massive noise on tracks, unpredictable

[db113]

Im getting music through my speakers and it sounds good. The Audacity Input level meters are showing movement ( not near full movement to the right of meter though). It fact there is input level movement even when I stop the music and disconnect all other inputs to the computer. Not sure what the meters are picking up. So, I can get music through the Blue plug in the rear of the computer but I cant get Audacity to recognize the input signal.
Help?

[steve]

Have a look near the time/date on your desktop and you may find an icon for the control panel/mixer for your sound card. Open up the sound card control panel/mixer and select the line input as the recording source. If you still have problems, please say what sort of sound card you have and whether you are able to find the sound card control panel/mixer.

[bgravato]

Thanks guys for the help.
I found a blue input in the back of the computer and I get sound through the computer speakers. Sounds good.
But, I dont get any action in Audacity. How do I configure Audacity to find the music. I dont see a "blue" input option. I see green and black offered but no blue.
Im getting close I think.

What options do you have in Edit -> Preferences -> Devices -> Recording ?
You should select line-in as recording device

[db113]

Hey Thanks guys.
I have things working through Line In 1 & 2 and it sounds good.
Except when I play back the recording, it still has the noise I described above.
Is there any way I can post the sound file so you can hear it?

[steve]

You can attach short WAV files (up to about 5 seconds) to your forum post.
Click on the "Upload Attachment" tab below the "Compose Message" window.

To export a short selection of your recording, select a few seconds (click and drag) then "File menu > Export Selection" and select "16 bit Microsoft PCM WAV" as the file type

[db113]

Hey, I think I figured this out.
Turns out, the Master Volume and the Line In volume on the computer were elevated too high.
When I lowered those controls I got a very good recording. So I guess the "noise" was clipping due to signal boost, or something.
Weirdly however, the input meter in audacity did not reflect those elevated levels. The audacity meters looked good and the waveform patterns did not go out of range or peg at the top of the range.
One thing I cant seem to figure out: somehow I don't have the red markers on the waveform patterns when I do elevate the signal too high. Those red markers were working fine a day ago. How do I reactivate those?
Thanks for the help with this problem.

[waxcylinder]

Go to the View menu and in the dropdown make sere that Show Clipping is ticked on

WC

[db113]

In Version Beta 1.3
Under the control buttons there are two slider controls.
One on the left is output speaker and it is active - I can slide it and the sound responds as expected.
But, the one on the right, has a microphone next to it, and is inactive and is slid all the way to the right as far as it can go.
I can not move that slider since it is inactive. Is that causing the input signal to be too high?

In Version 1.2 the slider seems fine

[bgravato]

In Version Beta 1.3
Under the control buttons there are two slider controls.
One on the left is output speaker and it is active - I can slide it and the sound responds as expected.
But, the one on the right, has a microphone next to it, and is inactive and is slid all the way to the right as far as it can go.
I can not move that slider since it is inactive. Is that causing the input signal to be too high?

In Version 1.2 the slider seems fine

If the slider is greyed out that means that Audacity can't take over the control of the input level volume control. You'll have to do that in windows/soundcard volume control panel.

[ollyc12]

i had noise while recording, usually about 17mins into the session. this would last for about 5 mins then disappear. it also shows up on playback. i thought my cassette deck was at fault. i spent a week tweaking this and that to no avail.
i am using roxio set of connectors to usb. ( i ditched the roxio software, (LP to MP3) next to useless)
i am running windows 7 ult and ie9, pioneer ct-w505r cassette deck. i installed and again reinstalled audacity 1.3.x beta. still no change.
then the eureka moment ! i uninstalled the 1.3.x beta version and installed the old version 1.2.6 and all noises disappeared and it is almost recording to hi-fi standard, nice sharp tops, lovely rounded bass.
i may be wrong but i think that something in the beta vesion of audacity didnt agree with something in my soundcard (realtek hd audio)
however all is well now with my audacity set up.