While the loop creation tools are excellent, the loop-based composition aspects of Cool Edit are competent, but not spectacular. Effects can be applied to audio files in the audio editor and permanently saved or you can work non-destructively with effects at the track level back in the multi-track window, at your discretion. This is just one example of the integrated behavior that really makes Cool Edit Pro a joy to use. Once you have recorded your audio into a track, a quick double-click on the track immediately and seamlessly switches back to the edit view. Recording into a track is about as easy as clicking the Record button, although Windows and your audio card’s mixers can often make the initial configuration a bit of a headache. The mixer window is analogous to a real-world mixer board with each (stereo) track represented by a single slider. It does not have a numeric indication of how much over peak the sound is bouncing, which makes lowering the level a bit of a guessing game. We liked that the track controls could instantly be expanded (with a right-click) to reveal more advanced tools and options.Īlong the bottom of the interface is a project output level audio meter that identifies clipping problems. With the click of a button, the interface changes from the familiar audio editor to a full multi-track loop-based recording and composition studio. We particularly liked the well-executed Parametric EQ filter. reverb) that videographers need and found them to be easy to use, with many helpful presets to get the beginner started. We examined, in some detail, the more common dynamics (e.g. The quality of the effects was excellent. The 45 audio effects and filters range from subtle to garish, and are all applied in real time, thanks to today’s fast processors. The audio analysis tools are especially strong and we found an immediate real-world use for the Phase Analysis tool. The simple copying, cutting, pasting and trimming tools are more accurate (down to the sample) and easier to use than the audio tools commonly found in most video-centric editors. The audio editing tools by themselves are a powerful argument for considering adding Cool Edit to your editing suite. Cool Edit Pro’s popularity is justified: In terms of quality, ease of use and value, it is hard to beat the $69 price tag of Cool Edit Pro 2000, which is a feature-limited version of the comprehensive Cool Edit Pro 2.0 ($249) reviewed here. More than just an audio editor, the 2.0 version of Cool Edit Pro enters the loop-based music composition space, supports simple MIDI operations and can be used to score a video soundtrack as well.

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