Jason Levine – Healing People Daily with the Power of Digital Video & Audio

Using and Optimizing Loops in Your Sessions For starters, we must begin by creating a new
session in (Audition 3) and taking note of the session properties window. Make sure you're
in the multitrack view, and then go to the File menu and select New to create your new session.
Typically, you'll select 44.1k as your sample rate. All of the loops in the Syntrillium Loop
Library on loopology.com (again, this no longer exists) are sampled at 44.1k, so it is often a good setting to work with.

The new session is totally blank-an empty canvas to fill. From here, we can start inserting loops
into our session, or decide on the properties that we want all loops to conform to in this session.
Look in the lower right-hand corner for the Session Properties window. It contains fields for
Tempo, Key, Beats/Bar and Time Signature. If you don't see the Session Properties window, go
to the View menu and select Show Session Properties. All of these are all global settings that
relate specifically to the currently open session. To investigate the features of the Session
Properties window, start by inserting a loop from the Startup Session that is included with Cool
Edit Pro.

From within the multitrack, right-click anywhere in Track 1 and select Insert > Wave From
File. The Startup Session (by default) is located under C:\Program Files\coolpro2\StartupTheme.
Navigate to this folder and select the file entitled, NewDrums.cel. You may have to change the
'Files of Type' field to reflect .CEL and not .WAV. Note that this is a Cool Edit Loop file (now known as an Audition Loop file), a new proprietary format developed specifically for Cool Edit Pro 2 that allows you to compress loop files using mp3PRO® compression for your loop files. Insert the drum loop and move it to the left-most edge of track 1 by right-clicking and dragging on the block.

Check the Session Properties window and look at the Tempo field. The session tempo now
reflects the tempo of the loop file you just inserted. To verify the file's native tempo, right-click
on its block and select Loop Properties. This opens up a new dialog that gives you all the details
about the file itself including the actual tempo, key (if any) how many beats are in the file, the
stretching method that's being used, and many other options. You will see that NewDrums.cel is
4 beats long, with a native tempo of 87bpm, has no key assigned, and is using the Beat Splice
method for stretching. Close the window and return to the Multitrack View.

Before you do anything else, first make sure that you're working in Bars and Beats mode and that
the Snap feature is turned on. To change the ruler to Bars and Beats, right-click on the horizontal
ruler/time line and select Display Time Format > Bars and Beats. This can also be accessed in
the View menu under Display Time Format > Bars and Beats. After that, you need to enable
snapping. This feature makes all blocks automatically "snap" to each other's endpoints, which
allows you to seamlessly work with looped and non-looped materials. Go to the Edit menu and
select Snapping > Snap to Blocks and Snap to Loop Endpoints. If you are working with smaller
1/4 or 1/2 bar loop files, you might also want to enable Snap to Ruler (coarse). With these
features enabled, you are ready to begin.

Place the mouse cursor over the bottom right edge of the NewDrums.cel wave block and notice
that the icon changes to a sideways arrow. Left-click and drag on this edge to drag out the loop
file for any number of bars. You'll notice that when you cross each bar, you'll see a white vertical
line appear in the block - this is the snap to line, showing you that you're perfectly aligned to a
specific point in time. For this example, let's drag the drum loop out to 4 bars - this means that
you're going to drag it until you see a white line appear at 5:1 along the time line. That translates
the four complete bars of drums, from 1:1 to 5:1.

Now, go ahead and add another loop file. In track 2, right-click and select Insert > Wave from
File. From the same folder choose PianoRiff02.cel. It should automatically snap to the left-most
edge. If not, right-click on the file, drag it and then left click on the bottom-right corner (the loop
edge) and drag it out 4 bars so that it snaps to the end of the drum loop. Now, press play. You'll
notice that both files are perfectly in time, in sync and sound cool.

Now you can globally alter the tempo of this session, say from 87bpm to 100bpm. Go to the
session properties window, click in the tempo field, and type 100. Hit enter when you're finished.
The wave blocks will now stretch to fit this new tempo. Press play and again, everything will
play in sync, and all is well.

Similarly, you can slow down the session. Go to the session properties window and type in
75bpm. Hit enter and press play. You'll notice that though everything is in sync, the drums sound
a little strange. This has to do with stretching method selected for the drum file, and here's
where you really begin to understand how the looping works. Solo the drum track (by pressing
the yellow 'S' on track 1's track controls), right-click on the wave block, and select Loop
Properties.

