Cool Edit Saves the World

[rats]

I'm in the middle of my first REAL official cool edit session. I've done my experiments, the band finished the studio in the basement and now we are working on recoding our songs.

I'm on my 20th track, but have way over a hundred .wav files for this song alone. Most are due to overdubs and punch ins on the guitar, bass, and my tone deaf back up singer
This is out of control. Way too much. I really don't want to save every take of every punch in of every track, just the final ones, but I can't figure out how to shut off that option. When closing the session it asks if you want to save each take, etc., but I'm afraid that if I try to tell it to only save the last one that I may overlook a punch in and lose the magic take, so I submit in fear and save all!

There has to be a better way!

Your pal,
rats

[dobro]

Yeah, this is a procedural issue.

You're gonna have to do one of two things as I see it:

1 replace that backup singer LMAO

2 learn how to decide which tracks are worth keeping as you go along

Just a feeling, mind you, but I'd opt for number two if it was me.

[Milkman]

i just finished recording a rock band...we must have done like 5 takes on each track..and then a whole bunch on the vocal tracks...

what i always did, is just deleted each take we were unhappy with as we went a long

[mixmkr]

deleting as you go along is a good method. I usually save the track that I think I am going to use, and NAME IT. Then when you close the session, the other tracks WITHOUT names
(track 1(2)...etc) stick out and you won't make the mistake of accidentally deleting it. Also, I'll open and close a session during a break, etc, to help keep things to a minimum. If you're just saving your last takes, then moving on, this procedure is real easy. If you want to decide on several takes later, then label your punchins: gtr punch in #1, #2...etc.

Also, consider setting up separate folders to save each song in, if you're recording more than one, if you're not doing so now. And you'll see that the files get saved alphabetically in the folders...so use that to your advantage. I always like to date stuff too....like "a mix, Groovy Tune 010502 (Jan 5, 2002)". With that saved title name, it comes to the top of the folder (because of the letter A in "a mix...."), and I can use the date to differenciate. Find systems like this that will work for you.

As a side note, if you're punching in that much, consider doing longer segments of music over, and keep the punchins to a minimum. When you have paying clients, this option isn't always easy to do (like telling them to do the track over again, and do it friggin right this time!!). But when your on your own time, use the luxury of free studio time to get good performances down. I feel great performances always should be at the top of the list, over recording quality anyway, at least. Doing *surgury* all night long, instead of capturing the *feel* is tedious, besides.....eh?.

[tj jr.]

just copy the .ses file and all the wav files to a different folder. then try what your afraid to try. if it doesnt work,, just copy the original files back to the original folder. copy copy copy.

i make back ups of EVERYTHING

TJ jr.