Audacity Forum

I recently (12/20/09) downloaded 1.3.10 (onto my MacBook running OSX 10.5.8) and have been recording from some old commercial cassette albums, exporting to MP3s. I've also edited & exported to MP3's some similar audio recordings I'd previously done. I've done this whole process before with earlier versions of Audacity.

I then import the MP3 album tracks into iTunes (9.0.2), add some more metadata & artwork, and eventually load onto my iPod.

PROBLEM: Each track (I think every one), when FIRST played in both iTunes and the iPod, a couple seconds into playing the track, seems to hiccup and jump back to the beginning -- and then play the rest of the track fine. So far, I've not had this phenomena repeat when I try to immediately play the track again. I'll report if I see the same track repeat its problem at a later time.

I've never encountered this problem before with my previous work with Audacity. I've seen this both with several albums of music exported at 160 Kbps bit rate, and a seminar exported at 40 kbps.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

-JerryGP

1.3.10 has troubles with Export Multiple. You should probably try going up to 1.3.11...

Audacity 1.3 Nightly Build -- Mac
http://www.audacity.homerow.net/index.php?dir=mac%2F

With any luck, this will be the public issue in a bunch of hours, anyway.

If it still has troubles, see if converting away from the Audacity default format of 44100, 32-floating, Stereo helps. The standard for Music CD is 44100, 16-bit, Stereo and some software doesn't like 32.

Quick Notes:

Depth/Rate Conversion
-- Change Project Rate (Hz) lower left > 48000
-- Track Name > Set Sample Format > 16-bit PCM
-- File > Export > Format > Other uncompressed File Types

<<<I've done this whole process before with earlier versions of Audacity.>>>

In any of this, have you Exported As WAV? If you're doing all this work with Audacity Projects, it should send chills down your back. Audacity Projects are not sound files, They appear as sound files when you open them, but really, you're opening the AUP file which then goes and finds all the rest of the files in your show. It could be thousands.

You can't move Audacity Projects. If you think you "backed up" all those projects against machine failure, there's a very rich chance you haven't and we're going to hear from you when your machine goes down and none of your saved shows open.

Audacity will not save sound files.

Let us know.

Koz

Thanks for the tips. Since I'd posted, I'd seen a similar set of tips about the multiple export issue elsewhere in the forums, so I downloaded the newer version last night, and it seems to have worked: No initial faltering when playing the exported files. I've generally saved aiff backups, but thanks for that enlightenment, too.

blessings, and happy new year!

-JerryGP

Hi again,
realized that my "initial faltering" was indeed a few extra seconds added at the end of a track (including therefore the first second or so of the next track). Unfortunately I'll have to go back and work through several albums worth of tracks where I'd gone ahead & gotten rid of the original recording and had kept only the tracks.

Thanks again,

JerryGP

Howdy,

I'm a new Audacity user and I'm seeing the very same problem. Instructions (above) appear to be a good work around, but this is a MAJOR bug in Audacity.

Some background: I gave my wife an A-LP120-USB turntable for Xmas and downloaded 1.3.10 (Beta) for our iMac (Intel, OS X (10.6.2) . The intent is to copy a bunch of old LPs into CD's and import them into our iPods, via iTunes (9.0.2 (25)) as well. I really wish I could go straight to an CD like Golden Records as my wife doesn't value screwing around with long and complicated computer procedures, but I digress.

Here's how I spent yesterday evening and much of today:

I "Ripped' a test LP, splitting and labeling the tracks via the 'Copying tapes, LPs or minidisks to CD" and step 5 of "Your First Recording" Tutorials. When I played it back, via Audacity, all is well. So far, so good. Time spent, about 3 hours! Initial usability impression: poor, but again I digress.

Now I 'exported multiple' in AIFF format and imported the resulting files into iTunes and sync with my wife's 160 GB iPod. The tracks would not play; the iPod acted as if each track was nearly zero seconds long with out any audio. How odd, but the AIFF tracks would soon fill my wife's iPod.

Next I tried to export as MP3s (256 kbs), imported into iTunes, sync with the iPod. This is when we discovered the 'falter & restart bug' (the fist second or so of track N+1 tacked on to the very end of track N.)

Exported as AIFF again, burnt a CD (iTunes import settings to AIFF), imported from the CD back into iTunes (after erasing the AIFF tracks and setting the iTunes import settings back to ACC!) and sync with the iPod. Same problem on both the CD and the iPod! So it appeared that Audacity was producing broken MP3 and AIFF files. Downloaded Golden Records and goofed with it for a while.... but GR doesn't seem to playback during the import. Set it aside, for the moment.

