Playback while recording stopped working

[wkn]

When I record through a microphone to an accompanying track I can hear no playback. I use the standard audio input and output (this is a Thinkpad running Windows XP) but the result is the same if I choose Microsoft Sound Mapper. When I record there's a brief playback sound (like 1/10 second) when I click the Stop button.

This really has me puzzled and it has stopped my work. Any help is appreciated.
Here is a collection of facts:

Setting "Overdub: play other tracks..." is ON
Setting "Software playthrough.." is OFF
Playback without recording works perfectly.
Recording is done without any problems.
During recording, output level meter shows the activity i ought to hear.
During recording, input level shows activity as expected.
Windows volume control is set correctly (no mutes, microphone active)

The problem described only appeared today, yesterday everything worked as it should. I changed no settings before it stopped working, no hardware changes, no new software installed, or drivers changed. I have tried to uninstall and reinstall (1.3.13 beta) to no effect.

Regards,
Werner

[kozikowski]

Do you have Skype or other VOIP program? This sounds like Skype messing with your sound pathways.

Koz

[wkn]

I don't have Skype or any other VOIP running. My running programs and setup is identical to yesterday where the playback worked - as it has for years and years in Audacity. I didn't even reboot, the pc was in standby overnight.

[steve]

Have you tried rebooting? (sometimes sound cards can fail to wake up properly after being asleep)

[wkn]

Yes, I have rebooted to no avail. The sound card works fine, also in Audacity where playback works fine - only not while recording.
To test sound card or driver problems I have tried the same (after not being able to get Audacity to work) - playback while recording - in other DAWs like Traverso and Jokosher where it works without any problems. Seems like some internal Audacity thing has gone wrong.

[steve]

I'm not totally clear what the problem is that you are trying to describe. Are you saying that Audacity does not play back at all, or just that you can't hear the microphone while you are recording?

[wkn]

Playback in Audacity is working, only not when I am recording. I am not trying to hear the microphone, only a previously recorded piano track that plays fine when not recording.

I have described the exact settings in my first post. Se this image:


With these settings no sound is heard when recording but the output level meter shows the sounds that should have been heard. When I switch OFF the Overdub setting nothing moves on the output level meter. When playing the track without recording the sounds are heard and correspond to the output level meter.

Hope this clarifies.

[Gale Andrews]

You can follow these instructions to reset the 1.3.13 preferences to defaults (uninstalling does not do this). I'm not convinced it would help.

What Playback device are you using in Audacity Devices Preferences? Do you have headphones connected to that device, or are they built-in speakers?

How many tracks in the project and how long are the tracks?

[wkn]

You were right, resetting preferences didn't fix the problem.

What Playback device are you using in Audacity Devices Preferences? Do you have headphones connected to that device, or are they built-in speakers?

The playback device is called Conexant HD Audio Output. I have also tried Microsoft Sound Mapper with the same negative result. I usually use headphones connected to that device but the problem is the same with the built-in speakers.

How many tracks in the project and how long are the tracks?

One track, length 2:35. Recording a new track.

Clicking around now I stumbled upon the weirdest workaround for my problem that worked a couple of times. Having loaded the single accompanying track I created an empty audio track (ctrl-shift-n), started recording ... and the playback sound was there. I verified this procedure a couple of times. Creating an empty stereo track and then recording didn't produce any playback sound.

Then I tried to change to mono recording in the settings, but now the workaround didn't work. I changed back to stereo recording, and now the workaround didn't work there either. And now no combination produces any playback sound during recording.

Seems like some "capability" had been destroyed for stereo tracks but not for mono, so that having a mono track present again allowed playback. But then the same hypothetical "capability" was destroyed for mono when recording in that mode, so no playback during recording isn't working in either case.

Does this give you any clue to a cause and a solution?

[Gale Andrews]

Does this give you any clue to a cause and a solution?

No. The nearest (fixed) issue like it that we had in a previous Beta was desynchronised playback of multiple tracks if the project rate (bottom left of the window) didn't match with the track sample rate (above the mute/solo buttons). But certainly I can overdub record at a different rate than the original track and still hear that track in 1.3.13.

* When you say the track is "2:35" is that 2 minutes, 35 seconds?

* If you Edit > Duplicate the track and play, do both tracks play? The result should be twice as loud and would probably cause the red "clipping" lights on the playback meter to come on. If you hit "mute" on one of the tracks, the volume should be cut to half again.

Even if overdub works with other DAWs. Audacity is very sensitive to sound device drivers. I suggest you read Updating Sound Device Drivers. If Device Manager shows you have Microsoft drivers for the Conexant Device it could be the explanation.

The only other suggestion I have at the moment is to right-click over the audacity executable (audacity.exe) > Properties: Compatibility tab and try changing the compatibility settings.



Gale