clicks and pops are plaguing me...please help!!!

S

sims531

New member
Ok I just signed up to this site cuz I've been checkin out some of the forums and you guys really sound like you know what you're talkin about and I've got a question I could really use some help with. Whenever I try to record my guitar into my computer, the wave is plagued with random clicks and pops that I can certainly hear but don't show up in the wave file. This is pretty true of anything I try to record onto my computer wether it be from an internal or external source. I'm a long time musician but I'm really quite new to the home recording scene and though I've got a decent grasp on the whole thing now, I can't get this one problem solved. WHEW!!!...well there you go...here's what I'm running...CPU-Intel celeron PPGA 466MHz, Maxtor DiamondMax 10.2 GB Hard Drive run @ 7200 rpm, 64 MB RAM, Sound Blaster Live! MP3+ sound card. I dunno if you need all that but I thought I'd be thorough. Oh yeah and I'm running my guitar through my marshall through my SM57 through my Eurorack MX802A mixer and straight from there to my card.

I don't think it's digital dist. cause I've messed around to no end with all the levels I could possibly find.

I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this and any info you could me would be a great help!
THANX!!
 
Is it possible that you are recording at too high a level and getting clipping in the tracks? What software are you using? Does it have level meters? Make sure the meters stay below zero. In digital audio you can not exceed zero db levels. Unlike analog where you can sometimes go into the red and still get satisfactory sound, digital is unforgiving. You must stay below zero.

Also, make sure the Eurorack is plugged into the line in on your sound card and not the mic input (if the sound card has one).

Hope some of this helps.
 
Nope....

Clearly a case of Windows not being optimized for recording. There is a good chance that you are recording very clean audio, but on playback, something else is choking your computers ability to stream enough data.

Go to task manager and check for other applications that are running in the background. Also, you may need to either enable or disable DMA on your hard drives depending upon what way they are set right now. If you are running a 9X OS, well, DMA is a very tricky business.

A search on Click, Pops, etc....on this BBS will probably yield you a lot of information on this subject.

Good luck.

Ed
 
thanks

just wanted to say thanks for takin the time to reply...I appreciate it. I think Ed may be on to something there...I'm really not to familliar with all the complex inner workings of computers but I'll see...won't do anything stupid though. And C7...I don't think that's what's causing it but you never know. I talked to a few very knowledgeable people at my local shop and they were pretty much stuck as to why it would happen. I'l shed a little more light...I have the demo version of both simsynth's and fruityloops latest and when I record from simsynth I get the cracks and pops but when I record from fruity....sounds fine every time!!!???? So...I really dunno.
I HOPE THERE'S HOPE...everyone seems to think my sound card should be fine. Oh well...I'll keep playin around and I WILL check out the other BBS on clicks/pops.

Thanks again y'all!!!
 
thanks c7...you're probly right. I should actually go get the full version anyway cause I like it alot. But it DOES happen when I record audio as well. I told you how I get my guitar in above but I used to do it direct from my SG into my Digitech RP3 and then straight into my SB Live line in.
I got the clicks/pops then and I still get em' now. Oh well...I'm certainly far from a computer wiz so it's probly some stupid little obvious thing that I either am or am not doing. Anyway I'll keep checking back, all suggestions help...THANX AGAIN!!
 
DAMN Gremlins!

I had a similar problem with Cubase. never really figuered it out. Gremlins, it's got to be gremlins!

-jhe
 
If it's any help: I have the same sound card, same mixer and the full version of SimSynth. No pops there.

But if you gets the pops both when recording guitar and simsynth, it wont't be the demo version causing it, like you point out.

Which software do you use to record your guitar tracks? Are you really sure the clicks don't show up in a wave editor? Zoomed waaay in?

Maybe you could try setting a larger playback buffer in the preferences menu of your software.

- Bobsleigh
 
well bobsleigh,

When I record my guitar I record it straight onto cool edit pro. (full version). Usually I will be say listening to my drum and bass parts-electronic of course-and recording in a new track with my guitar. However, I tried a few times just recording straight guitar because I thought that maybe my puter was getting overloaded or something trying to do too many things at once. But I still had the same problem and I really don't think it's my computer speed or anything like that because I've been informed that my puter should be plenty for what I'm tryin to do. I run 64 MB of RAM and I'm pretty sure that it's enough but do you think maybe it could be that?...I had someone mention to me today and I also have a strange felling that it most likely has something to do with the interface between my SB live and my cpu...or some kind of connections or something like that. THAT however, kinda freaks me out cuz to be honest, I wouldn't know where to start.

Oh well...I'll keep workin on it and again thanks for the help and all...oh yeah and I'll try checking out if I really CAN see those pesky clicks and pops (I'll zoom way, waaaaayyyyyyyy in!) And I'll also bump up my buffers.

By the way all, my name's Derek and I'll c ya soon and have a great christmas to whoever celebrates!!!
 
IT IS GREMLINS!!!!!!

James!!!, you were right!!!! They sent me a computer with a friggin gremlin in it and it's not only fukin with my computer but it got in my TV too. And all they play is gremlins except they made a new version and Stripe was the director and in the end.....they kill Gizmo and then they fry him up in the fire at the department store and they have a feast!!...It was tragic and horrifying!!!

Thanks James...made me laugh!
 
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


well........... on the gadgetlabs online troubleshooting site it describes that exact problem "Weird clicks and pops" and how to fix it.

"Q: When I do a recording, there are noticeable clicks and pops in the audio.

A: Clicks and pops are usually caused be a few things: PCI timing issues, hard disk throughput bottlenecks, or your buffer sizes (within your recording software) . The most common culprit for PCI timing problems is overclocking the CPU since doing so can change the PCI bus to a standard speed. If you are overclocking your CPU, bring it down the
manufactures specs and see if that exhibits the same problems. If you are not overclocking your CPU, try increasing your buffer sizes in your application. This can increase the chance against dropouts and other anomalies in your audio. Refer to your documentation that came
with the software for instructions on how to do this. For instructions on how check your hard disk performance please read our Tips and Tricks page."

Hope that helps........

Sabith
 
Clicks and pops?

Hey My bands Guitarist was having trouble with clicks and pops on his computer. I think I remember that the solution had something to do with adjusting the clock speed to match up with his source. This would probably only apply to digital I/O but maybe the program you're using will let you set the clock to master or slave to match your source or soundcard. Also, make sure your sample rates are matched correctly. Last, a better card might help. Good Luck
 
October 2000 issue of Electronic Musician has a small blurb on this. They say something called "DC offset", a static, non-periodic DC waveform, will cause clicks and pops in digital audio. You can download a shareware called DCOffset that corrects these. It is a DirectX plugin.
 
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