Latency when voice recording over music. Windows desktop

Audacity 3 Help Forum
1

I’m looking at doing some voiceover work. I am using a Win 11 PC with a Shure MV7 USB mic, and Shure MOTIV Mix software . I have tried recording over YouTube videos but am getting that latency problem when I use headphones. I tried playing with the Project Sample Rate and the Default Sample Rate settings - no luck.

A few questions:

  • Do I need MOTIVE Mix in conjunction with Audacity?
  • Should I be recording the music on one track and voice on the other, or mono?
  • Any suggestions on the right way to set up the mic and headphones for simple recording in Audacity?

Many thanks.

2

There are two latency issues. There is ALWAYS SOME delay through the computer. Luckily, your mic has a headphone jack so you don’t have to monitor through the computer. (And you should also be able to hear a backing track while recording if you’re doing that.)

Then there is an issue of synchronizing with a backing track: Edit → Preferences → Audio Settings → Latency → Latency Compensation. Somewhere there should be a tutorial so you don’t have to use trial-and-error. Just remember, this is compensation that only takes effect after you’re done recording.

I don’t know anything about MITIVE Mix.

3

Thanks. Definitely no issues. As far as the latency problem, there are those settings, but they don’t seem to work. I had forgotten that the headphones can be plugged directly into the mic. I tried that, but there was no audio. I’m not sure if that is a MOTIV MIX (Shure software) or Audacity problem. I’ll contact Shure to see if they have any ideas.

4

Normally the mic’s headphone jack should work without Audacity running. So it could be a Windows setting or the Shure software.

5

I bet you’re right. Thanks.