Guitar Tracks Pro

[Hankel]

This is a similar question given by NLAlston, but I'm using Guitar Tracks Pro. I've explored just a little bit about the problem with recording eg. on track one, going to track two to record while listening to track one. I get this HORRIBLE distorted sound. I've come to the conclusion that rather than trying to download the latest driver for my soundcard Sound Blaster II, which is a dinosaur, it would be worthwhile to invest in a new soundcard. Which one should I buy if I want to do the above without any hassles? I am really frustrated with this problem, because I want to use my 32 track recorder, laying down track after track and hear what I've added each time.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[moosic]

Go to the Cakewalk site. They have a page listing soundcards.
Good luck.

[Paul881]

There are a few things to consider like what sort of stuff are you going to record i.e. Midi? Audio? Midi and Audio? Starting off, you might like to consider the 2496 card from m-audio or the terratec card. Edirol are getting a decent reputation too. Some cards connect to your computer via USB ports. Some are IDE cards that sit inside your machine.

You will notice a huge difference in sound quality between your s/blaster and any of the Cakewalk site recommended cards.

[BluesMeister]

Hankel,

I used to own an AWE 64Gold audio card, and that was a half-duplex card in that it would only playback at 8-bit resolution while recording at 16-bit.

Think the worst, cheapest trasistor radio slightly off-station. That's what my playback sounded like. It was so bad I was never able to record anything with that card. Just too horrible for words.

Maybe you have a similar resolution problem with your SBII?

--
BluesMeister

[Paul881]

Ditto for me, my AWE 64 would fill the void of duplex record/playback with white noise. My wife says it was an improvement on my music.

[Hankel]

Originally posted by Paul881
There are a few things to consider like what sort of stuff are you going to record i.e. Midi? Audio? Midi and Audio? Starting off, you might like to consider the 2496 card from m-audio or the terratec card. Edirol are getting a decent reputation too. Some cards connect to your computer via USB ports. Some are IDE cards that sit inside your machine.

You will notice a huge difference in sound quality between your s/blaster and any of the Cakewalk site recommended cards.

[Hankel]

Originally posted by Hankel

Paul, I am so ignorant about this computer recording stuff that I'm not ever sure what I AM doing, in regard to midi or audio. I only know that I plug my guitar into the line in jack in the back of the computer and then record. When I click off the record button and click playback, everything sounds fine. It's just when I record on track 2 and simultaneously listen to the playback on track one, it is way too distorted. If I knew that a new soundcard would solve my problem, I'd purchase one.

[Norbert]

Sounds like you might be mixing BOTH the recorded and live sounds together, into the new track. That noise you hear might be digital clipping.

[amt7565]

What Norbett mentioned coud be right. I used SBlive cards with no problem before upgrading to Delta cards.

The sound should not get distorted. make sure you are making a clean recording by not overlaying and recording the tracks. Unless you have the money to spend, it's not important to get a better sound card yet, not atleast until you become familiar with PC recording. Installing and configuring better sound cards can be a head ache too!

I have noticed a problem even on my new sound cards that, having tomany audio tracks can also distort the overall output of the mix. But just 2 tracks should not cause this.

PS: i have used Guitarstudio, but not guitar tracks before. When I upgraded from guitar studio to SONAR it was a huge difference in sound quality. I hope it's not the cheap software! You might want to upgrade your software before upgrading the sound card!!!

[acidrock]

Audiophile 2496 $149

http://www.interstatemusic.com/webap...pcat=&prevcat=

[Paul881]

I have noticed a problem even on my new sound cards that, having tomany audio tracks can also distort the overall output of the mix

Is this because you are recording several tracks as hot as possible and then bouncing them to a single stereo track? If so, you are falling foul of the db summation phenomenon. Several tracks added together increases the db output, often causing clipping. If so, decrease each of your tracks a couple of db and then combine/bounce, it should be okay then.
And I agree with Acidrock, the audiophile is a great starter semi-pro card for the money it cannot be beaten.

[amt7565]

With regard to Paul881:
No, I don't bounce them yet. This happens on individual tracks played at the same time. But like you mentioned, it still adds up. Thanks!

[Paul881]

As long as you realise that whether bounced or played back collectively, they will clip if the levels are not adjusted correctly. Seems like you have it all in hand, but its nothing to do with your soundcards deficincies.