Operating system: Windows 8.1
.exe installer for Audacity used
Audacity Version: 2.0.6
Hello - I’m stumped, hope an ace can help
I am using Audacity with Focusrite’s Scarlett Solo interface. Can record into Audacity via the mike input no problem. However, when I plug my guitar into the 1/4 jack socket on the Scarlett Solo it won’t record in Audacity but will on other onboard recording devices on my computer - which suggests there is no issue with the Scarlett Solo.
Here is what is showing in the key boxes in Audacity
Audio Host - MME Selected
Playback Device box - Showing Line Out (2-Scarlett Solo) as selected
Recording Device box - Showing Line In (2-Scarlett Solo) as selected
Recording volume - At maximum
What exactly are the symptoms of the recording failure? If it’s error opening device, you may need to use Windows DirectSound host instead of MME in Audacity, and perhaps match Audacity project rate with the Windows and/or Focusrite sample rates. See http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Windows_7_OS#sample_rates - it applies equally to Windows 8 and 8.1.
If the Audacity recording cursor is not moving, ensure Transport > Sound Activated Recording is off and then if necessary try restarting the computer from the Win + X menu.
The transport record bar is moving but the signal is flatlining (i.e just a straight line recording). When I use the microphone input on the Focusrite - no problem with Audacity recording the signal. For some reason, Audacity just can’t record/recognise this 2nd input channel on the Focusrite Solo for instruments like guitars.
I have sussed it. Both the microphone and the instrument inputs on the Focusrite Solo must have something plugged in at the same time and you must record onto a stereo channel in Audacity. If one wants to record only one of those inputs just turn the recording volume to zero. There must be some kind of bridge between the 2 inputs on the Focusrite solo device so that Audacity cannot recognise them as seperate channels.
If you set Audacity to record in stereo and only connect the instrument input, the left channel of the recording will be silent. In that case, use the Track Drop-Down Menu to Split Stereo to Mono, then use the on the silent upper track to close it.
Audacity sees the two mono inputs of the device as a stereo pair. It is possible if Audacity as shipped supported ASIO that it would see two mono channels instead.
Do you get an analogous issue that if you record the mic input only in mono, the recorded waveform doesn’t go higher than +/- 0.5? That is another common symptom. If you experience that, it should be solvable by recording in stereo, splitting to mono, then deleting what was the right-hand channel.
Yes I do get that problem with of a max waveform -/+ 0.5 when recording the microphone in mono. I am going to follow your advice and I should be able to circumnavigate the shortcoming and still achieve a reasonable recording.
Cheers for your help - it’s been really helpful to bounce this conundrum off someone
Nick
The earlier poster is right - as the driver for the Solo is an ASIO driver, your DAW will need to be able to utilise ASIO to use the Solo to its full potential. Using other drivers, you might find strange behaviour such as this occurs.
