recording audio with Cakewalk 8

  • Thread starter Thread starter brodiej
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brodiej

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Hi. I cant record audio in V 8.04.
Ok when I use windows recorder so soundcard (SB live with digital) and set up seems ok.
Using either a Mic or CD I can see the meters moving in console view but as soon as I click record the meter stops displaying anything (this might be normal?) When I stop recording I get the message "unable to save entire recording. Audio disk may be full" Yet I have 2 gigs free disk space and have 512Megs a ram also.
I've tried for days to solve this. Any advice greatfully accepted
Thanks

Brodie
 
When you press Record, do you get a message at the bottom of the screen around where your Arm, Mute and Solo illuminated signs are saying something like audio stopped or drop out. These messages are usually highlighted in red. Have you ever recorded anything before on CW 8, or is this your first time? What I am thinking is that your system may be suffering from latency and what you are experiencing on your meters is that as soon as you hit Record, the system drops out, or fails to record properly, which is why you are getting the error message about insufficient memory.

Go into Tools/Audio Options/Advanced and post back here what your play back and record buffers are. Try increasing the record and playback buffers to 8. Also make sure the three boxes are checked for enable simultaneous record and playback, use wave out for position of timing and clip audio mix upon overflow.
 
Sorry, here's another thing. In reply to your question, no it is not normal for the meters to stop working when recording. They always work. No meters working mean no recording!
 
Thanks for your response. I actually sussed it. For some reason In the options menu I can't select a valid save directory. But I managed to select a valid directory by editing the audio ini file and all was joy! Well almost. I recorded some guitar via mic. Wierd effects. The pitch changed both up and down and also a couple of dropouts. I guess that is tunining buffers etc. Will try your other tips and see if I can get it to record cleanly.
 
Soundcard pre-amps are pretty dismal and putting your guitar into the mic input is not the best way. Try the line input and see if thats any better. The best way (and Isometimes use this method) is to have an external pre-amp. I use a zoom GFX 707 effects floor board. And then feed into the mic or line in, whichever gives you the best sound. The other way is Guitar into an amp, microphone/s pointed at the speaker and then into the mic input of your s/card. But that needs more fiddling to get the best sound. But thats my favourite method

The reason (maybe) that you are getting strange fx from your guitar is that the "drive" from the guitar is not powerful enough for the soundcard and so you need to have some Gain. Hence the need for some kind of pre-amp to boost the signal coming from your guitar.
 
I think you are on the right track. Even playing the guitar (it's an acoustic with a pick up) as loudly as I can I'm only seeing around -27db on the meter so need more gain. Will work out the best way.
Thanks for you help
 
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