Unable to start recording [SOLVED]

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

Hello,

i’m using Audacity for the first time since maybe 7 or 8 years, i don’t know much about DAWs and i’m having a weird issue.
It’s quite simple, when i click on the record button, it creates a new track but nothing else happens. Nothing is moving.
I’m trying to record my guitar with a Scarlett 2i4 usb interface on windows 10.
I’m pretty sure i’m doing something wrong…but i can’t for the life of me figure out what it is i’m doing wrong. ლ(ಠ_ಠ ლ)

I found nothing in the FAQ, nothing on Google…
If someone could help that would be great.

Thanks. (:

Charly.

2

Connect the Scarlett 2i4 usb interface before you start Audacity.
Check in the Windows Sound Control Panel that it is working as a recording device (you should see a green meter in the Recording tab that jumps up and down when there is audio input to the 2i4).

Then launch Audacity.
In the device toolbar, set the “host” to MME and select the Scarlett 2i4 usb interface as the input and output device (it may just be labelled as “USB device” or similar).

3

Hi Steve,

thank you for replying so quickly.

So, i connected the interface before launching Audacity.
In the Windows Sound Control Panel, i can see that it recognizes the Scarlett interface, but the meter does not move, as if no sound is coming in.


And in Audacity, the host is already set to MME and the Scarlett selected as the input and output device.

4

What version of Audacity are you using? Please see the pink panel at the top of the page.

Is this first or second generation 2i4? See Focusrite | Focusrite Downloads and under “2i4 USB 2.0 Driver - Windows - 1st gen only”, click the link “Click here for more details” to make sure you have the correct drivers for your device.


Gale

5

Hi Gale,

i’m using the 2.1.2 version of Audacity and the 2nd generation 2i4.

I plugged my guitar into my amp, and there’s definitely sounds coming out of it, just so you know.


Charly

6

So have you ascertained whether or not you need to run the second generation updater from Scarlett?

What exactly are you trying to record when you use the Scarlett and where exactly do you have that something connected on the Scarlett?


Gale

7

Well, i did run the updater and the firmware is up to date. I also installed the Focusrite USB ASIO Driver.

I’m just trying to record my electro-acoustic guitar (a Martin 000RS1) which i connected into the first input of the Scarlett.
IMG_6409.JPG

8

We did not say to install the ASIO driver. You may need to uninstall it. Audacity as shipped does not support ASIO and won’t see ASIO devices.


Gale

9

Do you hear the guitar in the headphones of the Scarlett ?

Even if no output is coming out of the Scarlett, that would not make the Audacity recording stall, rather you would record a flat line.

Make sure you do not have Transport > Sound Activated Recording enabled in Audacity.

How long is it since you did a cold boot that completely refreshes the kernel session? To cold boot, click the Windows Start button, then click the Power button, then hold SHIFT and click “Shut down”.


Gale

10

Ok, i uninstalled the driver.
Now, it’s not showing up in the Windows Sound Control Panel anymore and the firmware updater says “no Scarlett connected”, but i can see it in the “Device Manager”.
I’m very very lost right now.

I wasn’t able to hear the guitar in the headphones and the “Sound Activated Recording” was disabled.

My pc is 2 weeks old, so i never did a cold boot.

11

Which driver, the ASIO driver? That is an optional driver so should not create problems given you were running without it before. Unless that ASIO driver allows fallback to non-ASIO, it will prevent you using Scarlett with Audacity as shipped.

If you want to record from USB devices regularly you need to cold boot at least once a week - otherwise (typically) recordings will stall or possibly have dropouts.

Try the procedure in the green box “Detecting USB and Firewire devices” on this page:
Audacity Manual . For Step 4 do the cold boot by SHIFT-clicking on “Shut Down”. Windows may be able to reinstall what is needed or recognise the device again.

If that does not work, right-click the Scarlett in Device Manager, choose “Properties” then click the “Driver” tab. The “Roll Back Driver” or “Update Driver” choices might help.

If you can’t monitor in the Scarlett, and the Windows recording meter does not bounce when the input level is turned up, then you are not going to be able to record, for whatever reason. Perhaps you have a duff cable.


Gale

12

Ok, the Scarlett is back, windows recognises it again. I did a cold boot, but i’m back to where i was earlier.
No sound is coming out of it, the gain control doesn’t even light up and Audacity is still doing nothing when i click on the record button. yay.

13

So we are back to:

Connect the Scarlett 2i4 usb interface before you start Audacity.
Check in the Windows Sound Control Panel that it is working as a recording device (you should see a green meter in the Recording tab that jumps up and down when there is audio input to the 2i4).

14

It is listed as a recording device but no jump from the green meter.

15

So it’s not working with Windows, which means it won’t work with Audacity. You need to fix it working with Windows before there’s any chance of it working in Audacity.

Have you ascertained whether or not you need to run the second generation updater from Scarlett?

16

I don’t know if i “need” to, but i did and it said that it was up to date.

17

Ok, so, i plugged my Scarlett into an other usb port…and everything is working perfectly. The 2i4 and audacity.

Thanks for your time anyway. ^^

18

Congratulations, and thanks for the update. I’m glad to hear you’ve got it working.