trouble recording in Audacity

[Jayell]

Yesterday I did a bunch of narration using Audacity 1.2.6. Everything came out great! (using a fairly new USB headphone/mic). Tried to do some more today, but nothing is working in Audacity. I get NO sound. I tried the headphone/mic in another program, and it told me the mic wasn’t connected. So I figured the fairly new mic had just gone bad. I also checked a couple other USB plugs on the computer to make sure it wasn’t the port that was bad. The microphone has NO volume or any other controls on it.

.. so I tried two other microphones I have .. using the mic plugin on the computer. They input/output sound, but it’s really really soft. In Audacity the input volume is at maxiumum (1.0) .. and output volume is .5. I know VERY little about Audacity. Is there anything obvious to check that I might have clicked by accident? ( I did start clicking things when nothing would work)

I haven’t tried reinstalling Audacity .. is that a logical next step?

[Chuck Engels]

Hi Jayell,
Have you checked the Windows Sound settings? Usually opens by clicking on the little speaker in the bottom right taskbar.
Sometimes those settings get messed up. Under Microphone/Advanced there is probably a Mic Boost that may have gotten turned off.
It is usually the Sound settings that get messed up, not much to mess up in Audacity.

[Jayell]

You are soooo good, Chuck. Yes, I had checked the Windows volume settings, but had NOT gone into the Advanced Mic settings. That little check box seemed to do the job. The new mic still doesn't work, but it came with some misc software, so not a big deal. THANKS!!

Now I can go back to trying to remember everything I've forgotten about video editing in my year-long leave of absence. Any solution for that? At least now I know that what I want to do can be done .. I just can't remember how to do it

[Chuck Engels]

Now I can go back to trying to remember everything I've forgotten about video editing in my year-long leave of absence. Any solution for that?

The solution is right here, Muvipix

Glad you got the microphone issue resolved !!
I never have liked USB microphones.

[Jayell]

I never have liked USB microphones.

Could you expand on that, Chuck. This is the first one I've had, but was thinking of getting another one.

[Chuck Engels]

Premiere Elements Versions 2 and 3 didn't like them at all, besides that I've heard they can be a little quirky on occasion.
I like the good old mic that plugs into the sound card. Probably just more old fashioned than anything though. I like the old reliable methods and I love my new microphone

[Jayell]

I'm not convinced my new USB headphone/mic had crashed and burned, so decided to play with it some more. Here's what happened.

- I re-booted the computer
- Went back into Audacity and tried to record .. nothing/flatline
As I went to stop the recording, my Avast Virus checker announced (audibly)that it had been updated. The Avast audio recorded and played back in Audacity!! I have no other mic's plugged in .. and I do NOT have the option on my sound card for Stereo Mix/What you hear (as confirmed by Dell). I have only 'line in' .. 'rear mic' .. and 'microphone'

.. so what recorded the Avast audio?! And could whatever recorded that be stopping my USB mic from recording (just a note, the headphone plays sound back just fine, so I'm thinking it couldn't be a bad cable).

I'm so confused

[Chuck Engels]

Sounds like Audacity is set to record, 'What You Hear' or 'Stereo Mix'.
To go much further we need to know the sound card or brand of onboard audio on your computer.

Audacity will record what ever is played on your computer, that is an option, as well as the line in and microphone.
Making sure all of the settings are correct is the primary point of confusion most of the time.

[Jayell]

Audacity will record what ever is played on your computer, that is an option,

No, Chuck it is NOT an option on MY computer .. as noted in my previous message. That's what's so confusing.

I have a Sigmatel High Definition sound card (no model #). Dell starting surprising folks a few years back by providing the sound cards that DID NOT allow for recording what was played on the computers .. and folks have raised fits! because that was a change.

[Chuck Engels]

I have SigmaTel audio on two of my compters, both have 'Stereo Mix' as an option.
Have you updated the audio driver lately?

[Chuck Engels]

You have to look under the 'Recording' sound options not the 'Playback' sound options

[Jayell]

My point, Chuck, was that that I do not CURRENTLY have that option on my computer (nor in Audacity), so I'm still trying to figure out how the audio from my Virus checker was recorded into Audacity

.. will look into updating the driver shortly.

[Chuck Engels]

There isn't any way that could happen without having the option available Jayell.
Are you sure it isn't there under the recording options.
Open the volume control and click on 'Options' then 'Properties'.
There you will see two options, Playback and Recording.
Select Recording and what are the options listed there?

[Jayell]

Open the volume control and click on 'Options' then 'Properties'.
There you will see two options, Playback and Recording.
Select Recording and what are the options listed there?

After clicking on Recording I have two mixer device options, as follows:
1. C-Media USB Audio Device (which is what I was using when the Avast audio was recorded)
The only option under that is: Capture

2. Sigmatel Audio
Line in
Rear mic
Microphone

There isn't any way that could happen without having the option available Jayell.

Guess I musta been hallucinating . That would explain everything .. sorta

[Chuck Engels]

Well that is just strange, don't you love computers