my first day - Audio issues

[astra113]

So i am very new to waveform (installed it today) and i am very excited to start creating music. However, i am running into an issue. the problem is that, when i playback a recording, i hear the audio changing volume automatically and it sounds like it is in a can sometimes. also, if i hold a note for too long it cuts out the audio and makes it really quite. i have attached some audio clips so you can hear what i am talking about. any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

link to the audio file because I can't upload it here: https://astra-games-studios.itch.io/wav ... audio-link
the password is: waveform

[pough]

I'm pretty sure that there are no "audio change volume automatically" or "sound like it is in a can sometimes" settings, so something must be happening somewhere. But without any real details, we have less information than you do and can't say more than something must be happening somewhere.

[astra113]

ya i know i did not give a lot of details but i was hoping you could listen to the audio and tell me if other people have had this issue before. i know that it is not the mic because i have a less sophisticated DAW that simply recorded the audio coming in as it came in and it did not have this issue. however, both waveform and cakewalk have this issue. do you think that maybe because i am not using an audio interface and only a mixer that that is causing the issue? or is there some AGC setting (automatic gain control) that needs disabled?

[Peter Widdicombe]

When recording with a micophone, always either use headphones (or an isolation booth...). Mike picks up the ambient noise in the room as well as what comes in through the mike, and will give you reverb or fast reverb (like a tin can) effect. Headphones either from the mixer or the PC - the PC has the advantage that you will hear what comes OUT of waveform, as opposed to what comes out of the mixer directly.

Don't know if something is detecting feedback and auto-lowering levels. Waveform itself won't do that. Headphones out of the PC while recording might let you see if it's happening there.

PS - if you've read here - watch that you don't have "automation" enabled accidentally. Oh, and if you have a "controller" set up with commands, might want to disconnect that initially; if you have rotary encoders touching them might affect recording levels.

[astra113]

thanks for getting back! i did some testing with another mixer as well. the issue is not with the mixers because when i go directly through them with the headphones, i hear everything perfectly and when i hold a long note, it will not do anything to the audio. however, when i keep everything the same and simply plug in the headphones to the PC and record, (or use live input monitoring) the audio has the same issue as the sample clip i sent you.

i do not see any automation settings enabled or anything and i just tested and had the same issue with a brand new project as well as a brand new SingerSongwriter project. I really want to make music but the quality is so bad that i cant record guitar or anything! I think it is some setting or software default because i had this issue with cakewalk by bandlab as well but not with a less sophisticated recording software.

thank you for your valuable time!

[Peter Widdicombe]

We're really guessing here. Laptop or desktop? Windows, Linux? Versions of OS and Waveform?

On the audio side (I assume no MIDI involvement yet - and keep it simple for now), what kind of mixer, and how does it connect to Waveform - USB or audio interface on computer?

In either case - if you are just playing you should be able to see the input level if you open up the conntrols "useful mode" with the up arrow on the lower left. Click on the input chevron, and you should see the level indicator on the bottom. Now with headphones, just talk/play and verify the level really is consistent. Then record. The recorded waveform is visible - does it stay at a constant level to match what your playing is, or the audio input?

(Do you have headphones with a mike boom and REALLY dumb it down - record your voice that way - bypassing the external mixer completely).

[astra113]

FIXED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i finally found the issue! turns out it was an issue with the PC configuration. by default the "enable enhancements" on mics is set to true. In my case, this was causing the issue. i just had to disable that and we are good. i am not sure why it worked sometimes though and not others, but it is fixed now!

Thank you so much for your help and for trying to be understanding even with very little information! i really look forward to using Waveform to make music in the future! God bless!


for any one else with this same issue, here is the fix that worked for me: look for the "Change System Sound" (part of control panel) and navigate to the "Recording" tab. Your microphone should show up there. simply right click it and click "Properties". In Properties, click the "Advanced" tab and then find the "Enable Audio Enhancements" toggle and set it to false. Click "apply" and then "ok". You should be good to go now! hope this helps someone!

[Peter Widdicombe]

Yeah, the challenge can by WHERE in the chain the fault lies.

.. and depending on what's happening and what the end effect is. I think some of what I had heard on the recording might be echo/feedback, which results on having an external return point - your mike inputs to waveform, which may also be echoing it AND POSSIBLY previous tracks and/or click track into the "output" - which if happen to be speakers in the room, make it back into the microphone again; leaving the new track having mostly intended input (vocals or accoustic guitar) plus other things (slightly delayed vocals from the room being fed back). This WILL be a problem as you progress to multi-track layered work; so do test recording with headphones, so you'll be aware and know what to expect/do WHEN it happens @!

[astra113]

good to know, thanks so much for your help!