recording software woes...

[Thor Von Clemson]

So I am running free versions of Audacity and Kristal for recording guitar ideas. I have used them before on different computers and I have had no problems whatsoever. Now I am using them on my main home computer and the audio is way off when I play it back. If I record two guitar harmonies or two guitars at all it sounds perfect when I record it but when I play it back one guitar is way ahead or way behind.

At first I thought it was Audacity but the other program is doing the same thing. I am running my pod xt live directly into the back of the pc. I have a Soundblaster Advanced soundcard (I believe thats what its called. It was the upgraded version of what Dell usually has in their systems). I don't know what other information would be important but I would be happy to answer any questions.

I've never had this problem before so I am thinking it has something to do with the PC? I used Cakewalk for years on my parent's computer and I absolutely loved it. No problems whatsoever and it only cost me $10.

Any ideas?

[MichaelLitvak]

i used to get this problem on my old computer because it was too crappy .. this delay problem is common and since everything worked fine on the other computers, maybe your home computer cant process the information fast enough

thats my thought.. it could be something else though

whats your computer specs?

[Newc]

Interesting. I'd say it was the PC, but if that was the case, I don't think it would give you the chance to record the second track - it'd skip and stutter while you were recording it.

Sounds to me like the program's buffer is too small (the reserved memory/HD area that allows it to keep pace with incoming data).

It could also be a simple matter of the program not setting both tracks to the same time offset, or at least not the actual SOUND portion of each track.

Try this:
If you've got a MIDI program (Guitar pro, etc), set your computer's Recording Control to "What U Hear". Make a simple click track in MIDI - 4/4 using metronome clicks, drum beats, whatever. Nothing fancy, just 'click...click...click...click'.

Open Audacity or Kristal (not both), and start recording track 1, then start the MIDI click track. Let it run for 10 seconds, then stop both the MIDI track and the audio program.

Playback Track 1 as you record Track 2, and let Track 1, but do not play the MIDI click track. What you're doing is recording Track 1 onto Track 2 to test for sync issues, which it sounds like you're having.

Playback both tracks and they should be perfectly in sync. If not, the computer is the problem.

If they are in sync, then I'd say the program is the problem. I have no experience with Audacity or Kristal, so I don't know if it clips off silence to save space, or if it uses a buffer of its own.

If it clips off silence at the start of a track, it's probably trying to line up the first point of actual sound for both tracks with each other, but since there are 2 different starting points (however minute), it can't sync them.

If the program's read buffer is too small, it's trying to stuff the incoming data into the buffer as it's taking data out of the buffer, but it doesn't know to take anything out of the buffer until it's too late, so it bogs down.

[buzzsaww]

Is that an actual sound card or onboard sound? Onboard sounds emulates most functions and tends to cause problems.