Hello,
I seem to have success in solving the latency issues when trying to record multitracks with Blue Yeti USB Microphone, Audacity (2.0.3) on Ubuntu Studio (13.04).
I set up the input and output in Audacity to Yeti, then monitor previously recorded tracks with headphones plugged into the Yeti while playing and recording new tracks.
This already sounds a lot more real time than when I had the output set to the computers sound card.
Are the latency settings in Audacity still relevant in this situation and if so, how should I set them?
The defaults of Settings > Recording are: Audio to Buffer 100 ms and Latency Correction -130 ms.
Any help appreciated …
Hannu
There are two latencies and they’re different. When you listen to yourself live, that’s machine latency and that’s usually solved by plugging your headphones into the microphone like you’re doing. Forcing your live sound to go through the computer is what gives you the delay.
http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/samsonGTrackConnections.jpg
The other one is Recording Latency. That one you can set in Audacity. That’s the one where you sing in totally perfect time with the backing track, but when you play them both back, they’re off. That’s a setting.
http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/tutorial_recording_multi_track_overdubs.html
My favorite way to do this is generate a click track and use that as the backing track. Then record your headphones. For real.
http://kozco.com/tech/audacity//pix/GTrackEarBuds.jpg
Then compare the two tracks and use those numbers to figure out the latency setting.
http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/superLatencyBefore.jpg
Koz
I did the the click track test, a few times, shows my latency to be 28 milliseconds.
Thank you again for your help …
Hannu
If that’s the number, then you add or subtract that number from the latency setting you started with.
If you do all those tasks properly, the latency setting should drop to very close to zero. This is that first illustration with the correction applied.
http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/latencyAfter.jpg
Please note that you can’t bring it to zero. Or you can try, but that only works on actual audio workstations. Regular computers drift a little song to song.
Koz
It is great to see a well designed Linux program supported so well. I got my Audacity really working well. Essentially the Blue Yeti is very similar to the Samsung microphone used in the documentation. What threw me little of in the beginning was that my headphones were using an extension box into the Yeti, and I was getting inconsistent results. Now I have it plugged into the Yeti without absolutely directly, and the “record your headphones” test works consistent every time. Also, it is much better to start with the Latency Correction turned to zero, the default setting may be correcting too much which can get confusing. However, now I am just about zero latency and it is obvious when recording a few tracks with instruments.
I am very happy about this, because in my case I don’t need to use a Windows box with an expensive Adobe Audition, which I never even liked all that much …
Thank you Koz, keep up the good work!
Hannu
The preset numbers are an effort to have Audacity work well enough out of the wrapper with no adjustments. Koz