problems with m-audio fast track pro

Audacity Help Forum GNU/Linux
1

Hi

After having problems with a PrePen USB-interface (https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/usb-prepen/39936/1), I tried to activate a “m-audio fast track pro” interface via Jack. In my setting (Ubuntu Studio 15.04 on a Lenovo Yoga 2) Audacity (2.1.1.) runs more stable in normal editing using Jack as soundsserver (Alsa freezes frequently). I nevertheless tried recording with the m-audio interface using Alsa, but it froze so I started to set up Jack (as in the picture below). I set Audio Duplex but I just want to use the Usb interface as input, where the m-audio interface is listed in three ways:

hw:Pro FastTrack Pro (hw:1)
hw:Pro,0 USB Audio (hw:1,0)
hw:Pro,1 USB Audio #1 (hw:1,1)


I started audacity via shell to get all error messages:

mute@audio:~$ audacity

(process:3052): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::sm-connect after class was initialised

(process:3052): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::show-crash-dialog after class was initialised

(process:3052): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::display after class was initialised

(process:3052): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: Attempt to add property GnomeProgram::default-icon after class was initialised
ALSA lib pcm_dsnoop.c:618:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.rear
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.center_lfe
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.side
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Verbindungsaufbau abgelehnt (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Verbindungsaufbau abgelehnt (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Verbindungsaufbau abgelehnt (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Verbindungsaufbau abgelehnt (111)
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
Expression ‘stream->playback.pcm’ failed in ‘src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c’, line: 4611
Expression ‘stream->playback.pcm’ failed in ‘src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c’, line: 4611
Expression ‘stream->playback.pcm’ failed in ‘src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c’, line: 4611
Expression ‘stream->playback.pcm’ failed in ‘src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c’, line: 4611


When i hit the record button, i get this (all three input-options have the same outcome, switching between mono and stereo has also no effect) :


The program ‘Audacity’ received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was ‘BadPixmap (invalid Pixmap parameter)’.
(Details: serial 118053 error_code 4 request_code 54 minor_code 0)
(Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
To debug your program, run it with the --sync command line
option to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)


arecor -l gives me this:

mute@audio:~$ arecord -l
**** Liste der Hardware-Geräte (CAPTURE) ****
Karte 1: Pro [FastTrack Pro], Gerät 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Sub-Geräte: 1/1
Sub-Gerät #0: subdevice #0
Karte 1: Pro [FastTrack Pro], Gerät 1: USB Audio [USB Audio #1]
Sub-Geräte: 0/1
Sub-Gerät #0: subdevice #0
Karte 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], Gerät 0: CX20756 Analog [CX20756 Analog]
Sub-Geräte: 1/1
Sub-Gerät #0: subdevice #0

When i disconnect the interface, I get this:

mute@audio:~$ arecord -l
**** Liste der Hardware-Geräte (CAPTURE) ****
Karte 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], Gerät 0: CX20756 Analog [CX20756 Analog]
Sub-Geräte: 1/1
Sub-Gerät #0: subdevice #0

If anyone has an advice, I’d highly appreciate it.
Jack.png

2

Isn’t this the box intended to connect to an Avid Suite with ASIO interface? You know you can compile Audacity with ASIO support? That might help.

http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/ASIO_Audio_Interface

Koz

3

thanx for the advice - I’ll try that
in the meantime i kinda solved the problem (rather delayed it)
I downgraded audacity to version 2.0.5 and now it works at least mono.

4

@Koz, why do you keep saying that ASIO can be used on Mac and Linux. :confused:

ASIO is Windows only. Read and remember. :wink:

You cannot compile Audacity with ASIO support on Linux.


Gale

5

Were you choosing “default” or “pulse” recording device? That would likely freeze if you were choosing the M-Audio in PulseAudio Volume Control.

Choosing the (hw) recording device with ALSA host should be less likely to freeze.

That dsnoop/dmix, bt (bluetooth) and expression messages are very common on Linux. They probably do not mean anything “bad” is happening.

Have you read https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuStudio/SupportedHardware or asked on their forums? There is a note on that page that Fast Track (Ultra) may not work well at low latencies.

What is your Audacity project rate (bottom left)? What is your “Audio to buffer” setting in Recording Preferences? Try increasing that buffer. Have you tried a higher latency in JACK?

If you have Transport > Software Playthrough enabled in Audacity, try turning it off.

Why are MIDI items apparently selected in Patchage?

Do you see that error in Audacity 2.0.5? Did you obtain 2.1.1 from Ubuntu Handbook?


That looks OK.

Note I mainly use Windows, so wait for Steve if you need to use JACK, but you should not need to use JACK in my opinion.


Gale

6

ASIO is Windows only. Read and remember.

This is me writing that down.

Koz

7

Were you thinking of WINEASIO?

When I say

You cannot compile Audacity with ASIO support on Linux

I mean to be 100% correct that you cannot compile Audacity for Linux with ASIO support.

If you were to cross-compile Windows Audacity with ASIO support on Linux (perhaps with mingw32 for Linux), or compile Windows Audacity with ASIO support normally on Windows, then installed WINE and WINEASIO, you could run your ASIO-enabled Windows Audacity on Linux and it would see JACK as an ASIO device.

KXStudio which can be installed on Ubuntu provide WINE and WINEASIO in their tools.

However it would be unusual that JACK running through WINEASIO with a Windows application would work better than JACK running with a native Linux application.


Gale

8

thanx a lot for the many suggestions

aside from the ASIO controversy (that goes a bit beyond my compiling-abilities), I hope that some of the points lead me to solving the problem.
At first I also wondered about the Midi items - M-Audio fast-track pro has a Midi Jack though, so that would explain, why Pachage showed the items.

I don’t recall that I set “pulse”; I guess it was “default” all along. At some point I switched to JACK and now I’m quite used to it . I also deactivate both recording-options (playthrough and overdub).

Gale is right about the error - 2.0.5. works just fine, but starting it via shell gives the same messages.

I’ll try the idea about different latency (I just have to finish some recording stuff, before I dare to switch to 2.1.1. again (which I did indeed get from the Ubuntu Handbook ppa)

My project rate is 44.100

9

Audacity cannot play or record MIDI.

If you choose ALSA host, select an (hw: 1, ) choice.

Is 2.0.5 an Audacity package or did you self-compile it?

If 2.0.5 is a package I would not have both 2.0.5 and 2.1.1 installed at the same time. If you try 2.1.1, uninstall 2.0.5. If you want to go back to the packaged Audacity, follow the steps at Install Audacity Audio Editor 2.1.0 in Ubuntu From PPA | UbuntuHandbook to purge the PPA.


Gale