V2.2.1 What would cause my VU meter to be pegged continuously even when there is silence? This is after I did some noise reduction and compression.
A corrupt sample can cause that.
I’ve only seen this in old versions of Audacity (2.2.1 is an old version), but what can happen is that a processing error can produce a sample value that is not a valid number (a “NaN”). That can cause weird, and potentially dangerous problems.
If this is important work, I’d recommend that you immediately save the project with a new and unique name (using “Save Project As…”), and also export the track as a WAV file. Check that the WAV file plays correctly all the way through before you close the project.
The current version of Audacity is 2.3.2, which is available via the Audacity website: Audacity ® | Download for Windows
Thank you very much. You say this could could possibly cause “dangerous problems”. Dangerous to the file, to the computer, or to the public at large? (tongue in cheek) Today I installed 2.3.2. In playing the file (it has always been .wav) with 2.3.2 the VU meter behaves normally. But does this mean there is still a problem with the file that could show up later? Such as when I mix the audio file into a video project? Is there something I need to do to insure the audio file is “healthy”?
Perhaps endangering the very fabric of existence… but I doubt it.
Worst case is probably that exported audio files from the project are unplayable (corrupt), and then the project crashes and won’t re-open without immediately crashing - total loss of all work in that project.
Super.
I need a bit of clarification.
Do you generally save Audacity projects, re-open them and do more work on them … or do you generally just open a file, modify it and export, without ever saving an Audacity project?
What did you do in this case?
The WAV file that you opened in Audacity 2.3.2; was that same file that you used in 2.2.1 (before being modified by Audacity 2.2.1), or was it the WAV file that you exported from Audacity 2.2.1 (after being modified in 2.2.1)?
Do you generally save Audacity projects, re-open them and do more work on them … or do you generally just open a file, modify it and export, without ever saving an Audacity project?
What did you do in this case?
Usually I do not save or work with “projects”, I just record, edit and export the audio file (as I did in this case).
The WAV file that you opened in Audacity 2.3.2; was that same file that you used in 2.2.1 (before being modified by Audacity 2.2.1), or was it the WAV file that you exported from Audacity 2.2.1 (after being modified in 2.2.1)?
After editing and saving (exporting) the file in 2.2.1- I opened the same file in 2.3.2 Does that answer the question?
Do you mean “the same file that you exported from 2.2.1”?
If so, I’d recommend that with Audacity 2.3.2, you export a new version of the WAV file (with a new name), and then quit Audacity. Then reopen Audacity and import the new version of the WAV file. Check that the new version displays and plays correctly.
Keep the old version of the WAV file only as a backup (you could rename it so as to avoid confusion).
The WAV file exported from Audacity 2.3.2 should be safe, provided that you have checked that it displays and plays correctly.
(The WAV file exported from Audacity 2.2.1 “may” be safe, but caution is the wise approach).