Clicks not showing up on waveform

[Tylertrue1]

Good day,
I'm recording my first audiobook and have been editing the recordings for weeks now. I had to re-record a few chapters and now there are clicks in the audio that aren't showing up on the waveform and there's no way for me to delete them. Are these clicks being created by my computer? Is there any way to get rid of them?

I'm using Windows 10 and the newest version of Audacity, which I just downloaded a few weeks ago. I'm also using a budget condenser microphone, but these clicks weren't showing up in earlier recordings, or even recordings I've done after this chapter, so I have to assume the mic isn't the problem. I've attached a clip of the audio file. I would greatly appreciate some help in this matter. Thanks.

[kozikowski]

Give us a push. Where do you hear the clicks?

Clicks don't have to be enormous blue spikes in the timeline. You can have tiny pieces of wave that are just missing.

Do the clicks always happen in the same place? You can have some really interesting problems if the playback system is doing it and the files are actually OK. This is where you try the work on your mum's computer or a different playback system that's not your computer.

Koz

[kozikowski]

aren't showing up on the waveform

It's possible you're making them. There's a whole section on the ACX help pages about drinking water and how and when to eat apples to suppress lip smacks and tongue ticks.

Can you get this damage down to recording date? "I remember that. That was Thursday last week." The other recording days seem to be OK.

Condenser microphones, even affordable ones are great at picking up every single tiny delicate nuance and character—sometimes whether you want them to or not.

Koz

[DVDdoug]

...I can't listen to your file right now.

I had to re-record a few chapters and now there are clicks in the audio that aren't showing up on the waveform

Sometimes the Spectrogram (or Multi-view) is helpful in "finding" clicks or other defects. Then, you can often see it in the waveform when you zoom-in on the right area.

[Tylertrue1]

There are 3 consecutive clicks that start right at the 1 second mark of that clip. They're not mouth clicks and there is no parts missing from the wave file, it looks smooth and good. I tried looking in the spectrograph but nothing was on that either. I thought I read something about the computer getting overloaded and creating clicks like this...

[Tylertrue1]

And yes the clicks happen in the same place no matter what playback device I'm using.

It's not just this one cheater, there are random clicks like this in different chapters that arent mouth clicks. So I guess the real question is, does ACX reject files for clicks like this? Do listeners go crazy and give 1 out of 5 if they hear the occasional click? The thought of rerecording all of these chapters and re editing might be worse than death :p

[kozikowski]

right at the 1 second mark

Got it. 1.1, 1.6, and 2.2

does ACX reject files for clicks like this?

They reject any damage they consider a "distraction."

Their metaphor is listening to someone telling you a fascinating story over cups of tea. Very few people have ticks in real life. That also kills people trying to rescue their files by piling on effects, filters, and corrections. Nobody is going to pay you to announce in cellphone voice.

Found it.

This is a waveform of a normal word with normal up and down motion.

Screen Shot 2020-08-12 at 1.26.16 PM.png (42.56 KiB) Viewed 471 times

This is the tick at 2.2 seconds (or slightly before).

Screen Shot 2020-08-12 at 1.26.32 PM.png (50.86 KiB) Viewed 471 times

There is a lot more rough, trashy "grass" between 2.17 and 2.2.

I can change it into different trash, but I can't get rid of it.

I think your "affordable" microphone is making up its own sound.

Which microphone and how long is the USB cable? Describe your studio and computer in detail. Did you extend the USB cable so you didn't get computer fan noise in the show?

Koz

[kozikowski]

You can see it in Spectrogram view, now that I know what I'm looking for.

The tick is that stack of four red blobs directly under the 1.6 number.

Screen Shot 2020-08-12 at 1.41.14 PM.png (156.14 KiB) Viewed 471 times

I think there's a way to directly edit those, but I'm the wrong elf to tell you about it.

It may not get rid of all the damage, but it will help.

Besides, you'll need to go down the whole book hand-correcting them one at a time. I picked this one because it's pretty obvious. One of the fixes I tried gave me a thump instead of a sharp tick.

Reading it over is the easy fix. Finding a good microphone may be harder.

Koz

[kozikowski]

And because I haven't been Suzy Sunshine yet. Can I buy your book on Amazon in paper or eBook?

Koz

[Tylertrue1]

Oh man. How do they even know the clicks are there? They listen to the whole book? Would those little clicks be considered a distraction?

There's not even a name brand on the microphone. It's just a cheap thing from China for $35. Just says professional studio condenser microphone.

I have a Dell laptop, older one. I talk into a closet with clothes hanging everywhere and the laptop is outside the closet door, with a 3 foot usb cable.

I havent published the book yet. It's called A BETTER FUTURE: HOW WE FIX THE WORLD. It's about changing political structure and bringing about direct democracy - online voting - and really giving the power to the people.

Appreciate your help.