Followed the above suggestions for export multiple; 'other uncompressed files' (AIFF, signed 16 bit PCM), imported into iTunes, burnt my third CD, nuked the AIFF tracks from iTunes, re-imported into iTunes, sync with iPod; it worked! Another 4 hours down the drain, but now it works.

This seems like a MAJOR bug; Can't copy an LP to a CD with out special instructions. This will be a major pain for my wife; I'll have to write out a detailed procedure for her to follow, even with out this bug. Final usability impressions: why does Audacity hate it's users so?

How are Audacity bugs tracked? I'd like to know when & if I can simplify my wife's procedure ASAP.

BTW: Has anybody thought of a 'rip an LP to an CD' wizard like Golden Records? It wold be a major improvement on usability. If I could figure out how to get Golden Records to playback during the import process I'd toss Audacity in the trash tonight.

Thanks,

Randy

Slowly But Surly wrote:I gave my wife an A-LP120-USB turntable for Xmas and downloaded 1.3.10 (Beta)

As described in earlier posts in this thread there is a known bug in Audacity 1.3.10 beta that affects "Export Multiple" and "Export Selection".
This bug was fixed very quickly after it was discovered. The volunteers that "staff" this forum recommend that you either update to a later version or an earlier version. I currently use Audacity 1.3.11 (available from the links posted previously) and find it very good.

Slowly But Surly wrote:why does Audacity hate it's users so?

Computers have feelings - if you upset them they go wrong

Have a look at my workflow which I posted in this sticky thread: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 28&t=18759

And yes digital audio can be a bit of a steep-learning curve - but stick with it and you will soon acquire the skills and then wonder why you found it hard at the beginning.

TIP: the other tool that I use to speed up the part of the editing process (removing the clicks and pops from my ageing LPs) is ClickRepair. It costs $40 but is well worth it - both in terms of time saved and the superb quality of the end result. See this thread: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1994

BTW: the problem with burning directly to CD is that it removes the opportunity for any editing, such as click removal, level adjustment, quietening the inter-track gaps etc.

WC

Slowly But Surly wrote: I really wish I could go straight to an CD like Golden Records as my wife doesn't value screwing around with long and complicated computer procedures...

If you'd wanted it that simple - did you look at the ION LP2CD device which has a CD burner bundled in with a TT deck- see: http://www.ionaudio.com/lp2cd

However you should get much better results with your Audio Technica deck and if you persevere with Audacity (The AT looks as though it may be better built than the ION - I started out with an ION ITTUSB - but soon junked it as the lightweight plastic platter gave noticeable wow&flutter).

WC

waxcylinder wrote:Have a look at my workflow which I posted in this sticky thread: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 28&t=18759...
WC

Thanks waxcylinder! Your workflow is almost exactly what I was looking for.

Re: the ION drives and ease vs quality. I originally looked at the ION turntables and figured that I would be better off with a higher quality turntable, such as the audio-technica, or a preamp with a USB out. I went with the turntable so my wife didn't have to lug my old laptop between the living room, where the stereo lives, and the "Slowly But Surly" computing center where my wife's iPod resides. My hope is that the AT direct drive & cartridge is sufficient for the job.

Thanks again,

Randy "Slowly But Surly"

stevethefiddle wrote:

Slowly But Surly wrote:I gave my wife an A-LP120-USB turntable for Xmas and downloaded 1.3.10 (Beta)

As described in earlier posts in this thread there is a known bug in Audacity 1.3.10 beta that affects "Export Multiple" and "Export Selection".
This bug was fixed very quickly after it was discovered. The volunteers that "staff" this forum recommend that you either update to a later version or an earlier version. I currently use Audacity 1.3.11 (available from the links posted previously) and find it very good.

Slowly But Surly wrote:why does Audacity hate it's users so?

Computers have feelings - if you upset them they go wrong

Hi Steve; I was under the (wrong?) impression that 1.3.11 (Jan 1st build still had the bug but supported the work around. I'll try to generate 'multiple' MP3's to verify that I have the right build latter today.

BTW: don't get me wrong, I understand that this is very high quality freeware. My surliness comes from bad timing (the 1.3.10 beta bug) and wishing for a wizard to make the initial tasks/learning curve easier.

Randy "Slowly but Surly"