New to recoring! Help! Vocal delay when recording :/

[littlebluebird]

Hi!

I'm new to the world of audio recording and I've been using Ableton andd Audacity but with both programs I get an noticable delay when I try to record vocals and hear my voice in my headphones live. Is there a very basic and simple voice recording program I could use to record the vocals with my USB mic an hear live feedback in my headphones?

I honestly think my computer is just too old to record vocals without delay with fancy programs.

Thanks so much if you take the time to respond!

 

[Armistice]

Latency.

 

[Pinky]

Hi!

I'm new to the world of audio recording and I've been using Ableton andd Audacity but with both programs I get an noticable delay when I try to record vocals and hear my voice in my headphones live. Is there a very basic and simple voice recording program I could use to record the vocals with my USB mic an hear live feedback in my headphones?

I honestly think my computer is just too old to record vocals without delay with fancy programs.

Thanks so much if you take the time to respond!

Like Armistice says, it's latency. This is typically caused by cheap sound cards. You can try using ASIO4ALL, which utilizes a different [more directly hooked] type of driver and if your sound chip is compatible this will help tremendously with latency. If you use ASIO4ALL, you have to tell your DAW (Audacity) to use that driver for input and output. YMMV

Ultimately you would want to invest in a USB Interface. Focusrite, PreSonus, etc all have inexpensive models.

Audio Interfaces | Guitar Center

 

[ecc83]

All may not be lost. See attached, this HP laptop gives the default latency for Audacity as 100mSec, that is A LOT!

You get that screen from "Edit> preferences" While there check a few other things. The default driver is Windows Sounds but MME or WASPI might be better (and try ASIO4ALL)

Check the bit depth is 16bits, since that is what the mic will be and that the bit rate is 44.1kHz (or you might have to go with 48kHz) N.B. Audacity saves work in its own format, best to "export as .wav"

But! Reducing the latency to say, 10mS will probably cause crackles and stuttering. Check any redundant services that are eating CPU cycles. Stop any Wireless kit. You should find a value for latency that works.

But, if the mic is new DEFINITELY consider chopping it in for a conventional mic and an AI.

Dave.