Need Help with Audacity

[Ladydeb01]

Hi all. I'm recording using Audacity. Up until now everything was fine, but now when using my Focusrite 2i2 the recording cursor is stuck and just won't move. It works fine using the computer's internal mic, just not the external mic and interface. I have tried shutting down and rebooting, to no avail. Can someone help me? Thanks very much.

Deb C.

 

[Armistice]

Not really, apart from reiterating the common view around here that Audacity is not a multitrack recording program and it's best not to use it as one. It's an audio editor. If you're recording, get proper DAW software. That won't help you today, however....

What, exactly, do you mean by "the recording cursor is stuck"?

 

[ecc83]

Hi Debs and welcome.

The following steps apply to any AI or DAW software that gives problems....

1) Visit the F'tite site and download the latest drivers for the 2i2 (I know for a fact that these have been revised).
2) Before you install them, go to Device Manager* and disable (NOT Uninstall!) the internal soundcard. Be "AC97" or "Realtek".
3) Install the 2i2i drivers.

If still no joy,
4)Download a fresh copy of Audacity.
5)Uninstall the present incumbent using if possible "Revouninstaller and use the Registry cleanup facility as well.
6)Install Audacity.

Once installed you now need to go> Edit>preferences and check that the 2i2 is the listed device and that you have selected for 2 tracks. Also check you have set for 24bit recording. (at 44.1kHz) .

I agree that Audacity is not the best recording software but it SHOULD work and as such it is a useful "diagnostic" tool. Something that looks (and in fact is!) like a proper DAW is Samplitude Silvercloud. Totally free and about as intuitive as any DAW software gets (which is not a lot!) . I has an excellent MP3 encoder in it and, as the name implies, a cloud function for disseminating your miwwion $ hits!

*This used to be best done in the BIOS but you can do a lot of harm in there if you are not careful.
Dave.

 

[DM60]

Looking at my Audacity, it is using the USB device for the audio, but not the ASIO driver for the box, it is using MME. So you're not taking full advantage of your unit.

Check the mic inputs, and make sure it is actually not recording. I think Audacity auto zooms and may appear not to be moving forward. Double check that you have the right input selected and it is not recording.

 

[DM60]

Mark, yes, you are correct that you are selecting a ASIO supported device but as a USB. Just for clarification Audacity does not support ASIO:

"Licensing restrictions prevent us including ASIO support in released versions of Audacity, but Audacity can be compiled with ASIO support for private, non-distributable use. This page summarises ASIO licensing issues and steps to compile Audacity with ASIO support. "

So you can use the device, but not with the ASIO drivers. Normally when selecting the device and ASIO driver one will see ASIO device, then the actual device.

Hope I am not confusing anyone.

 

[ecc83]

Mark, yes, you are correct that you are selecting a ASIO supported device but as a USB. Just for clarification Audacity does not support ASIO:

"Licensing restrictions prevent us including ASIO support in released versions of Audacity, but Audacity can be compiled with ASIO support for private, non-distributable use. This page summarises ASIO licensing issues and steps to compile Audacity with ASIO support. "

So you can use the device, but not with the ASIO drivers. Normally when selecting the device and ASIO driver one will see ASIO device, then the actual device.

Hope I am not confusing anyone.

I have an 8i6, recently bought s/h for £110. I will fire it up later on this old P4 and see what 'appen in Audacity. Should be similar to the wee 2i2?

Dave.

 

[Ladydeb01]

Thank you.

Hi Debs and welcome.

The following steps apply to any AI or DAW software that gives problems....

1) Visit the F'tite site and download the latest drivers for the 2i2 (I know for a fact that these have been revised).
2) Before you install them, go to Device Manager* and disable (NOT Uninstall!) the internal soundcard. Be "AC97" or "Realtek".
3) Install the 2i2i drivers.

If still no joy,
4)Download a fresh copy of Audacity.
5)Uninstall the present incumbent using if possible "Revouninstaller and use the Registry cleanup facility as well.
6)Install Audacity.

Once installed you now need to go> Edit>preferences and check that the 2i2 is the listed device and that you have selected for 2 tracks. Also check you have set for 24bit recording. (at 44.1kHz) ...

Dave.

Thanks very much, Dave. I'm going to try this when I get home from work. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Deb

 

[Ladydeb01]

Not really, apart from reiterating the common view around here that Audacity is not a multitrack recording program and it's best not to use it as one. It's an audio editor. If you're recording, get proper DAW software. That won't help you today, however....

What, exactly, do you mean by "the recording cursor is stuck"?

I am using Audacity in mono track. It is being used strictly for voice over, which I'm new to, as well as recording/editing. I don't know what you mean by "get proper DAW software." I have been told by voice over veterans that Audacity is a perfectly acceptable recording program with professional sounding quality; and many recommend it for beginners because of the fact that it's free.

What I mean about the cursor is, it's stuck. The cursor does not move along the track, it just blinks when I hit record. It's okay when I use the internal mic, but not the external mic and Focusrite 2i2. And I have not changed any settings since the last time I used it.

 

[DM60]

Take a look that you don't have the following turned on:

Under Transport-> Timer Record or Sound Activated Recording

Just trying to check the easy obvious parts first.

 

[Armistice]

I am using Audacity in mono track. It is being used strictly for voice over, which I'm new to, as well as recording/editing. I don't know what you mean by "get proper DAW software." I have been told by voice over veterans that Audacity is a perfectly acceptable recording program with professional sounding quality; and many recommend it for beginners because of the fact that it's free.

What I mean about the cursor is, it's stuck. The cursor does not move along the track, it just blinks when I hit record. It's okay when I use the internal mic, but not the external mic and Focusrite 2i2. And I have not changed any settings since the last time I used it.

Fair enough... for that use it might suffice. Except it's not now working. I've always found it flaky myself. "Proper DAW software" is software designed for multitrack recording, not just audio editing... there are several free, or nearly free options that will give you much greater recording abilities. The quality of the recording isn't an issue, Audacity is fine - although I'm not sure it does 24 bit which could be an issue if you're swapping files etc. I could be wrong on that one. Good luck.

 

[Ladydeb01]

Thanks

Take a look that you don't have the following turned on:

Under Transport-> Timer Record or Sound Activated Recording

Just trying to check the easy obvious parts first.

Thanks, Dave I appreciate that.

I do know the Sound Activated Recording is off. I'll have to see about the Timer Record when I get home, not sure about that one.
Hopefully it is something simple like that where I inadvertently checked or unchecked the wrong thing.

Deb

 

[ecc83]

Attached is what my 8i6 looks like in Audacity. I would guess the 2i2 would be very much the same apart from the numbers.

Note that the interface MUST appear in both the replay and recording menus.

Deb, I wasn't slagging off Audacity. It is, as you say, a very useful FREE app! It IS different from most other recording software however. One major difference being that it cannot save files as .wavs and they are the staple sound file format. This matters little since you can always export as .wav.

Audacity is also MIDI free. Not of concern to you AFAIK at the moment but a great many budding home recordists do want to learn MIDI.

Any DAW software takes quite a lot of time and effort to master so it makes sense to learn one that will carry on being useful. Audacity will probably be all you need, ever. But for many it won't.

Dave.