Audacity Forum

Ever since I installed Audacity, I noticed two major problems. When I record something, it slows down the actual recording. I have to go to Effect - Change Speed and put in 7.000 to make it the correct speed.

Also, say I have an instrumental track open already, and I want to record over it. When I do record over it, the new recording becomes full of static and is hard to listen to. I know it isn't my microphone, as if I record background music by itself, it sounds fine. If I record vocals by themselves, they sound fine. But if I record vocals on top of the already recorded background music, it doesn't.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/2051504237b7038d/

There is an example of both issues I have with Audacity, the slowed down recording and the static. I'm wondering if anyone here knows how to fix this? I'm running 1.2.6 on Windows XP. I've had this issue with Audacity for over a year now, actually. It actually took me months to realize that my audio tracks were slowed down so much.

AdamBMusic wrote:Ever since I installed Audacity, I noticed two major problems. When I record something, it slows down the actual recording. I have to go to Effect - Change Speed and put in 7.000 to make it the correct speed.

Try changing the default sample rate - if it is set at 44100, change it to 48000. If set to 48000, try it at 44100.
(Edit > Preferences > Quality)

AdamBMusic wrote:Also, say I have an instrumental track open already, and I want to record over it. When I do record over it, the new recording becomes full of static and is hard to listen to. I know it isn't my microphone, as if I record background music by itself, it sounds fine. If I record vocals by themselves, they sound fine. But if I record vocals on top of the already recorded background music, it doesn't.

Let me guess - USB microphone?

Your solution for the first problem seems to have fixed both! Thank you very much!

And is it a USB microphone?

No, it's just a regular microphone that was included with my computer.

OK - do you know what the sound card is in your computer?

The reason I'm asking about this is that this type of problem has cropped up a few times recently, and I'm trying to build up a picture of what, if any, are the common factors.

I have a SoundMAX digital audio card.