TheRecordingTab

The next tab we will take a look at is the recording tab. This allows you to configure several options as to how GoldWave will record. Note, this tab does not let you change the recording device. If you wish to do that, you will need to change the device in the devices tab.

Recording settings

GoldWave not only has several recording modes, but also several configurable recording settings. Let's take a look at some of them now.

• Use new file duration: This box allows you to specify a time duration when the record new button is pressed. Note: this is different from the control N feature to create a new sound file. If this box is unchecked, you will be prompted to enter a time duration every time you press the new recording button. However, if this checkbox is checked, it will not prompt you for a time and will use the time you entered in the edit field.
• Monitor input on visuals: Connects the recording source to the visuals so you can adjust volume levels before recording. Monitoring works only when the current sound sampling rate is compatible with the recording device or no sounds are opened.
• CTRL key safety: This is pretty self-explanatory. If the box is not checked, it will pop up with a safety message. If it is not checked, then you will be able to record without holding down the control key.
• set finish marker at stop: moves the finish marker to where the recording was stopped. If you are trimming the file or editing it, this will ensure that the stop marker is at the beginning of where you started and the finish marker is at the end of where you stopped recording. This also makes it easier to continue recording should you decide you want to record again.
• Show settings window: This shows a window when recording is started. This allows you to change things like volume, inputs, and other relevant settings. Note, if you change things here, it will stop your recording. It's also worth noting that this settings window isn't very accessible from what I have noticed. Therefore, making sure your devices are configured in the devices tab is the preferred option.
• Filter DC offset: DC offset is an offsetting of a signal from zero. In other words, if you look at the wave form, it won't be centered on the 0 line, or have a perfect 0 crossing. This matters if you end up with a sound file that might have clicks at the beginning and end of the tracks and is almost always caused by a fixed voltage offset somewhere in the audio chain just before the analog audio is converted into digital. This is important to understand because if you have old enough hardware or know others that do and they give you a file, the dc offset may limit the file from being normalized to its full dynamic range or even in some cases possibly cause distortion. The filter dc offset option allows you to filter the DC offset from the recording, so that it is one less thing that interferes with the recording or audio file.
• Autosave recording: This automatically saves the recording as long as bounded mode is selected. If you autosave to a new file, it will prompt you to give it a file name and the default save format and attributes will be used. If you record in an existing file and autosave is selected, then it will record over the existing data and cannot be undone.
• Power down system: This setting will power down the computer once the recording is saved. This might be useful if you are scheduling time based recordings and don't want the computer to stay on afterword.

Recording modes

In addition to all the recording settings you can configure, there are also several recording modes to choose from. Depending on what it is you want to record, you will want to pick the type of recording you will be doing.

• Bounded to selection: This only records within a selection or given time duration. If you finish recording before the time in the selection ends, the rest of it will be replaced with silence.
• bounded and looped: This is similar to bounded to selection, however, this will continue to record over the same selection until you press the stop button. Example, you're trying to catch something in isolation but don't exactly know when it will happen but have an approximate guess.
• Unbounded: If you're not sure how long your recording will be or have lots of hard drive space, use this option. This starts recording at the start marker and doesn't stop until the stop button is pressed.

delayed and level based recording

• Delayed Recording: This option essentially uses a timer to delay recording until a specified time and day of the week has occurred. Use this feature to automatically record something at a later time. The time is given in 24 hour time. A time of 06:00:00 is 6:00 AM and a time of 18:00:00 is 6:00 PM. 00:30:00 is 12:30 AM or 30 minutes past midnight. When entering the time, remember to include the seconds. Entering 18:00 means 00:18:00. You must press the Record button to activate the timer.

Let's use an example and say we want to record a show that is exactly 30 minutes long on a Friday evening at 8 PM or 20:00:00 for those of you in 24 hour time. In order to do this, we would have to fix a couple things. I'll go through the steps to do this now:

1. Make sure you have configured the right device and inputs on the device in the devices tab of the control properties dialogue box.
2. In the recording tab of the control properties dialogue, navigate to the record tab and check the timer box.
3. Enter the value 20:00:00 in the edit field where the time would go, and select Friday from the day drop down list.
4. Make sure that level activated mode is not checked and that the recording mode is set to bounded to selection.
5. Finally, exit out of the dialogue box.
6. Press the record new button, and enter 30:00 as the file duration for what it is you want to record.
7. Then tab to OK and press enter. You should start to see a countdown until the specified recording time occurs. Once the time occurs, recording will happen automatically.

• Level based recording: This will start recording only if the sound source has reached a certain threshold and will or will not record silence based on the number of seconds is specified. Example, if you are trying to record police or air radio communications where the majority if the time there is silence you will want to record at a given threshold, but only record 1 or 2 seconds of silence in between the bursts of audio.