Audacity issues

[Jazzgirl]

Hiya. I recently discovered Audacity and think it is great! I like the way it provides a shape to the sound I produce.
However in the last few weeks I 've tried to record myself on Audacity but it doesn't seem to be picking me up! Grrrr. I have checked that it is running through my microphone and it is, and the microphone is working. Can anyone else give me any ideas?
Cheers

 

[Chris98]

Hi Jazzgirl,

Audacity isn’t really what I tend to record on but I’ve been playing with it so that I can put together a quick guide for few people here. If I can help I’m happy to, but it’s a bit unclear from your description as to what you’ve checked and how.

What’s your set up? For example: Microphone into a USB / Firewire interface into your computer. Or is it mic direct into your computer? Or something else?

When you say Audacity isn’t picking you up do you mean that the meters aren’t moving and no sound is recorded?

When you say:

I have checked that it is running through my microphone and it is

How do you know? If your using an interface are the meters showing an audio signal?

Best wishes,

Chris

 

[Jazzgirl]

Hi Jazzgirl,

Audacity isn’t really what I tend to record on but I’ve been playing with it so that I can put together a quick guide for few people here. If I can help I’m happy to, but it’s a bit unclear from your description as to what you’ve checked and how.

What’s your set up? For example: Microphone into a USB / Firewire interface into your computer. Or is it mic direct into your computer? Or something else?

When you say Audacity isn’t picking you up do you mean that the meters aren’t moving and no sound is recorded?

When you say: How do you know? If your using an interface are the meters showing an audio signal?

Best wishes,

Chris

Thanks for your reply.
This is where I admit I am acomplete technophobe.
I have a laptop which has a webcam and microphone- this is what I am using to record myself.... nothing fancy I just want to see what shape of ound I am producing.

I know my microphone works because i use it for skype and it is picking up my voice fine! But what is happening is when I press record nothing seems to be picked up, I don't get those cool shapes and I can't play anything back.
It used to work and I am wondering whether I have inadvertantly clicked a button somewhere but I have checked my microphone settings and all seems to be fine....,

Any ideas would be gratefully received!

 

[Chris98]

Thanks for your reply.
This is where I admit I am acomplete technophobe.

Don't worry.

I'm not promising anything but lets see if we can get you up and running again.

I have a laptop which has a webcam and microphone- this is what I am using to record myself.... nothing fancy I just want to see what shape of ound I am producing.

I know my microphone works because i use it for skype and it is picking up my voice fine! But what is happening is when I press record nothing seems to be picked up, I don't get those cool shapes and I can't play anything back.
It used to work and I am wondering whether I have inadvertantly clicked a button somewhere but I have checked my microphone settings and all seems to be fine....,

Any ideas would be gratefully received!

First step, let's just double check that the microphone level slider in Audacity isn't set too low and that it says 'Microphone' in the box next to it:

If that's set to a reasonable level then the next thing to check is the program preferences:

Go to: 'Edit' and at the bottom of the list is 'Preferences...' click on that.

What options do you have from the drop down menu under 'Recording' 'Device'?

All the best,

Chris

 

[BrianJoeSandy]

I would like to record in real time music that the computer is playing. This worked fine with XP. Now I have Win7 I can't find the settings. The place that used to say microphone or wav now says master. What? I have fiddled with preferences but get very poor recording results. Any help gratefully received.

 

[Jazzgirl]

Don't worry.

I'm not promising anything but lets see if we can get you up and running again.




All the best,

Chris

Thank you very much! Having looked at the preferences I just clicked on Microphone Array and its sorted! Will have some happy recording...

 

[BrianJoeSandy]

I would like to record in real time music that the computer is playing. This worked fine with XP. Now I have Win7 I can't find the settings. The place that used to say microphone or wav now says master. What? I have fiddled with preferences but get very poor recording results. Any help gratefully received.

Joining mic in with headphone out with a cable cured the problem, but then I don't here the sound while recording.