Cool Edit Pro 2,0 - Research Paper Example

COOL EDIT PRO 2.0 Cool Edit Pro 2.0 is 'a power-packed digital sound editor for Windows-based PCs' (Cool Edit Pro 2.0 Help, "Cool Edit Pro Overview" par. 1). It has been preferred by musicians and engineers (even amateurs) because this digital audio software is full-featured but has easy-to-use functionality. Cool Edit Pro includes all functions and utilities needed and required for taking an audio project from conception to completion. Cool Edit Overview This 2.0 version of Cool Edit was enhanced for superior and better performance. The main "enhancements in version 2.0 include a significant bump in the total number of tracks possible (up to 128 from 64), looping tools, real-time effects and EQ (to include track busing), a new mixer window and limited MIDI support" (Silva, par. 2). Some of the features of the Cool Edit Pro 2.0 are (Cool Edit Pro 2.0 Help, "Cool Edit Pro Overview" par. 8): Multitrack editing and mixing - up to 128 tracks! Unmatched wave editing power More than 40 DSP effects, mastering and analysis tools, and audio restoration features - including Echo, Reverb, Flanging, Chorusing, Compression, Limiting, Equalization, Noise Reduction, Click & Pop Reduction, Clip Restoration, and more Real-Time effects and equalization that can be non-destructively applied to any track The ability to organize tracks into busses Support for more than a dozen distinct file formats (not including sub-formats) including MIDI and video files Built-in CD ripping Friendly, customizable interface, complete with dockable windows and customizable shortcut "hotkeys" for most functions Powerful loop-based song creation, including session tempo and key matching. Noise, Tone, and DTMF Tone generation 32-bit sample resolution support and full 32-bit internal processing with support for 24-bit/192 kHz and higher Scripting and Batch-Processing capability, including the ability to batch convert audio files between formats, sampling rates, and sampling frequencies "Phrase" recognition (auto cue generation) Cue and Play List support for multiple files and for segments within files Scientific filters, text export capability, and file-statistics gathering functions for data analysis Waveform and Spectral View options Multitrack SMPTE/MTC Master, MIDI and video support The prowess of digital recording studio is within reach with the use of CoolEditPro and any Windows sound card. Figure 1 Typical Edit View Window of the Cool Edit Pro 2.0 Figure 2 Typical Multitrack View Window of the Cool Edit Pro 2.0 Two Major Workspaces in Cool Edit Pro There are two main views offered by Cool Edit Pro namely, Edit View (Figure 1) and Multitrack View (Figure 2). These two can be switched using the toggle bar at the upper left corner of the screen just below the File menu. How to Use Cool Edit Pro's "Echo Effect" One of the great features of digital sound editor like Cool Edit is the "echo effect". In Cool Edit you can choose either "Echo Chamber Effect" or just the "Echo Effect" in adding 'ambience and spatial location' to a mono or stereo waveform (Cool Edit Pro 2.0 Help, "How to Add Ambience" par. 1). It's simple to do this, firstly open the file containing the waveform (music/ video file) to be edited then do the following: 1. Open Cool Edit Pro's Echo Chamber effect (See Figure 3). 2. Select from the "Presets" or you can fill in the desired Room Size, Damping Factors, and other variables for your virtual room (Refer to Figure 4). The microphone distances for your virtual room can also be adjusted. 3. After entering the desired specifications of your virtual room, press "Preview" to try-out the effect before apply it. 4. If you are satisfied with the effect, press "OK" for the changes to take effect. There are many other ways Cool Edit Pro can animate and invigorate your "sound of music". Figure 3 Where to Open Cool Edit Pro's Echo Chamber Effect Figure 4 Echo Chamber Specifications' Dialog Box AUDIOMULCH AudioMulch is an "interactive music studio that allows its user to create myriad environments for the synthesis, processing, and assembly of musical components or sounds". It makes use of the 'combination of integrated synthesizers and control mechanisms (contraptions)' to smooth the progress of transforming sound and creating 'sonic textures' that is far more energized than those conventionally linked with instrumental music. (AudioMulch Help, "Overview" par. 1) One advantage of AudioMulch is that it preserves the possibility of Real-Time performance, an essential element in the sonic world. AudioMulch is not however limited to the creation of soundscapes and has just as many applications as an effects processor or as an instrument in its own right within more commercial musical genres. Easily combined with live performers in an interactive context or used to create a range of popular electronic musical styles, the depth and range of AudioMulch's features mean that creation