so much more by asking your own questions and finding your own answers. Play around with the program. See what the different functions do. There are many ways to make your wavs sound better. Perhaps I will add that in the future....but for now I just wanted to give you the basics.

1. View--->CD player
2. File--->New
3. Set sample rate, channels and resolution. Click OK
4. Click on Record
5. Click on Play
6. When song finishes click on stop in Recorder
7. Stop CD Player
8. Edit the dead space on both ends
9. Click File--->New (if you are going to make another) File----> Close, or Exit (if you aren't going to make another)
10. Set your drive and/or folder in the "save in" box
11. Give your wav a name
12. Save as type settings.
Windows PCM-uncompressed
MSADPCM-compressed --set options to multiple layers
MPEG3layer-compressed --set options to MPEG3, and the attributes closest to the way you recorded it.
13. Click ok
14. Click Save
15. Pat yourself on the back. : )

I really hope this helps. Don't be intimidated by it...just have fun!!! It's just a program. Repeat this phrase:

"Yes I can, yes I can, yes I can........" : )

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