Annoying problem when attempting to record

[amonty]

howdy forums, new here - but not new to Audacity. I'm having an annoying problem when attempting to record.

I record rough draft rap tracks from my laptop (stock mic, stock speakers, ect - just as a rough copy). I recently upgraded (fresh install) from Windows Vista to Windows 7, and have been having some Audacity problems since.

When I record, I Project > Import Audio (to import the instrumental onto one track), and then when I record, I have it set to play tracks as I record (so I can hear the instrumental through my headphones as I record). It worked fine in Windows Vista, but in 7 I am getting a very annoying problem. I'll have the gain on both tracks (instrumental track + vocal track) on +0 dB gain, but sometimes my microphone is very quiet, and I like to turn the dB gain up on the lyric track without turning down the gain on the instrumental track, no problem right? wrong! when I do this (even if I turn the gain up just +3 dB), the overlapping tracks I guess create so much volume, that it's either so loud it's silent, or a mess of cracking and screeching sounds. I have checked my microphone boost in the Windows Control Panel, and have even set it to 0, with no luck and still this problem happening.

I've tried to equalize the tracks out a bit with a few different settings, which will work ok sometimes, but I have to compromise on volume. This problem also occurs when I make a seperate track to record adlibs over my original vocal track (everytime sounds overlap this problem seems to occur) with no luck. Any help would be appreciated!

-Alex

[kozikowski]

I bet your laptop is still doing conference and communications automatic adjustments. Windows machines come out of the shrink wrap all set to Skype into the corporate office, not high quality voice recording. One of the tricks it uses to avoid noise or interference in a multi-way call is to suppress sounds below a certain volume. This gets rid of air conditioning noise in a conference call.

You need to dig around in the Windows Control Panels and turn off any special settings or tools. Anything Advanced or Automatic, anything you don't recognize.

After you're done with that, also turn off any Recording From The Internet settings or software. Leaving those running during a live capture can create odd feedback problems.

Koz

[amonty]

I bet your laptop is still doing conference and communications automatic adjustments. Windows machines come out of the shrink wrap all set to Skype into the corporate office, not high quality voice recording. One of the tricks it uses to avoid noise or interference in a multi-way call is to suppress sounds below a certain volume. This gets rid of air conditioning noise in a conference call.

You need to dig around in the Windows Control Panels and turn off any special settings or tools. Anything Advanced or Automatic, anything you don't recognize.

After you're done with that, also turn off any Recording From The Internet settings or software. Leaving those running during a live capture can create odd feedback problems.

Koz

any idea on where to begin to find such settings? I looked for an hour and coulnd't find a thing.

[kozikowski]

Sorry. I'm one of the Mac elves. the last Windows machine I had was Windows 2000. You buried yourself a little bit by not posting in one of the Windows forums. Let's see if one of the Windows people can find you now.

Koz

[steve]

any idea on where to begin to find such settings?

If there is a mixer applet for your sound card (a loudspeaker icon near the Time/Date on your Desktop) have a look in there. Realtek on-board sound cards usually have such an applet and hide these settings either in the microphone set-up page, or behind a small "spanner" icon.
Failing that, somewhere in the Control Panel. (see here for some information about the Control panel - it won't all apply to you because it is primarily talking about recording "Stereo Mix" whereas I presume that you are using the Microphone input. http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Mixer ... trol_Panel

[mikemoney805]

I NEED HELP !! i also record rough draft rap tracks, but i cannot figure out how to hear the instrumental when i record? i upload the instrumental, then i try to record but i cannot hear the beat so i cant record? i have windows 7, any suggestions !? thank you !!!



Mike

[steve]

Please don't double post.
If you're using Audacity 1.3.12 on Windows, please post in that forum. I've moved your other post here: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 26&t=39724