Aligning Tracks

[bdraper1]

How can I align my tracks if you can't listen to the tracks you've already recorded and record at the same time? What is the purpose of the click track if you can't listen to it and record at the same time? All of the tempos are slightly different and they do not start at the exact same time. Also, why is the waveform so small? Even when I'm playing loudly and the input and output volumes are maxed out the waveform is barley visible. This leads to a lot of noise (hissing) on my tracks which is not removable with the "remove noise" feature. Thanks.

[kozikowski]

I hardly know where to start.

What kind of microphone are you using -- model numbers? Exactly which Audacity and exactly which Windows on what kind of computer?

All you said in the posting is everything is broken. Not much to go on.

Koz

[steve]

How can I align my tracks if you can't listen to the tracks you've already recorded

You should be able to hear tracks that are already recorded. "Overdub" (in the "Transport" menu must be enabled).

All of the tempos are slightly different

Audacity assumes that the sound card captures audio samples at the specified sample rate (as do other recording programs). If the sample rate is set at 44100 Hz, then there should be 44100 samples provided by the sound card each second. If the sound card provides more, or less, samples per second, then the tempo will be wrong. If the sound card is inconsistent with the number of samples that it provides each second, then sometimes the tempo will be too fast and sometimes the tempo will be too slow. Sound cards have a "clock" signal that should ensure that the samples are delivered at the correct rate. Unfortunately some sound cards do not have good clocks and the tempo will drift and be too fast or too slow. This is most common on cheap, poor quality sound cards. High quality music sound cards should not have this problem unless they are faulty.

and they do not start at the exact same time.

Synchronising tracks requires setting up the "latency compensation". This is easy to do IF the sound card maintains a constant sample rate, but the previous comment suggests that this is not the case. You will probably need to upgrade your sound card.

Also, why is the waveform so small?

The recorded waveform should have peaks that are around half of the height of a track.

Even when I'm playing loudly and the input and output volumes are maxed out the waveform is barley visible.

Playing what loudly? Your piano?

This leads to a lot of noise (hissing)

Yes, if the recorded signal is excessively low, then the noise level will be excessively high.

[bdraper1]

What kind of microphone are you using -- model numbers? Exactly which Audacity and exactly which Windows on what kind of computer?

Crappy, cheap audio-technica (omnidirectional) ATR35s. Can't see a serial number.
Audacity 1.3.14-beta (Unicode)
Windows XP
Dell Inspiron E1705 laptop

[bdraper1]

How can I align my tracks if you can't listen to the tracks you've already recorded

You should be able to hear tracks that are already recorded. "Overdub" (in the "Transport" menu must be enabled).

Sweet, thanks!

All of the tempos are slightly different

Audacity assumes that the sound card captures audio samples at the specified sample rate (as do other recording programs). If the sample rate is set at 44100 Hz, then there should be 44100 samples provided by the sound card each second. If the sound card provides more, or less, samples per second, then the tempo will be wrong. If the sound card is inconsistent with the number of samples that it provides each second, then sometimes the tempo will be too fast and sometimes the tempo will be too slow. Sound cards have a "clock" signal that should ensure that the samples are delivered at the correct rate. Unfortunately some sound cards do not have good clocks and the tempo will drift and be too fast or too slow. This is most common on cheap, poor quality sound cards. High quality music sound cards should not have this problem unless they are faulty.

I think I resolved this, thanks!

and they do not start at the exact same time.

Synchronising tracks requires setting up the "latency compensation". This is easy to do IF the sound card maintains a constant sample rate, but the previous comment suggests that this is not the case. You will probably need to upgrade your sound card.

I can now hear, for example, track 1 and 2 while recording track 3. Can you tell me more about latency compensation? Maybe I'm just not sure what "synchronizing tracks" means in terms of Audacity.

Also, why is the waveform so small?

The recorded waveform should have peaks that are around half of the height of a track.

Yeah, mine are basically tiny dots or lines (less that 1/4 inch). If I can fix this, I'm wondering if it will help out with the hissing issue.

Even when I'm playing loudly and the input and output volumes are maxed out the waveform is barley visible.

Playing what loudly? Your piano?

Trumpet, guitar (acoustic and electric), voice.

This leads to a lot of noise (hissing)

Yes, if the recorded signal is excessively low, then the noise level will be excessively high.

Thanks a lot for the advice!

[kozikowski]

Right then. You need to stick with us as we crank through this.

The ATR35 microphone is a cousin to the Radio Shack 3013 we use all the time at work. The LR44 battery can be replaced by the Radio Shack 357 Silver battery for stiffer voltage regulation, longer working life and slightly higher voltage giving you higher volume (but not by much).

You have all the symptoms of a dead battery -- low volume and high hiss level. They're not award-winning microphones, but they're not that bad. We do simple voice tracks with them all the time.

Once you get that sorted and make a good simple recording, then we'll get on with the overdubbing and latency setup.

http://kozco.com/tech/audacity/overdubb ... bbing.html

Everywhere it says "built-in microphone" you'll be using one of your ATR35s.

Koz

[bdraper1]

I seem to have figured out the latency compensation. My tracks are aligning correctly (for the most part) now. I have posted other questions that I have, but they're not up yet. Thanks for all the help.