Monday PM
I have installed Audacity 2.1.1 on my Windows 7, 64-bit desktop ~ I believe it’s installed correctly…
I have been able to load a previous demo recorded on Adobe Audition 3 ~ however clicking on the “play” button does not initiate “play…” All other aspects of the program appear to be normal…
I hope you can help…
Thanks,
CinemaNoir
What format is your file? Do you see the waveform? Have you tried another MP3 or WAV file? Do you see the meters moving when you click Play?
Tue AM Hello DVDoug… Thanks for your reply… I’m having a very difficult time w/Audacity… I’m able to get my previous recordings into Audacity ~ mp3’s… The waveforms are there… When I hit “play” the cursor doesn’t move… When I load a new file and hit “record” nothing happens… My interface is working, I can hear myself via my earphones… I have this same problem w/Audition 3, which is why I downloaded Audacity, but neither program, Audition 3 or Audacity, responds to “play” or “record.” I appreciate any suggestions… Thanks, Jim Rogers
My interface is working, I can hear myself via my earphones…
If you are using an external interface and/or USB headphones/speakers, or if you have anything plugged-in besides your regular soundcard, make sure you’ve selected the correct [u]recording and playback devices[/u]. (Actually, check that even if you are not using any “special” hardware.) Or if your headphones are plugged into an external interface, just try an analog connection (headphones or speakers) to your regular soundcard.
I can hear myself via my earphones…
That’s a good sign! Note that Windows has separate recording and playback “mixers”, so you don’t always hear what you are recording. And, if your headphones are plugged into your interface, some interfaces have direct-hardware zero-latency monitoring where the monitoring signal doesn’t pass-through the computer.
Also if you are using a professional or “prosumer” interface with ASIO drivers, you may need to install regular Windows drivers because Audacity does not support ASIO. (I assume both drivers are usually installed with this kind of hardware.)
What Doug means is that Audacity as shipped does not support ASIO, due to licensing reasons. It is possible to compile Audacity with ASIO support, but you must not give that build to anyone else.
Gale
If those are saved from Audition, it is a mistake to save them as MP3 if you want to edit them in Audacity, because MP3 is a lossy format. Every time you resave an MP3 you lose more quality.
Save your Audition or other recordings as WAV which is lossless, and only export MP3 for the final file that you won’t edit again.
If the playback or recording cursor does not move you may have more problems than simply selecting the wrong device.
Have you tried rebooting the computer?
Which playback device do you want to use? Your interface? What is the make and model number of the interface?
Gale
I have downloaded and installed Audacity [Windows 7, 64-bit] and everything looks normal ~ however, whenever I click on RECORD or PLAY, the program does not respond. I can hear my voice via my earphones so I know my interface is connected and working. Suggestions are most welcome!!! Thanks, Jim R
It will just confuse Forum helpers and waste time to start a new topic for the same question, so I merged your new topic back into this one.
Please look carefully at the previous answers in this topic.
Tell us the make and model number of the interface as I asked in my previous post.
Relatively complex apps like Audacity and Ableton expect you to choose the playback and recording devices. They don’t just use whatever the Windows default playback and recording devices are.
Have you rebooted the computer with the interface connected, launched Audacity, then
used Audacity’s Device Toolbar to choose the interface as your recording device and whatever device you want to use for playback? If not, I suggest you try that.
Also tell us what you are trying to do. Are you recording tapes or records? Or do you want to record a backing track then record yourself over the backing?
Gale
**_Monday PM
Hello Gale, Thanks for your continuing help… My interface is a Scarlett 2i2 USB… I have rebooted my PC w/interface connected, launched Audacity and it appears to have booted correctly. Via Device Toolbar I get the
following information: Default Recording device & number: 1
Default recording device & number: 4
Device ID: 1
Device name: Scarlett 2i2
Host name: MME
Recording Channels: 2
Playback Channels: 0
Device ID: 4
Device name: Speakers {Realtek}
Host name: MME
Recording Channels: 0
Playback Channels: 2
Device ID: 5
Device name: Line out [5 Scarlett 2i2]
Host name: MME
Recording Channels: 0
Playback Channels: 2_**
On the Audacity screen I can load previous auditions ~ the entire wave is shown, but I cannot play… On a new screen I cannot record… Also on the screen, just above the waveform, I have: Audio Host: MME; Line In:(5 Scarlett
2i2 USB); 1(Mono) Recording; Line Out: (5 Scarlett 2i2 USB)
I am a voice actor, recording primarily mono auditions of not more than two-minutes, then sending them to clients. Occasionally I’m required to add background music.
