I need help! Vocals from Audacity into Reason 4.0

[Femalien]

Hey everyone,
Unless you are familiar with using Reason software, you probably cant help me...

Ive been using Audacity for vocal recording, just for demos and whatnot, for years. Ive never really had any problems with it other than minor back noise, etc.

What im doing now: I use a USB snowball condenser mic, and im running both Reason and Aud. on a Macbook.
Everything in both programs is set at a sample rate of 44/16.
Recently, I tried recording vocals for a track in TWO separate ways (to ensure i wasnt making a dumb mistake). First time, i merely recorded my vox whilst the song was playing through Reason, with headphones in, thus blocking out the external sound. This is a very easy, at home, demo style recording which always worked for me. I just sang along the time/beat of my song directly into the snowball mic, directly into Audacity. Yes?
OK....Then, i ALSO tried importing the song file into Audacity and recorded vocals that way...Basically sang while it was playing in the background, both happening through Audacity, not Reason this time. While recording, everything sounds fine...its all timed and lined up normal.
The new problem: I export my vocals from Audacity (in WAV. format) onto the desktop. Then drop the file of my vocals into Reason through the NN19 (which ive always done, no problem...even though kind of a pain), and for the first half of the song, everything sounds decent. Nothing sounds off beat or off time...BUT then half way in, all of a sudden my vocals are slightly off. Too fast. I dont even know how that transition is made! its so weird!
Im thinking its definitely something to do with Audacity because the rest of the music through Reason sounds the same. So what could be causing this off speed thing?
This is all new to me, its never happened before using this program. I know there is a solution probably right under my nose but im going crazy trying to figure it out. I cannot work unless i can record vocals! Does anyone use any other kinds of software for vocal recording other than this one to suggest?

-Girl

[Gale Andrews]

Is the WAV you exported just your vocal track or a mix of your vocals and the background? Have you listened to that WAV in Audacity and does it do the same there? I take it you are exporting as WAV 16-bit PCM? At what sample rate? See "Project Rate" bottom left of the Audacity window.

If it's only your vocal track, are you deciding it is "off" on the basis it doesn't keep time with the background track (which you are playing at the same time)?

What exactly "should" the NN19 sampler do with a WAV file? Have you had any opinions from the Propellerheads Forum https://www.propellerheads.se/forum/ ?



Gale

[Femalien]

Well the best way i can explain this is:
NN19 is just a Reason device that lets the the user upload any WAV files from their computer, whether vocals, just noise sample, whatever. Just something that you would want to use that Reason doesnt have in itself.
I have never had a problem with it before, ive been working this way for years out of my home.

The WAV file i export from audacity is just vocals. Ive tried doing it with "export selection" and just regular "export". This made no difference obviously. Even if the original song was in the background, its either muted or its so low you wouldnt be able to hear it. All you would hear is my voice and some crappy background white noise. While im recording, the sounds are perfect, all timed up correctly. However, lately, when i drop the WAV file into reason, afterwords.. the speed is off. Either too fast or too slow. Not by much..but noticeable. Its strange.
Whats odd to me is, i havent been doing anything differently so thats why its so confusing. Im going to try again, retrace my steps, see if i missed anything at all.

Thanks for your reply...Its kind of difficult to explain without showing, but im assuming theres gotta be someone who encountered something similar to this

[Gale Andrews]

But do these WAV files you recorded in Audacity play OK in Audacity or iTunes?

im assuming theres gotta be someone who encountered something similar to this

You will obviously find more users of Reason on the Propellerheads forums than here, but speed problems are usually due to sample rate mismatches. If you are sure your Audacity project rate is still 44100 Hz and you are exporting 16-bit PCM WAV, what sample rate is the song you import into Audacity? If it is not at 44100 Hz, consider using Tracks > Resample to make it 44100 Hz. Look at your rate settings in Reason and in your sound card too.



Gale