I have used Audacity for years with great success on my XP operating system.
However, when I switched to 2.0, the waveform went flat, with only little bumps instead of peaks, accompanied by very low volume.
I have tried adjusting the volume from the control panel as well as within the program to no avail.
The only thing that happens is that the peaks return for just a few seconds and then revert to the almost flat line.
What else can I do?
I would appreciate any help.
Did you also graduate to Win7 or Win Vista? This is a shining example of something those two do that XP didn’t.
Koz
No, I didn’t graduate to Win7 or Win Vista.
Just to clarify, are you saying that those two have this issue I’m experiencing and XP didn’t?
Yes, Vista and Win7 have Enhanced Services to make video and audio conferencing better. One of them tries to cancel out what it perceives as environment noise (air conditioner hum). That also usually kills music as well, but normal WInXP doesn’t have that.
OK, back to basics. What are you recording and how is it connected? If you’re recording music playing on the computer, that tends to be affected by both the playback and recording volume controls.
Koz
Thanks, Koz.
I am only recording voice with an external microphone that goes into the microphone jack on the side of the computer.
Exact same thing I have been using for years to record.
I bought another microphone to make sure that wasn’t the problem, and had the same issue using that one.
Appreciate your help.
Maridel
Record with Windows Sound Recorder. Does it do the same?
Gale
I don’t know what Windows Sound Recorder is.
On my Windows 7 system I can find Sound recorder by going Start > All programs > Accessories - and there it is in the list. Something similar on your XP system should find it.
Koz,
I found the recorder on my XP and discovered that it was checked for in line rather than microphone.
Thinking this could be the issue, but am on vacation and don’t have my external mike to try it out.
Will be in touch once I can try that.
Thanks,
Maridel
If your input in Audacity Device Toolbar was set to “Microsoft Sound Mapper” or “Primary Sound Capture Driver” this would be the line-in if Windows was set to line-in.
You can still leave Windows set to line-in while explicitly choosing the microphone as the input in Device Toolbar.
Gale
Gale,
I apologize for being so long to pick up the thread of this conversation. Life intervenes, and now I need to get the Audacity volume up so I can go back to work.
In the meantime I discovered:
-
That the volume is low on my computer EXCEPT when I use my headset for playback and then it is loud and clear.
-
When I have a phone session with a client via Skype using Pamela to record, there is no issue with the volume.
So when Audacity isn’t involved, the sound is fine. -
In light of this, I uninstalled and re-installed Audacity. However, when I said where I wanted to find it on the computer, it told me there was already an Audacity folder there. And when i brought up the “new” Audacity after restarting my computer, all the files were still there! (I don’t need them on the program as they are permanently saved elsewhere). I don’t understand this.
I sincerely appreciate any help you can give me to resolve this issue so I can work!
Maridel
Do you mean the recording volume, playback volume or both?
Does this headset connect by USB cable? If so, it is a separate sound device from the one that you are connecting your external microphone to.
Skype creates a hostile environment for other recording software.
If you want to record Skype, use Pamela.
If you want to record something other than Skype using Audacity, you should turn Skype off, at least until the configuration problem is fixed.
Have you checked for a boost or AGC control for the mic in Windows Sounds and Audio Devices? This may be behind an “Advanced” button. Enabling this would make the mic record louder.
Have you chosen the external mic as input Device in Device Toolbar ?
That is pointless unless you chose “Reset Preferences” in the installer.
Please give the full names and extensions of some of the files you are referring to. If these are Audacity .AUP project files and the _data folders that go with them, you can delete those if and only if you have already exported a satisfactory audio file from those projects.
Reinstalling Audacity achieves almost nothing unless you reset Preferences in the installer. It just replaces the files needed to make Audacity work correctly. Any files of your own you had in the Audacity installation folder would be left as they were.
So we know we are addressing the correct problem, please launch Audacity, then do Generate > Tone, choose 5 minutes duration and click OK. Now play the track by pressing the green Play button. Does the big blue block of waveform disappear?
Gale
I THINK IT IS THE RECORDING LEVEL AS THE WAVE FORM BARELY GOES ABOVE THE VERTICAL LINE.
NO, THE HEADSET DOES NOT CONNECT BY USB. IT USES TWO PLUG INS, A PINK AND A GREEN ONE.
I ONLY USE PAMELA WITH SKYPE
I ONLY HAVE SKYPE TURNED ON FOR THE DURATION OF A PHONE CALL USING PAMELA.
YES, BUT ON XP THERE IS NO MIC BOOST. IN THE ADVANCED SECTION THE ONLY CHOICES ARE: 1.PC SPK MUTE and 2. SPDIF INTERFACE
I DON’T KNOW WHERE TO LOCATE THIS. i PASTED URL INTO BROWSER BUT IT DIDN’T TAKE ME ANYWHERE RELATED TO THE ISSUE
GOOD TO KNOW, BUT I WOULDN’T KNOW HOW TO RESET PREFERENCES
I AM REFERRING TO ALL FILES: AUP, PROJECT FILES AND MP3 FILES. BUT NOW UNDERSTAND WHY THEY REMAINED.
NO THE BIG BLUE BLOCK OF WAVEFORM DID NOT DISAPPEAR.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AND HELP, GALE.
MARIDEL
OK, thanks.
That sounds like the playback section. Did you click “Volume” in the “Sound recording” panel when you checked that, which shows you volume sliders for each input? There is some help here: Missing features - Audacity Support .
It’s exactly related, because (to keep it simple) you must make sure you have the third box in Device Toolbar set to the external mic.
You can also make this choice in Audacity at Edit > Preferences, choose “Devices” on the left then choose the external mic in the “Recording Devices” box. Then click OK.
Good, so at least Audacity can read your drive properly for its temporary data.
Gale
Good news, Gale!
You were right about the mic boost being in the “Sound Recording” panel and it was unchecked.
I now have volume and a normal-looking wave form!
Thank you so much for your expertise and your patience.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.
Maridel