is only limited by the power of your machine and the scope of your imagination. (AudioMulch Help, "Overview" par. 1) The Patcher and Properties Panes As shown in Figure 5, the Patcher Pane is where all of the structural work within AudioMulch takes place. Mulching contraptions are added and linked together in this pane. The modifications to the layout or sequence of contraptions are done in this area. It is equipped with Undo function because each change within this pane will certainly affect the entire system and may alter any patch. Figure 5 The Patcher and Properties Panes of AudioMulch The Properties Pane is where a corresponding Property Editor of most Mulching Contraptions in the Patcher Pane are placed or located. Finally, the Automation Pane is where a corresponding automation channel of almost all Contraption Parameters can be viewed. Processes available within AudioMulch 1.0 are common to computer music programs, 'it is their configuration within this software which is perhaps most notable' (AudioMulch Help, "Foreword" par. 2). Moreover, with the aid of virtually unrestricted combination of a network of synthesis and processing contrivances, AudioMulch enables the user to 'extend their current audio processing capabilities, create new music within their computer without additional expensive software or hardware systems, and participate in fluid performances with other computers or an ensemble of traditional instrumentalists' (AudioMulch Help, "Foreword" par. 3). ADOBE PHOTOSHOP (FILTER FACTORY) "A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety." - Ansel Adams (Quotegarden, par. 35) It is true that sometimes we express our feelings through the things we do; either in art, music, dance or even just in a simple photograph. With the advent of technology, our creativeness and our artistic prowess are unstoppable. It is not necessary to study Fine Arts or Photography to come up with an artistic photograph masterpiece; it only takes a computer and software such as Adobe Photoshop to accomplish such thing. How to Use the Photoshop Filter Factory One of the best features of Photoshop is the Filter Factory. An ordinary photograph or picture can become a work of art. To start on: 1. In the Photoshop window, open the desired image to be refurbished. Go to the menu bar and click on "File", then from the drop-down list hit "Open" - this will allow you to browse images stored in the file folders. (See Figure 6) 2. Open the "Filter" box in the menu bar. Choose from the given filter categories the best suited for your image (See Figure 7). 3. After a filter is chosen, click "OK" on the Filter Work Area to apply the changes (See Figure 8). Photoshop Work Area The Photoshop work area (Figure 7) has these components (Adobe Photoshop Help, "Work Area" par. 1): 1. Menu bar contains menus organized by tasks. For example, the Layers menu contains commands for working with layers. In Photoshop, you can customize the menu bar by showing, hiding, or adding color to menu items. 2. Options bar provides options for using a tool. 3. Toolbox contains tools for creating and editing images. 4. Active image area displays the active open file. The window containing an open file is also called the document window. 5. Filter Options provides the choices to filter an image in the active image area. Filter Work Area The filter work area (Figure 8) of the Photoshop contains the following tools: 1. Active image area displays the active open file. 2. Filter toolbox contains tools for editing images. 3. Adjustment toolbox allows for image to be tuned and modified. 4. New Effect Layer button. 5. Delete Effect switch. Figure 7 Photoshop Work Area Featuring the Filter Factory Menu Figure 8 Filter Work Area Sample Pictures Using Photoshop Filter Figure 9 presents the original images while Figure 10 to 16 shows the different Filter Factory Gallery. Figure 9 Original Photographs Figure 10 Filter/ Artistic/ Poster Edges Figure 11 Filter/ Brush Strokes/ Accented Edges Figure 12 Filter/ Distort/ Diffused Glow Figure 13 Filter/ Sketch/ Notepaper Figure 14 Filter/ Stylize/ Glowing Edges Figure 15 Filter/ Texture/ Craquelure Figure 16 Filter/ Artistic/ Cut-out With Photoshop Filter Factory you can absolutely transform a simple and ordinary image into a masterpiece. Thus learning to use this feature of the Photoshop software is simply amazing and rewarding. WINMORPH 3.01 Winmorph is "a high performance morphing and warping system" (Winmorph 3.01 Help, "About Winmorph" par. 1). This software is used to digitally manipulate images and videos either for correcting distortions or for creative purposes. There are two ways this can be done, namely warping and morphing. Image or video warping is the method wherein an image or a video is deformed. On the other hand, image or video morphing is the process of blending or manipulating images and videos so that 'they can change radically over the course of several frames' (Smith, "What