Multiple tracks playback problem

[alexandrecardoso]

The program was working well, I made some rocordings with three or more tracks and it was ok. I stopped using Audacity for a month or two and then when I wanted to record a new song I had some problems, following:

1. I couldn't hear the first track while I record the second track (problem solved at the preferences menu)

2. When I tried to listen both tracks together, normal playback, I couldn't hear anything.
--- The track had diferent sizes, then when the playback cursor reached the section with just one track I could hear the remaining track.
--- I tried this with more tracks and the same thing happens, I tried using SOLO and MUTE buttons. The issue is I can hear the audio only when there's one track playing at once.
--- I tried to open an old file and it worked with the already recorded tracks, for example a file with 3 tracks. I added one more track to this song and it was ok. But when I tried to add one more I got the problem again, the playback is mute, when both new tracks are playing together.


3. I tried to reinstall, nothing happens. I tried the Beta Version, and I got the same problem. I'm back to the older version because of the compatibility with my old files.

How to set the configuration to default? or How to solve my problem?

Obs.: I'm using Windows 7.


Thank you very much for the attention.

[Gale Andrews]

Here is a copy of the reply I sent you following your e-mail to our [email protected] address. If you wish to discuss further, please do so here.

Thanks for the report, but it's essential you state the exact three-digit version numbers of Audacity that you are referring to. You can find this at Help > About Audacity.

For Windows 7 it is usually better to use the Beta version. Please download the current 1.3.12 Beta if you are not already using it:
http://audacityteam.org/download/beta_windows

The Beta version will open .aup project files created in any 1.2 version of Audacity. The restriction is that if you save that project in a 1.3 version, you cannot then re-open it in a 1.2 version.

Audacity should play all tracks on screen if no tracks have mute or solo buttons depressed.

If the problem exists in 1.3.12, please give exact steps to reproduce it (every step 1, 2, 3... from launch of Audacity). In particular, how are you "adding" tracks to the existing project which contains three tracks? Are you recording into it? If so, what is the source of the recording (for example, a microphone connected to the computer mic port)?

What you are describing sounds something like a bug we had in previous Beta versions of Audacity, but not entirely the same (and I am not aware of 1.2 having such a problem). What you are describing would also occur if you had two identical tracks on screen and used Effect > Invert on one of them. They would then cancel out so you would hear nothing.

In Audacity Beta, you can reset preferences to safe defaults by exiting Audacity then editing the audacity.cfg file thus:
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Audac ... reset_beta

I recommend you do this, although I am not convinced it will help.


Gale