General Music Chat

Hey Gang,

I just recently got Cool Edit 2 and learning new things everyday..The manual doesnt detail alot of things..LOL...One basic thing I dont understand is the difference between RAM memory and processor speed which I cant seem to find on here and I dont know a value which is suitable for recording in a multitrack evironment...I have 750,000KB of RAM physical memory ...
When Im running cool edit it never shows a load on the CPU over 70% but when I play back recorded tracks I get pops and the LED meters freeze up and the cursor on the playback screen following the waveforms and the min.counter skip fwd while it plays....Ive tried changing the buffers and buffer times but nothing seems to help...I dont run anything else while cool edit is running...
Im using compression and reverb in a buss for 4 vocal parts and guitar..BUT, the prblem is still there even without EFX..Just wondering if anyone might be able to give me some processor speed info and trouble shooting advice ...

Thanks,
John

Hi Kidd.

How old is the computer and what operating system are you running?

Also, look in the help section of your program.
Check out what program is being used to direct this music to your sound card, man . . . you might just have to check-off a different box . . . .

THAT'S why I like Roland DAW's.....




that, from a programmer/analyst

course, I've said for a year or so now that If I were setting up a new homestudio, I'd strongly consider a Mac.

OK first I don't know a thing about Cool Edit, but I've been building and repairing computers for almost 10 years.

CPU speed:

Is measured in megahertz (MHz)

That means it can send and retrieve a bit of data at x million times per second. The original IBM PC, commonly called the XT, was a 4.77 MHz CPU. That means it cycled at 4.77 million times per second. A 133 MHz machine, common when windows 98 was released, ran at 133 million times per second.

The latest thing when XP was released was 1 GHz (gigahertz) meaning 1 billion times per second (1000 MHz). These days they've passed the 3GHz mark, at least in performance if not actual CPU speed. Using dual core too, which is basically 2 processors on one die.

RAM:

Random Access Memory. Physical memory chips on small circuit boards mounted inside the computer on the motherboard, the main circuit board the whole shooting match is plugged into.

RAM acts as temporary data storage where the basic commands and commonly used functions are placed for faster access than the hard drive. (Lots faster) RAM is measured in bytes, or more specifically megabytes (MB). the old XT had up to 640 kb, about half a megabyte. Today a gigabyte (GB) is about the minimum if you want any performance out of Vista.

It's usually manufactured in multiples of 4. 8, 16 or 32MB up to 64, then multiples at 128, 256, 512, 1024 (1 GB) then by GB. .One floppy disk is 1.44MB if that gives you any idea how much storage you have for RAM if you have, say, 512MB. Your reading of 750,000 is probably the program averaging out 768MB, which would be a 512MB plus a 256MB.

Then we get into virtual memory - which Windows uses in the form of a swap file on the hard drive, it's basically a scratch pad to keep frequently or recently used commands and operations in case they might be needed soon, then everything is overwritten as you continue to use the computer, but that swap file is always available for quick access of whatever Windows may need, if it has been already used recently it can grab it quicker because virtual memory is the first place it will look..

The problem you're having sounds like either RAM or virtual memory running low, or a driver may be causing problems. I've seen drivers cause weird problems many times. CPU speed could be a bit on the slow side, but if you watch what programs are running at start up you still should be able to use it without much trouble as long as your machine meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements of the software. You should be able to look that up on the software producer's website.

You could also (most likely actually) have a lot of programs running in the background, making the machine sluggish overall, this is especially true with spyware, trojans, and other malicious software. This is already long winded enough, I'm not going into shutting down programs and processes...

If you're running XP, find the "My Computer" icon on the desktop and right click it. Then click "Properties" The screen that opens should tell you the accurate CPU speed and RAM available in the lower section. Compare that to the software's minimum requirements. If you want more in depth basics, check at The PC Guide. It's not completely current, but it's accurate, easy to understand, (written so anybody can get a grip on it, you don't have to be a computer science major to see what he's explaining) all the basics are still the same and I'm one of the moderators of their forums. So I know it's correct, that's where I learned half of what I know about computers. The other half came from reading a 4 foot stack of books and lots of websites and working on them for a living for 8 years. The only thing missing there actually is information on much newer architectures, like the newest PCI Express video or dual/quad core CPU details.

Huh???

If it's not a performance issue, I'm guessing that you either have a noisy power supply, or your sound card (whether integrated into the motherboard or a PCI.. etc) is not a very good one..

sometimes stuff like this is hard to troubleshoot without being there..
Rich

Hey Gang,

Thanks to everyone trying to help...Im learnin new things every day...One can only CRAM so much knowledge into one day...Its like lying on your death bed wishin you'd done things different through out your life.. ....Im tryin to cram 1983-2007 into 1 month. ..Im still seachin for the CPU speed on this thing..Ive looked in all the computer management items and NOTHING and no figure is in MHZ....It lists everything else BUT that...Yeah, I know its hard to help when ya cant see the problem in action...Im convinced its NOT a CPU memory prob...I seem to have plenty MB of RAM..All the poppin occurs even when the task manager is runnin at 35% which seems to be the constant on these 9 tracks I have runnin...messin with the buffers isnt helping that much,,,SOME, but not enough..725$ would get me outta all this...Like a Yamaha AW1600..... ....BUT, Im gonna keep tryin ..Im understanding more and more as I read tweaks page and Im gonna get on the site you suggested Paleopete...The processor is an AMD x86 model 4 and Im running a Soundblaster Creative live sound card...Which Im starting to think may be the prob...Well... off to more trouble shooting...I have access to a Aardvark 24 but I really dont understand anything about it yet..Would that be a good interface to used with cool edit?....Anyway, thanks again....Ill understand more in a few days...Hopefully....