In the Tempo Matching field, you can see that Beat Splice has been selected as the stretch
method. Beat Splice is great for percussion, but it sounds best when speeding up the tempo. You
can adjust the 'Auto Find Beats' fields to be more or less responsive to attacks and transients so
that it stretches more accurately, speeding up or down. By default it is set to 10dB rise in 9ms.
Try setting it to 10 and 2, or 12 and 4. You will begin to hear how this changes the detection
abilities as you work with more loops.

When slowing down percussion, often the fastest (and best sounding) method is to use Time-
Scale Stretch or Resample. Click the down-arrow and select Time Scale Stretch. Again, you will
see several default fields that deal with how it detects beats to determine stretching. By default, it
is set to High Quality, with Frame Size (splices/beat) set to 32 and Overlapping set to 25%. With
"busier" and more polyphonic material, you might want to set the Frame Size to 48 or a
maximum of 64. The overlap is generally best left at 25%, but again, different material can yield
different results. Less overlap is preferable, so a setting of 15% may improve results as well.
Select time-scale stretch, click OK and listen to the playback. It should sound smoother, with less
of a "gated" effect.

If you are doing something that requires a more lo-fi kind of sound, or perhaps you simply want
to "fatten-up" your percussion track, the Resample method can come into play. Selecting the
Resample option will produce the most transparently-stretched loop, albeit at a lower or higher
pitch. However, especially for drums and in many styles of music, this is a preferred method and
can really change the sound and color of a track/mix. Choose resample, click OK and give it a
listen.

Okay, now that we've globally altered the tempo, try making a global change to the key of
thesession. Go to the Key field (in the Session Properties window), click on the drop-down menu
next to Key, and select a Key for your session. Because we only have one tonal loop file in this
session (the piano loop), it is only going to change the key of that file. To see the native key of
the PianoRiff, right-click on the file and select Loop Properties.

The global key change transposes ALL loops to that root note. i.e., if you assign a session key to
A, every loop that gets inserted will transpose to A. This can be problematic if you are
assembling a session of loops with key changes. That means if you know that your session is
going to have changes (let's use a 1-4-5 blues progression as an example) then when you were
creating your individual loops you would assign all of them to that particular key, even though
the individual files themselves have different root notes. Here's an example: In a 1-4-5 blues in
C, "C" is the I chord, "F" is the IV chord, and "G" is the V chord. If you assign all of these files
to the Key of C, then when you make a global session key change (lets say, to "D") then all loops
will be transposed UP one whole step, but their tonal relationships will remain in tact. Every loop
file in the Syntrillium Loop Library has a specific key assigned, but it's very easy to
change/modify should you want to use it in the above type scenario.

Changing stretch/key properties of individual loops within a session:

Just when you thought it couldn't get any more complex and powerful...it does. With Cool Edit's
loop-based song creation, you also have the ability to use loops of different tempos AND
different keys, regardless of the global session properties. Now, take note that Loop Properties
set in Edit View are saved with the file and are therefore considered "destructive", whereas Loop
Properties assigned in the Multitrack are saved with the session and therefore "non-destructive".
Further, session loop properties override Edit View Loop Properties, so you can still do both as
long as you understand how the loop/session will be affected.

Assuming you still have the same session open, insert another instance of the pianoriff.cel into
the session. From the Organizer Window (on the left hand side of the multitrack) click and drag
the file PianoRiff.cel into Track 2 after the first PianoRiff block ends. Right-click and drag it so
that it snaps to the edge of the existing PianoRiff block. Right click on this second instance of
PianoRiff and select Loop Properties. If you want to transpose just this instance of the PianoRiff
file, you can simply insert a transposition figure in the field at the bottom of the window. At the
bottom of the Loop Properties window, there is a field labeled Transpose Pitch, and it works in
half-step increments. The loop's native key is "D". So, to raise just the loop to the key of "E" put
in a value of "2" in the transpose pitch field (two half steps = one whole step, which is the pitch
increment needed to go from D to E). Click OK. Now, left-click on the loop-edge of the file, and
drag it out 4 more bars, ending at bar 9:1. Click Play. You can hear that the piano begins in D,
and then at Bar 5, switches to E.

