Audacity Forum

Hi.

In the middle of recording an hour program, I find my voice is playing way too fast so that I sound like Alvin and his chipmunk friends. I am not aware of having done anything to warrant this.

How to get back to reality please?

Mac

wiggymac wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 28, 2020 4:19 pm

Hi.

In the middle of recording an hour program, I find my voice is playing way too fast so that I sound like Alvin and his chipmunk friends. I am not aware of having done anything to warrant this.

Let me add this: My previous posting was answered by telling me how to get a new recording track started, i.e. by pressing the shift key at the same time as the record button. I have tried that with success but that is where this chipmunk effect is coming as well. When I simply keep on recording on the initial track, no chipmunks, but when I use the shift/record, the playback is much faster than normal speed. Does that explain my problem any more clearly and make it solvable?

wiggymac wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 28, 2020 4:19 pm

In the middle of recording an hour program, I find my voice is playing

I'm confused. Are you recording or playing? What are you recording? What are you playing?

I am attempting to record a 1-hour radio program. When I continue voice recording on the same track where I started, things seem to work. But when I stop, add a song, which brings in a second track, and then attempt to restart recording my voice on a second track, the playback is chipmunks.

wiggymac wrote: ↑

Sat Nov 28, 2020 10:39 pm

I am attempting to record a 1-hour radio program. When I continue voice recording on the same track where I started, things seem to work. But when I stop, add a song, which brings in a second track, and then attempt to restart recording my voice on a second track, the playback is chipmunks.

So are you saying you do not want to hear the prior track? Try Edit > Preferences > Recording > deselect "Play other tracks (overdub)"

So are you saying what you are hearing is at a higher pitch and faster that how you recorded? What happens when you try to play it without recording at the same time? Check that the sampling rate for each audio track (in the track control panel at the left) is the same as the project rate: lower left-hand corner of the screen. Are you using play-at-speed ?

Sorry, I don't seem to be very clear in my responses. I'll try again.

I have recently downloaded the latest version of the software and it has made a difference in where new voice recording appears. Before, a new track started with each new attempt to record my voice. Now the recording simply continues on the same track unless I hold down the <shift> key when I record. No problem per se.

I produce a little radio program with music and spoken word, and so I call in sound tracks to the recording session and in between these, I have a few words to say, in other words, recording my own voice. The sound tracks (music) I call in work just fine, proper speed and pitch. But it is helpful to be able to begin a new track when I have to combine them with a voice interlude between them. So I dutifully hold down the <shift> key and record my voice on the new track that opens below the other. However, my voice is now playing back at a faster, higher pitch (chipmunkish, as I said), even though the visual wave doesn't seem to look any different than the previous (called in) music track. And it only seems to happen with the <shift> key depressed. Continuing recording on an already started track is normal. Not aware of having made any other adjustments.

I am anything but a sound whiz, so I don't know all the terms you used in your reply. I'm afraid I need play-by-play directions, if possible.

Thanks.

wiggymac wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 30, 2020 12:15 pm

I have recently downloaded the latest version of the software and it has made a difference in where new voice recording appears. Before, a new track started with each new attempt to record my voice. Now the recording simply continues on the same track unless I hold down the <shift> key when I record. No problem per se.

That's intentional - we changed that a while back.

If you prefer the older behavior you can reset it in Recording Preferences https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/rec ... ences.html

Just check "on" the third item down Record on a new track

If you do that the to record on the same track you will the need Shift + Record

WC

I've made the change and it went fine... until 15 minutes into the recording session. A normal rate for the pre-recorded music I added, and then my next voice recording thereafter, suddenly went fast and high, way too high to be understood. I don't know what to do. I did nothing to warrant this change.

Help.

wiggymac wrote: ↑

Mon Nov 30, 2020 3:05 pm

suddenly went fast and high, way too high to be understood.

Using the "Change Speed" effect (and its "Preview" button), can you work out how much too fast it is going? (what settings do you require to make the speed and pitch normal?) This is intended just as a test that may help us to diagnose the problem.

Okay, I just completed an hour of importing music plus voice recording in between the songs. And it is strange to say the least.

Everything started out normal (speed that is). Then my voice recording started playback much too fast, so I reduced it with the "effect-speed" command by 50% to normal. Things went well for a bit.

Then my voice recording began to play back slower than recorded, what turned out to be 10% (and I was able to correct it again with the "effect-speed" command. I now intend to listen to the entire saved hour to make sure it all coordinates.

I am really not aware of doing anything to trigger these effects, certainly not knowingly. And I don't use anything much in the process except the "effect-normalize" command to cut out high points (using as needed, as always before, -1.0 dB) so it all can be heard on the same plane for radio replay.

Thanks for any ideas...
Mac