Digital Buzz in Analog Recordings PLEASE help!!

tried audacity but had issues with recording on it. went to garageband instead and attempted it but its equally as bad as logic. i dont know how to do direct monitoring without a DAW

Just plug in mic and headphones and flick the direct monitor switch on the interface to 'on'. I'm pretty sure you should be able to hear yourself live without any recording software.
See if you hear the glitch like that.

Unfortunately logic nor garageband have usage / overload indicators. and not sure if this is related, but the sound isnt clipping at all. i get buzz at very low levels still

It's a nice convenience but no matter - Utilites>Activity monitor does the same job.
 
Just plug in mic and headphones and flick the direct monitor switch on the interface to 'on'. I'm pretty sure you should be able to hear yourself live without any recording software.
See if you hear the glitch like that.



It's a nice convenience but no matter - Utilites>Activity monitor does the same job.

unfortunately my 1/4 inch headphone adapter broke yesterday. have to run through the built in output in the mac. i tried recording with the output going through the scarlett and it had the same buzz issue.
 
Well, you've ruled out the DAW, interface, mic and cable, and environment so...If you can rule out resource spikes there's not a whole lot left. :(

Did your mac ship with El Capitan? If so, what version number are you running?
 
Well, you've ruled out the DAW, interface, mic and cable, and environment so...not a whole lot left. :(

Did your mac ship with El Capitan? If so, what version number are you running?

WAIT. big news. i think i fixed it! Just muted the internal mic which seemed to be running via midi audio setup. hasnt buzzed at all. keep your fingers crossed

Edit: just buzzed :( , but only for a second. seems to be working better
 
Hold on....How are you using the scarlett for input and the built-in audio for output?

That'd mean you have an aggregate device created in Audio/Midi Setup?
 
ooh, that's cool. Didn't know it had that!
Set everything (ins and outs) to scarlett and do a full recording for a minute or two.

Once done, switch your output back to built-in and see if the results are any different.
 
ooh, that's cool. Didn't know it had that!
Set everything (ins and outs) to scarlett and do a full recording for a minute or two.

Once done, switch your output back to built-in and see if the results are any different.

done and done. seems to be working fine! recorded a chord progression and everything seems to be fine - no buzz, but i did start overlaying a guitar solo through input monitoring and got some buzz (wasnt on the actual track). so i think its all good! thank you so much for slaving away and helpin me out all evening. really really appreciate it man!
 
That's cool man...Sounds like you found the solution yourself in the end but whatever....If it works it works!

Hope it stays that way! :)
 
Well, you've ruled out the DAW, interface, mic and cable, and environment so...If you can rule out resource spikes there's not a whole lot left. :(

You've rulled out almost all resource indeed. But yet i'm comming back on electrical interference once. Have to rule out one other option.

Macbook. So a battery charger is almost the only resource that's left. The battery charger could give an interference too. It has electrical coils which can act like transmitters when malfunction.
Did you try working on battery only? Without battery charger plugged in?
 
There's quite a few things that may have been checked but haven't been directly acknowledged yet.

Removing the macbook charger is one.
Monitoring Activity monitor for CPU/HDD activity spikes (whilst recording and hearing the glitch) is another.
Also, still don't know your OS version number. If it ends up being a known issue, that's important info to know.
 
Hey guys,

Just want to let you know I have fixed the problem (or so I believe - time will tell haha). I deleted some sketchy plugins I had been trying to download and found I could record a few half songs without any issue. I want to truly thank you guys (especially steen, the man, amaroo) for walking me through step by step over the past couple of days. Can't thank ya enough. Peace guys, and I'll be back on these forums with more interesting problems in the future! :thumbs up: :)
 
I don't get something here.

Title states; digital buzz in analog recordings.

Yet in the first post describing the issue, all thats being used is digital gear.
How's this 'ANALOG' recording????
:D
 
Hey guys,

Just want to let you know I have fixed the problem (or so I believe - time will tell haha). I deleted some sketchy plugins I had been trying to download and found I could record a few half songs without any issue. I want to truly thank you guys (especially steen, the man, amaroo) for walking me through step by step over the past couple of days. Can't thank ya enough. Peace guys, and I'll be back on these forums with more interesting problems in the future! :thumbs up: :)

That's great news man. Thanks for letting us know. :)

Best of luck.
 
I don't get something here.

Title states; digital buzz in analog recordings.

Yet in the first post describing the issue, all thats being used is digital gear.
How's this 'ANALOG' recording????
:D

He meant the input. But he should get spanked. Go for it.
 
I had this problem with Pro Tools and I 'solved' it by using a three-to-two AC plug. Evidently, a so-called 'ground loop' develops and leaks into the recorded tracks. YOUR sound example did not play and so I can't say that your problem is/was identical to mine. Start by eliminating any possible ground path between your plugged-in components.
And let us know what you find. Please.
BTW: a static charge can develop at any plug/jack interface and then lead to noise in your signal. I can't tell you WHY this (sometimes) happens but you can check for it by unplugging and then re-plugging various cables in your setup.
 
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