That's how you change individual pitches of files, but you can also have a loop playback at a
different tempo than the rest of the session. Click and drag NewDrums.cel from the Organizer
Window into track 3, starting at Bar 5. Right-click on the new instance of this file and select
Loop Properties. Now, for this file, let's say you want it to playback at double the speed of the
rest of the session, without changing all of the other loops, and without changing pitch. From
within Loop Properties, look at the top of the window. You'll see a checkbox to enable looping,
and then three fields...Simple Looping (no gaps); Repeat Every 'X' Seconds; and Repeat Every
'X' Beats at 'X' BPM, with two checkboxes: Follow Session Tempo, and Lock Position To
Tempo.

When Follow Session Tempo is checked, it means that this loop file will always stretch to the
globally assigned session tempo. Lock Position To Tempo enables that same file to always
"lock" to the same relative position (along the Bar line) regardless of the change in tempo. For
this example, uncheck Follow Session Tempo because you want the loop to playback at a
different BPM. You'll notice that by doing that, the BPM field becomes un-grayed. By default, it
will list the native tempo of the loop (87 bpm in this case). Because the session tempo is
currently set to 75bpm, set this to 150 bpm. We'll leave the Stretch Method set to Beat Splice
(because, as mentioned above, it's best for speeding up drums and percussion) and keep Lock
Position to Tempo checked as well. Click OK. Now, play back the session, and you'll notice that
the first 4 bars have the Piano in D and the Drums at 75bpm. But the second four bars have the
piano in E and the drums playing back at 150...all without altering the global session settings in
Advanced Session Properties.

Now, if you make another global tempo change, though the drum track will keep its position
locked, you had set it to play at exactly double the speed of the global session tempo. So, if you
changed the Session Tempo to 80, you will want to adjust the altered drum loop's tempo to 160
instead of 150 (80 x 2 = 160bpm) so that it would play at exactly double speed. Of course,
sometimes, off-tempo playback can be pretty cool!

Loop Creation and Basic Looping Techniques:

Loop-based song creation has recently cropped up in nearly all musical circles: from the top of Billboard's Pop charts to the Alternative, Adult Contemporary and Jazz realm, using loops, even as basic rhythm tracks, has become a very
attractive and modern technique for making music. With Cool Edit Pro 2, you now have the
ability to create your own loops (or use any of the thousands supplied in the Cool Edit Loop
Library) and use them in your music.

Here's how to begin:
For starters, loops themselves typically contain 1 to 2 bars of music. Most pop/rock music
follows a 4/4 time signature, which essentially means that there are four 'beats' for every bar.
This translates to 1 bar=4 beats, 2 bars=8 beats. Depending on the tempo of the track, the bar can
vary in length, but here's a way to think of 1 bar... Let's use 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' as an
example...

(1)Twinkle (2)Twinkle (3)Little (4)Star

This is one bar of music, or four beats. If you think about listening to this over and over, it
sounds like it is a complete phrase, one whose looped sound will be continuous and rhythmic.

Here's what the next bar sounds like...

(1)How I (2)Wonder (3)What you (4)Are

Again, sing this phrase over and over, and you can visualize how a bar should sound.
With that in mind, let's take a piece of music and open the file in Edit View. Again, we're
typically looking for 1 or 2 bars of music, or 'rhythm'. With a drum groove, this would usually be
something like "Kick, Snare, Kick-Kick, Snare" For this example, you can use the supplied loop
file that was part of the CEP2 retail theme􁪽NewDrums.cel. You can find this file in your Cool
Edit Pro install directory (usually C:\Program Files\coolpro2) in the StartupTheme directory. It is
actually a 1 bar/4-beat phrase like the ones described above. You can use Edit > Auto-Cue>
Find Beats and Mark to literally 'mark' all of the beats in a passage. It is then up to you to listen
for that 1 bar phrase. Highlight that phrase (counting in your head, 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &) and use the
'Loop Playback' button to listen in loop mode. If the loop sounds smooth and continuous without
any disruptions in the time feel, you're ready to begin. With your selection highlighted, go to
Edit > Copy To New. This will copy your selected area to a new file where you can begin to add
loop properties.

Once your new file is in view, it's now time to begin assigning loop properties. Go to the View
menu and select Wave Properties... (you can also hit Ctrl-P, or Right-click on the waveform and
select Wave Properties). In the Wave Properties window, there are several tabs. At this point you
are primarily concerned with the Loop Info Tab, so click on Loop Info.

You will notice a field for Source Waveform Information and then two selections, Loop and One
Shot. Because you want to create a loop file (for use in the multitrack), select Loop.
Below that, there is a field for number of beats. Cool Edit will try and detect the number of beats
for you. Again, since you know that you're looking for 4 or 8 beats (typically), you know that if
you've properly selected 8 beats and Cool Edit Pro suggests "9" that you have to make a change.
Adjust the number of beats accordingly or leave the setting as it is if Cool Edit Pro has detected
the actual number of beats.

