Recording problems: Can't record 96kHz + Skips in recording

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

I’m having 2 problems with recording. Could anyone please help with either?

  1. Whenever I record ANYTHING (either from mic or computer) there are always “skips” in the first few seconds, where audio jumps. After about 10 seconds, it seems to stop. Anyone know why? I don’t think Audacity started doing this until about a year ago.

  2. My other problem is that I’d like to record at 96kHz (so that I can adjust the pitch of an instrument in high quality before downsampling to 44.1kHz at the end).

However, if I set a track to anything other than 44.1kHz, and hit record, the recording comes in at the wrong speed. If I record to a 96kHz track, the recording is just speeded up.

When I go into the sound settings in the Windows Control Panel I notice the rate is set to 48,000. If I try changing it to anything other than this, Audacity gives me: “Error opening sound device”.

Any ideas?

My specs: Windows 7 x64, Audacity 2.2.1, I don’t have a sound card, just using a mic plugged into the microphone port on my motherboard.

2

I don’t have a sound card

While I think recording at a higher than normal bit rate is a terrific idea, the whole sound chain from microphone on down has to support it.

Normal would be 48000 which is the video rate and 44100 which is the Audio CD rate. Those two are dead common and everything supports them. Higher than that, not so much. Consult your computer instructions.

the recording is just speeded up.

A speeded up recording means something in the recording system was recording slowly or the system couldn’t keep up. You make speeded up movies by slowing down the movie camera.

All your questions seem to point to the computer not being up to the work you’re trying to do. Audio (or video) production demands perfect, real-time processing from when you press the record button until you press stop. There is no “wait a second while I do housekeeping.”

Do you leave Skype or other programs running in the background? Is there a paused game napping back there?

Given you’re sure the machine can handle it, I would restart and don’t let any background programs start. Disconnect the network or stop the WiFi. If you can’t do some of these things, you may have your answer.

Koz

3

I would update to Audacity 2.2.2. 2.2.1 had a serious bug that can cause show damage.

Koz

4

I find that unlikely as I have quite a high-spec computer. I don’t use Skype, WiFi, or play games, and don’t have anything big running when I use Audacity, just normal stuff like antivirus and backup software. But I’ll follow your advice and try turning everything off and see if it makes any difference.

Oh, thanks. I didn’t know there was an update. I guess Audacity doesn’t notify you when there’s an update.

5

Any change good or bad is noteworthy. Can you make it worse?

Koz

6

Audacity doesn’t notify you when there’s an update.

Audacity is deliriously happy to get the update out the door.

The bug was a non-primary use of the Save-As command. If you Save-As and don’t specify a different filename, it could trash the Project you’re in.

Koz