Audacity freezes when using space bar

Audacity Help Forum macOS
1

Hi,

Mac Version: 10.15.7 - Catalina
Audacity version: 2.3.2

I’m having the issue where Audacity freezes when I use the space bar. The rainbow wheel appears and I end up having to Force Quit. It’s for a three track editing project. Looking around the web and this site for a solution, changing the buffer (to 160) as was suggested, which seemed to work initially.

I’ve also installed this older version of Audacity - but the problem is still occurring. I also shut down and restart the iMac but to no avail.

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks

2

What happens if you click the “Play” button?

I would strongly recommend having only one version of Audacity installed at a time. The current version is Audacity 2.4.2 and is available via the Audacity website: https://www.audacityteam.org/download/mac/

3

Thanks, Steve, it happened when using the Play button today too.

Apologies, I wasn’t clearer, I only have one version of Audacity installed on my Mac. I uninstalled 2.4.2, then the same for 2.3.3, then stayed with version 2.3.2 as the problem is happening across all versions I have used. My logic was that previous versions would be more stable.

I also cleared the files within Audacity to reset it. It seems to get itself confused when I import more than one mp3 file - one after the other.

Thanks

4

Are you saying that sometimes Audacity plays correctly, but sometimes it freezes?

5

It’s mainly when I use the space bar in quick succession or try to do editing quickly, so stop /start quickly.

6

Are you using bluetooth headphones / speakers? (It sounds like this problem: https://superuser.com/questions/1601088/freeze-in-30-60-seconds-on-a-macos-catalina-when-connecting-bluetooth-headphones)

7

No, connected headphones. It’s an Apple Magic keyboard though. Could that potentially be the problem? Thanks

8

Unlikely. (I use an Apple Magic keyboard).

Any reason why you are still using Catalina?

9

It’s the OS the iMac was shipped with. Will upgrading to Big Sur make Audacity more stable/useable?

Now I can’t record using a Snowball Blue microphone and Audacity isn’t showing up in the Privacy > Microphone … another topic to start. :confused:

Thanks btw.

10

Probably not. I just wondered if there was a reason why hadn’t / couldn’t update.

Which model is your Mac?

(It may just be that you are working too fast for the Mac to keep up with you)

11

iMac - Catalina 10.15.7 - upgraded the RAM from 8GB to 16GB so would’ve hoped it would be able to keep up. Going to update to a newer version of Audacity. Wish me luck!