Below that there is a tempo field. This field is not user-configurable, as Cool Edit will always
automatically determine actual tempo based on the number of beats entered. Don't worry if it
lists an odd tempo (something like 80.4 beats-per-minute (bpm), or 100.7 bpm)...Once you have
looped your file, Cool Edit Pro will be able to stretch to whatever tempo you desire - so even if
you have loops that are actually 80bpm/100bpm, you'll be able to use them all together in
harmony (so to speak!)

The next field is Key. Here, you can assign a key to your file. This is so that if you create a
session and want to 'globally' adjust the key of all wave blocks, Cool Edit Pro has a reference for
each file. If your loop file is a drum pattern, select Non-Voiced. This is especially important if
you plan on doing something like changing the key of multiple loops in your session. You
certainly don't want to pitch-shift a drum track to the key of E if there's no key to begin with!
Cool Edit Pro also has the ability to find the key of your file. Again, this works best with
monophonic files (i.e., solo instruments)...the more polyphonic an instrument, the more
overtones, and this could easily throw off CE's detection. Also, because many keys share the
same notes in the scale, it's really best to think of this setting as "root note for transposition".
(Which we'll talk about more later.)

Next, specify the method for tempo matching that Cool Edit Pro will use for this loop. There are
four methods you are able to use, any of which can me mixed and matched in a single session:
Fixed Length (no stretching): Use this method if you plan on inserting and looping a file in a
session where you do not plan on doing any type of time stretching or pitch shifting. When it is
selected, this loop will continue to play at its native tempo no matter what the session tempo is
set to. If you have a session with multiple loops of different tempos and they have Fixed Length
set, no two loops will seamlessly match together in tempo. The most common use for this type of
loop method is inserting one pattern over live music or perhaps using one to underscore live
vocals.

Time Scale Stretch: This method is most commonly used for 'tonal' instruments, like Piano,
Bass, Guitar, etc. This method stretches on the basis of the actual length and duration of the file,
so if you're looping something like a synth pad or sustained string section (that doesn't have any
real 'beats' per se) you should use this method.

Resample (affects pitch): This method is quite commonly used in R&B and HipHop tracks,
primarily because you can achieve exaggerated stretching and compressing of files. When loops
set to Resample are time stretched, their pitch changes. This setting is most commonly used on
drum tracks to create a more lo-fi, dirty, phat kind of sound. It can also work well on voice and
voiceovers if you're trying to change the sound and timbre of a speaker's personality.

Beat Splice: This method is most commonly used for percussive instruments. Drums, drum
grooves, mallet percussion, or essentially anything with very sharp, defined attacks will benefit
most from using this method.Beat splice sounds best especially when you speed up the tempo of
a loop file. When slowing down (even with percussion), Time-Scale Stretch often sounds better.
Select a stretch method, click OK and your loop file is now complete. Save it now, just to be
safe. Hit Ctrl-M (or, Edit > Insert in Multitrack, or, right-click on the Waveform and select
Insert in Multitrack) and then switch over to the Multitrack View. You will see your file there,
now with a little loop-circle-arrow icon, which tells you that it is a loop file. Right-click on the
time ruler at the bottom of the wave display, select Display Time Format, and choose Bars and
Beats. (You can also select Time Format by going to View > Display Time Format > Bars and
Beats) You will see your ruler switch to Bars and Beats as its time format. It is always a good
idea to work in Bars and Beats mode when working with loops.

Take notice of the bottom-right corner of the loop file. This is your loop "handle" that you can
click on and drag across your multitrack window. When you drag the handle, the loop is
"painted" across the track, causing it to loop as many times as you like.
At the bottom right-hand corner of the Multritrack window, you will see your Session Properties
window. If you do not see it, go to the View menu and select Show Session Properties. This
window contains fields for Tempo, Key, Time Signature and more. The number in the session
tempo field is the tempo of your session. You can change to tempo by clicking in the Tempo
field and inserting a different BPM. When you do this, all of the loop files in your session will
stretch to that tempo (if they do not have Fixed Length selected). All the loops will stretch to the
tempo based on the stretch method specified (Fixed Length, Time Scale Stretch, Resample or
Beat Splice). You also have another control to change the Key of all the loop files as well.Again,
tempo and key changes are totally independent, giving you the most control out of your files and
session.