Loud pop as Playback loop repeats then track is silent until re-opened

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PlatinumAudio

New member
I run Cubase 7.5 and have been experiencing an issue recently when I set up a playback loop while mixing. As the loop ends and begins again a really loud pop occurs. Like, I'll be listening at really quiet levels and the pop is so loud it scares me and I feel the speakers are at risk.

To make matters worse, when this happens, sometimes the track that I was auditioning will become inaudible until I re-open the project. It's like Cubase is shutting it down to prevent the pops occurring.

I have a basic idea of DC offset, but haven't had the opportunity to double check if that is what is at play, but it still wouldn't explain the track becoming silent, which is a giant time waster.

The only difference from this project to others is that it isn't really tempo synced, or at least the rhythm of the band is not very tight. They did give me a tempo to work with, but the first beat doesn't necessary line up at every bar.

Any ideas?



Cheers
 
As a means of troubleshooting?

Reason I ask is because I don't really want to crossfade every time I select a section of the project to loop ... :/

I crossfade the beginning and ends of sections of audio during the editing process, but what if I want to audition a section from within the middle of a recording? You know, like selecting and looping 2 bars from the busiest section of the arrangement while mixing ...
 
+1.
This happens in other DAWs too.
Jimmy's not suggesting a fade big enough to actually hear. Just a few samples so that the clip ends with zero signal, rather than a waveform chopped with pos/neg value.
 
So basically, locate the section I want to work on, then zoom in really close on the start and end points and add a fade that transcends only a few samples ...

I will give it a go. Any idea why the track that caused the pop would become silent until reverting or reopening the project? The pops are annoying, but not as disruptive as the track becoming inaudible!

Cheers, gents.
 
PlatinumAudio said:
So basically, locate the section I want to work on, then zoom in really close on the start and end points and add a fade that transcends only a few samples ...

I will give it a go. Any idea why the track that caused the pop would become silent until reverting or reopening the project? The pops are annoying, but not as disruptive as the track becoming inaudible!

Cheers, gents.
Click to expand...

I can't explain it, but I have had that happen before. I've also had my output meters lock in the red with no audible sound coming out! :eek:
I use ProTools, but it seems like these glitches are common across suites.

In PT I can just highlight or select a region and hit the fade shortcut. It'll automatically do a super small fade to save me the zooming hassle.
In fact, I could select the entire session and hit fade and it'll do it to all regions.
Perhaps cubase works the same way?
 
Steenamaroo said:
I can't explain it, but I have had that happen before. I've also had my output meters lock in the red with no audible sound coming out! :eek:
I use ProTools, but it seems like these glitches are common across suites.

In PT I can just highlight or select a region and hit the fade shortcut. It'll automatically do a super small fade to save me the zooming hassle.
In fact, I could select the entire session and hit fade and it'll do it to all regions.
Perhaps cubase works the same way?
Click to expand...

Curious! I will investigate to see if there is a similar quick crossfade function in Cubase 7.5. Last time I was actively working in audio production/mixing was about 8 years ago and I was running Cubase 4 or 5... can't remember. So I'm still re-learning Cubase in general and learning the differences (many!) in version 7.5.

:thumbs up:
 
Every 'event' in Cubase has a handle on the top left and right corners. You just drag them in to create a fade in/out.
 
jimmys69 said:
Every 'event' in Cubase has a handle on the top left and right corners. You just drag them in to create a fade in/out.
Click to expand...

So in the event where I'm setting a playback loop part way through an event, would you recommend cutting it at that point and fading either end of each new event?

I've just never had any issues setting the playback position anywhere in the project with a loop point anywhere else in the project. The issue isn't occurring on the start or end of an event, it's occurring anywhere in the middle of events.
 
I am not sure I understand. How are you 'looping' within an 'event' without it being an event? Yes, I would think you need a beginning and end to any event you want to loop.

An 'Event' is any section of audio that is recorded. If that is interrupted, or looped within, then you will want to have a fade in/out.

There may be a issue with vocabulary here.

Anytime you cut in and out of a audio file, it is likely that you will get a 'pop'. The solution is to fade in/out of them at the crossing point.
 
cafehonda said:
Check your buffer settings. Crank the buffer size up to see if that stops it.
Click to expand...

Buffer settings don't really have anything to do with editing of audio files. Well, not in this case it isn't the cure anyway.

It seems logical to me that it is the abrupt edit from - to + that causes the 'pop'. This is not just a Cubase thing. It is what speakers do when forced to reproduce what could be described as a impossible transition.

I don't know the exact terminology for what that is called, but it not pretty...

Small (sample level) fades. Done. :)
 
Hey guys, just thought I'd post back with an update. The problem that was occurring was a CPU spike glitch that Steinberg were familiar with. It was specifically related to RME drivers and that particular version of Cubase. An upgrade to 7.5.40 fixed it. Cheers!
 
PlatinumAudio said:
Hey guys, just thought I'd post back with an update. The problem that was occurring was a CPU spike glitch that Steinberg were familiar with. It was specifically related to RME drivers and that particular version of Cubase. An upgrade to 7.5.40 fixed it. Cheers!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update!

So it was a known issue with Cubase 7? Ugh...

Glad you got it sorted man. :)
 
Yep, I posted a similar thread on the Cubase section of Gearslutz and one of the reps that hangs around there chimed in with the solution. I hadn't bothered with updates as everything was working fine ... and because I've been thinking about upgrading to version 8. Now that things are stable again, I'll probably just keep on keeping on :D
 
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