Windows 7: During Recording Waves Run Off the Page

[toachieve]

Hello,

While I'm recording, the sound waves start to run off the top of the screen while generating a distorted sound and then finally no sound after the waves have completely run off the screen. Nothing changes during the recording session so, why is this happening in Audacity?

Best Regards

[kozikowski]

Let me answer the question you didn't ask.

No, you can't plug your music into the Mic-In of your Windows Laptop. It will drive the videoconferencing programs and software crazy. Eventually, they will go into muting mode where they try to cancel it out.

First step if you are trying to record, for example, a dance mixer or cassette machine, is to buy a USB device like the UCA-202. This will get around the distortion and stereo/mono problem.

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/UCA202.jpg

Then dig in the Windows Control Panels and turn off all the Conferencing Services.

Windows Enhanced Sound
http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 79&start=0


Music running off the right hand-edge during recording is perfectly normal. When you finish, press Control-F to see the whole thing. You are intended to use the bouncing red sound meters to monitor the volume levels, not the blue waves.

Let me know if I missed anything.

Koz

[toachieve]

Hi Koz,

Actually, I'm only recording talking, no music. Can you provide help with this situation?

[Gale Andrews]

We still don't know the source of the "talking", what device you are recording from (look in Audacity's Devices Preferences) or how you are connecting that device to the computer.

If you are connecting something other than a mic to the pink mic port, then you will have distortion. And if you are connecting a mic, you need to turn off all the sound enhancements in the "Recording" tab of "Sound" in the Windows Control Panel (as Koz said).

If you are recording computer playback like internet radio, turn off Transport > Software Playthrough.

A screen print of what you are seeing might help; ALT + PrtScr, paste into Paint, save as a PNG image, then attach to your reply (the tab to upload is underneath the Preview/Submit message buttons). It sounded to me like you were saying the top of the waves are above +/- 1 on the vertical scale, if so the input is too loud and will distort.



Gale