Audacity Forum

I agree. Apparently I am unable to convey to you an accurate description of the problem, thereby resulting in a series of tests that had nothing to do with the original problem.

Ken Coburn wrote:Running Linux Mint 15 with Audacity 2.03-1. A 100 second recording plays back in 43.5 seconds. In addition to the pitch being far too high, the recording appears to be full of holes or dropouts. The 440 hz test tone records and plays back properly

So you now believe the pitch is correct, and the waveform is short because of the dropouts. Is that so?

How did you record the test tone? With a cable from audio out to line in? Or some other way?

I assume you are aware that Creative never intended SoundBlaster to be used on Linux. Have you asked on the Linux Mint Forums what would be the best community-made drivers for it? I don't see any drivers listed for it at http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index. ... ative_Labs . Or is it a USB-connected Live 5.1?

If dropouts are the problem, please review: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Manag ... nd_Drivers for possible causes.


Gale

Gale:

Yes, I believe the pitch is correct. The entire waveform appears to be compressed in time, and I have no idea what's causing the dropouts. The sound is more like what you would hear if the phono stylus skipped grooves while playing.
The test tone was generated by the tone generator in Audacity "Test" "Tone".
No, I was not aware that the Sound Blaster card was not to be used on Linux, and I will check into the Linux Mint 15 forum for help. The card seemed to work fine once I found the Line Input control in alsamixer. I might mention that I just discovered Audacity V. 2.03.1 is the version installed by Linux, and I believe that version is no longer supported.

Ken Coburn wrote:The test tone was generated by the tone generator in Audacity "Test" "Tone".

But if you recorded it the same way as you record the vinyl, why does the tone not record with dropouts?

Ken Coburn wrote:No, I was not aware that the Sound Blaster card was not to be used on Linux

I know people who use SoundBlasters on Linux without too much issue, but you may find the PCI SoundBlasters temperamental if they don't have a Linux driver. The USB SoundBlasters are probably more compatible on Linux, as a broad generalisation.

Ken Coburn wrote:I might mention that I just discovered Audacity V. 2.03.1 is the version installed by Linux, and I believe that version is no longer supported.

To get the latest Audacity 2.0.5 release as a package you may need to update Linux Mint.

You can also install the PPA (basically an Ubuntu "daily updated" package of latest Audacity code, so that is actually 2.0.6-alpha at present): http://linuxg.net/how-to-install-audaci ... ry-os-0-2/ .

Most users probably don't want to install the PPA because it is not a "released" version, and I suspect the Audacity version is not relevant to your skipping problem.

Something as simple as an excessive project rate (try 44100 Hz or 48000 bottom left of Audacity) or some application hogging the CPU could be the cause.


Gale

I did not record the test tone in the same manner as vinyl. The tone is generated by Audacity, and I don't know the my sound card is even involved in the process. No cables are used, nor is any control used to adjust the recording level.

I keep Linux Mint updated on a daily basis. As of today, only Audacity 2.03.1 is offered.

I'll hold off on the PPA for right now.

I tried changing the project rate from 48000, which seemed to be the default, to 44100. If there was a difference I couldn't hear it. I can try some other rates tomorrow. My first thought was that recording was occurring at one rate and playback at a vastly different rate.

Linux Mint 17 "Qiana" (LTS) has Audacity version 2.0.5.

Ken Coburn wrote:I did not record the test tone in the same manner as vinyl. The tone is generated by Audacity, and I don't know the my sound card is even involved in the process. No cables are used, nor is any control used to adjust the recording level.

Then you didn't record the tone. You generated it, but then did not record its playback.

Ken Coburn wrote:I keep Linux Mint updated on a daily basis.

You may be keeping Linux Mint 15 updated, but the current Linux Mint Version is 17.

It's possible Audacity 2.0.5 on Mint 17 can't import and export WMA, M4A and other FFmpeg formats. Do you know about that. Steve?

Ken Coburn wrote:I tried changing the project rate from 48000

If you experience dropouts at standard rates like 48000 or 44100 Hz then you probably need to look farther afield for the cause of the dropouts.


Gale

Uninstalled Mint 15.
Installed Mint 17
Installed Audacity 2.0.5-1 ubuntu 3
No change, problem remains. Enough frustration - I'll use Audacity in Windows XP.

Ken Coburn wrote:Uninstalled Mint 15.
Installed Mint 17
Installed Audacity 2.0.5-1 ubuntu 3
No change, problem remains.

That's no surprise. We said the Audacity version probably wasn't relevant.

Ken Coburn wrote:I'll use Audacity in Windows XP.

Be careful, because Microsoft probably won't be updating Windows XP further for bugs or security issues.


Gale

Steve and Gale:

Many thanks for the help.
I had hoped to completely rid myself of Microsoft, but I guess that's not to be. I must have my Audacity.