is Morphing" par. 1). Cross-fade is a morphing technique used in the 20th Century films wherein the camera slowly fades from 'one actor or object to another'. Later, however, it was supplanted by a method called Dissolving in 'which an image slowly faded away to reveal another image'. (Smith, "What is Morphing" par. 2) Image and video morphing can be utilized for a broad variety of tasks. Take for example the following (Smith, "What is Morphing" par. 3): "In a video about a missing person, morphs might be used to show how the person may have aged since he or she was last seen, or how the person's appearance might change with the addition of wigs, glasses, and other methods of disguise". Morphing is also employed in 'many films as a special effect and in commercial advertising to do things like creating before and after shots to promote diet plans'. Scientists can make use of 'morphing to study evolution and to do things like creating realistic pictures of early humans with basic data about skull measurements and other dimensions of the body'. It is indeed amazing to see the fruits of science and technology in our everyday life and activities. Winmorph Work Area Figure 16 shows how the Winmorph Work Area looks like. It has several components: 1. Menu bar contains menus organized by tasks. 2. Tools toolbar contains tools for creating and editing images. 3. Active image area displays the active open file. 4. Navigation Toolbar 5. Main toolbar provides options for using a tool. 6. Elements window shows the list of Shapes and Sets that are present. 7. Properties window shows the properties of the currently selected shape/set. 8. Advanced properties window shows advanced properties for the project. It has the following tabs: Image Blending Key Frames Figure 16 Winmorph Work Area Winmorph Main Toolbar Winmorph Tools Toolbar Winmorph Navigation Toolbar Winmorph MiniNav Toolbar Winmorph Palette Toolbar How to Do Image Morphing To make a morphed image simply follow the following procedure: 1. On the menu bar choose File>New>Morph Project to create a new morph project, and select two image files you desire to use. a. If the selected images are of different sizes, you can choose which image to resize. 2. The morph project window displays both the images in separate panes (Refer to Figure 16). 3. Shapes can be added and associated appropriately. 4. Next, select Warp>Render or View>Preview mode to observe your results. 5. Finally, save your project by placing a proper output filename. Besides Image Morphing, Winmorph also allows Video Morphing. Furthermore, Image and Video Warping is also available in Winmorph 3.01. This software is indeed multifunctional, enabling the four mentioned processes to be done in a single application. This is advantageous in that you do not need much other software to be installed in your computer system. TERRAGEN "There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations." - Washington Irving Terragen is a 'scenery generator'. The purpose Terragen is created would be to produce 'photorealistic landscape images and animations'. It is available for Windows and the Mac Operating Systems. (Planetside, Official Guide) How to Generate Terrain in the Terragen In order to create some scenery, a terrain must be generated first. To perform this, follow the subsequent steps: 1. Click on Generate Terrain on the Landscape control panel. 2. On the dialogue box which appears, snap on Generate Terrain then close it afterwards. (The screen will then look something like the one shown in Figure 17) 3. Then, we need to generate a preview so that we can see what sort of picture we get from our terrain. ----- On the Rendering Panel hit Preview. 4. After doing some enhancement on your image, you can now save your work. ------ Click Render Image on the Rendering Panel. Then snap Save to save your work. (See Figure 18) Figure 17 Terragen Work Area Figure 18 Render Image & Save Terragen is used for 'professional landscape visualization projects'; also, 'it is accessible and easy to get started with'. With this software, landscape images can me made 'in as little as 15 minutes after installation'. (Planetside, Official Guide) References Bencina, R. "AudioMulch Version 1 User's Guide." Help. Interactive Music Studio, 2006. Kumar, S. "Winmorph Version 3.01 User's Guide." 2002. Planetside. "Terragen Official Guide". Available at . Silva, J. "SYNTRILLIUM Cool Edit Pro 2.0." The Online Remix Magazine. 01 October 2002. Remix Online Magazine. 23 April 2009 . Smith, S. E. "What is Morphing" wiseGEEK. 2009. wiseGEEK Online. 23 April 2009. . Syntrillium Software Corporation. "Cool Edit Pro Version 2 User's Guide." Help. Phoenix, USA: Syntrillium Software Corporation, 2002. ___________. "Quotations About Photography." 26 December 2007. Quotegarden. 23 April 2009. < http://www.quotegarden.com/photography.html>. ___________. "Adobe Photoshop Version 9.0 User's Guide." Help. 2005. Read More