Clicks on VO track recorded w/ music

[BillA]

Using Win XP Pro, SP3, with Audacity 1.2.6

I have imported an MP3 recording of music using:
Project -> Import Audio
It appears as a stereo track.

I MUST record a voice-over (VO) track while I listen to this music; the two must be coordinated.
I press the record button and start the VO. When I do this, the VO recording levels are below clipping level. The VO sounds fine in the headset I am using.
But when I listen to the VO track soloed, it is riddled with clicks.

I have tried everything I can think of to defeat this artifact, including turning down the music playback.
When I record the VO alone, without the music track, it is fine, with no clicks at all.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Best regards,
Bill A

[steve]

Are you using a USB microphone? If not, what?

[BillA]

Are you using a USB microphone? If not, what?

No, I'm using a headset mic that came with Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11, that plugs into the microphone connector via a miniplug (I believe that is what it is called) on the front of the PC, which goes to the PC's sound card.

Many thanks for responding, Steve.

Best regards,
Bill Amatneek

[steve]

Could you post a short sample to illustrate the problem.

• Select a short section of the voice track (just a couple of seconds)
• From the "File" menu select "Export selection as wav..."
• Upload the exported file to the forum using the "Upload attachment" forum feature (below the "compose message" text box).

[Gale Andrews]

BillA,

This situation is quite common. Have you tried the tips in Recording Troubleshooter ?

Does the recorded voice-over track include only what you recorded, or the music as well? If it includes the music, change the input source in Audacity Mixer Toolbar to record from the mic, not stereo mix or similar.



Gale

[BillA]

BillA,
This situation is quite common. Have you tried the tips in Recording Troubleshooter ?
Does the recorded voice-over track include only what you recorded, or the music as well? If it includes the music, change the input source in Audacity Mixer Toolbar to record from the mic, not stereo mix or similar.
Gale

It is the VO only, no music.
Best,
BA

P.S. My thanks again, Gail, and apologies for being anxious to receive a response.

[BillA]

Could you post a short sample to illustrate the problem.

• Select a short section of the voice track (just a couple of seconds)
• From the "File" menu select "Export selection as wav..."
• Upload the exported file to the forum using the "Upload attachment" forum feature (below the "compose message" text box).

The file is attached, Steve.
Thanks very much.
Best,
Bill A

[steve]

The clicks are due to "drop-outs". This is where the computer system is not running fast enough to record continuously, so breaks / skips / discontinuities occur in the recording. Here is a close up of one of the clicks:

firsttrack000.png (9.78 KiB) Viewed 908 times

As Gale suggested, look at the "Trouble Shooting" page, and in particular the section about "skips" http://wiki.audacityteam.org/w/index.ph ... ings#Skips

[BillA]

The clicks are due to "drop-outs". This is where the computer system is not running fast enough to record continuously, so breaks / skips / discontinuities occur in the recording. Here is a close up of one of the clicks:

firsttrack000.png

As Gale suggested, look at the "Trouble Shooting" page, and in particular the section about "skips" http://wiki.audacityteam.org/w/index.ph ... ings#Skips

Steve, thank you very much for your insightful analysis of this problem. I will try the solutions in the Skips section.
Best regards,
Bill A