Check for drivers Here. I just looked it up on google, didn't go to the site, just copied the URL. Should have drivers for any sound card Creative makes. Drivers are your first stop, I've seen plenty times the driver installed by the manufacturer or the one that came with it on CD are not the "best" drivers. They should have instructions posted too if you look around a bit.

How old is the computer and what version of Windows? Hopefully it's not Vista, from what I've seen I wouldn't wish Vista on anyone with the possible exceptions of Bin Laden and rappers. With 768 MB RAM it would still crawl. I'm running Audacity on a AMD XP 2000+ w/512MB RAM, Win98 and Creative sound card, it runs perfect. Never tried Cool Edit.

As far as an interface, there are multiple possibilities. I'm using a Tascam Portastudio 414, I run the Line Out monitor signal to the computer with a patch cord, no need to even turn the tape on, just having the monitor signal there does the trick. You can do the same with any good cassette recorder and I understand a lot of other units are produced for that purpose, I haven't looked them up, my Tascam works fine. A simple patch cord using a Line Out from the effects loop of an amp should work too, if you have an amp of that type.

Also have you tried playing with the record level? If it's too high you'll get distortion usually, but if it's just high enough to clip maybe? Drivers is my first guess.

It sounds like your computer is a dog.

If you aren't running a 2.5G processor, with say min of 512 of ram (more like 1 g) and a hard drive that is pushing 5400 rpm, you are about f**k.

If your setup was new with win 98, TAKE THE HINT.

it sounds like its your sound card,if the program opens correctly and lets you input data more than likely its the sound card tripping/skipping as it tries to re-run or replay the audio, also if your mixing analogue and digital at the same time it will make minced meat of the operating system....it may not be but something similar happened to me before and it resulted in me having to buy a decent sound card,the "yamaha gold card" its the all singing all dancing pro sound card with a price tag too match but it can cope with just about anything you can thrown at it .

Kidd,

You never answered my question.

How old is the computer and what operating system are you running? Also what make is the computer?

If you are running Windows ME upgrade or go back to Windows 2000/98. ME was the worst operating system Microsoft ever put out.

I do this stuff for living.

Hey Wegman,

Sorry, I havent answer the posed questions...I really do apppreciate you guys "tryin" to help me...The CPU in MY brain needs a few more sticks of RAM... ....The system is an AMD x86 model 4 based PC ,model MS6330 ( micro star international)..It says 785,904 KB physical mem. 434,632KB of avaiable mem. 2,705,648KB of virtual mem 2,030,632 available mem....1,919,744 of page file space...I cant find anywhere that says how old it is????...Im running WIN 2000....The guys from the WV. board sent me a this link http://www.musicxp.net/dnn/tabid/59/Default.aspx.....I was able to make some changes to hopefully make cool edit run better..Some didnt apply to WIN 2000...Yeah , MY GOD ,theres so many things to consider... ..
Im gonna read up WHY I cant get a input monitor signal (hear myself in the cans) when I plug a mic directly into the soundblaster live 5.1 soundcard...It shows the signal on the LEDs BUT cant hear it?...Ive turned on EVERY playback setting????...Im thinking my 8CH yamaha brain record out interfacing "MAY" be some of the problem...Everyday,Im discovering new things to try...I tried using my 4 trk multitracker but I use it for play back to my monitors....Sounds crappy un EQed.....I can at least do alittle pre EQing with the brain....One thing the FLIPS ME OUT with all of this is that ya have no seperate bussing for changing levels in the cans to suite the vocalist while recording...Ya cant mix the input with output with out effecting the rec. level...Heck my lil 4 tracker had that on it...????...Hey thanks again for your concern ...BTW,I really like your material..Thats acoustic thing was cool...I like the FX ...You guys are gonna catch me up to 2007 yet ....BUT, it may be 2015 before I understand whats happenin today... :lol Im puttin 7-8 hrs a nite into this so your efforts in helping me are not in vain...Im gonna catch up

Thanks again,
John

Thanks for checking out my stuff and the nice comments John.

From computer to computer and Windows operating system everything changes along with the causes of problems. Windows 2000 was pretty decent so I can't blame the operating system so to speak. Different brands of computers have different hardware installed and configurations and the hardware sometimes doesn't place nice together. Sometimes the software either. So I ask the basic questions so I know what I am dealing with.

To keep it simple. The faster the computer the more it can do at one time but, it usually needs more memory. As a general rule adding more memory is one of the most effective ways of making the computer run better.

Another thing. You mentioned you have an AMD processor. There is nothing wrong with that processor however some programs do not place nice with it. Your sound card may not play nice with it. Some hardware and software only work with Intel processors or are only recommended for Intel processors. Then we can get into the whole Pentium, Celeron etc.

There is alot to this stuff and us geeks get very little respect for what all we have to know to keep everything running smoothly. I am sure Celtic can respect this. Like him I was a systems analyst for a huge insurance company. The suits had no idea who I was or what I did however when a major system went down suddenly I was the most popular guy on campus.