As you can tell I’m not highly skilled on the technical end… Your help and patience are highly appreciated!!!
Regards, Jim R
OK you mean Default playback device is #4. That means the default playback device for Windows. Applications that cannot choose their playback device will always use the default playback device for Windows.
Those device choices are OK, but nothing will happen unless you connect an XLR microphone to the left input of the Scarlett and headphones to its headphones output (to hear playback from Audacity).
If you want to hear yourself while recording, set “Direct Monitor” to “On” in the 2i2, and turn Transport > Software Playthrough off in Audacity (not ticked).
Also if you have not done so yet, download and install the Windows Focusrite USB 2 Driver-2.5.1.exe from Focusrite | Focusrite Downloads.
And make sure you look at the 2i2 user guide: Scarlett 2i2 - User Guide.pdf
Gale
**_Tue PM
Hello Gale,
Thanks again for your help ~ I’ve implemented your suggestions but my basic problem remains: Audacity does not RECORD when I attempt a narration and does not PLAY when I’ve opened a previously-recorded waveform… Any
further suggestions???
Regards, Jim R_**
I presume that is a typo.
Please post the full information from “Audio device info”.
**_Tue PM
Hello Steve… Thanks for your reply… This is the Audio Device info:
Device ID: 4
Device name: Speakers (Realtek High Definiti
Host name: MME
Recording channels: 0
Playback channels: 2
Low Recording Latency: 0.090000
Low Playback Latency: 0.090000
High Recording Latency: 0.180000
High Playback Latency: 0.180000
==============================_
Device ID: 5
Device name: Line Out (5- Scarlett 2i2 USB)
Host name: MME
Recording channels: 0
Playback channels: 2
Low Recording Latency: 0.090000
Low Playback Latency: 0.090000
High Recording Latency: 0.180000
High Playback Latency: 0.180000
Device ID: 7
Device name: Line In (5- Scarlett 2i2 USB)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Recording channels: 2
Playback channels: 0
Low Recording Latency: 0.120000
Low Playback Latency: 0.000000
High Recording Latency: 0.240000
High Playback Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
Device ID: 11
Device name: Line Out (5- Scarlett 2i2 USB)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Recording channels: 0
Playback channels: 2
Low Recording Latency: 0.000000
Low Playback Latency: 0.120000
High Recording Latency: 0.000000
High Playback Latency: 0.240000
Supported Rates:
Device ID: 12
Device name: Line Out (5- Scarlett 2i2 USB)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Recording channels: 0
Playback channels: 2
Low Recording Latency: 0.000000
Low Playback Latency: 0.003000
High Recording Latency: 0.000000
High Playback Latency: 0.010000
Supported Rates:
Device ID: 13
Device name: Line Out (5- Scarlett 2i2 USB) (loopback)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Recording channels: 2
Playback channels: 0
Low Recording Latency: 0.003000
Low Playback Latency: 0.000000
High Recording Latency: 0.010000
High Playback Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
With Audacity open, when I hit RECORD the line [at 0.0 pulsates but doesn’t move… When I open and insert a previously recorded audition [MP3], then hit PLAY, the line at 0.0 pulsates but doesn’t move…
I experienced this same failure of RECORD and/or PLAY with Adobe Audition 3, which is no longer supported by Adobe [fine with me, as I’ve had my fill of Adobe and their gross lack of support] and is the reason I downloaded
and installed Audacity 2… Could the problem[s] lie within my PC rather than Audacity?
Thanks in advance, Jim R**
Perhaps that’s “normal for Windows” (I don’t use Windows), but it looks wrong to me.
Where are devices 2. 3. 6, 8, 9 and 10?
Why does the list change colour after device 1?
Device ID’s in the sequence cannot be missing. You don’t show the selected Audacity devices at the bottom of the device info, which is one thing we want to see.
Please open the Audio Device Info again. Right-click in the window and choose “Select All”. Right-click again and choose “Copy”. Paste that here as it is. Don’t trim it or format it with fancy colours. We can put it in a nice scrolling window for you.
After you have pasted your device info, let’s reinstall Audacity with factory settings. Go to Audacity ® | Download for Windows. Download the 2.1.1 installer. Run the installer, but look for the “Select Additional Tasks” step. In that screen, put a checkmark (tick) in the “Reset Preferences” box. Complete the installation. On launching Audacity, a dialog will appear asking if you want to reset preferences. Say Yes, you want to reset.
Also give us the make and model number of your microphone. Is it your microphone that you can hear in the headphones attached to the 2i2, or something else?
Gale