The all-new "HELP! I have an Audacity problem" thread

Post by **TriciaG** » January 12th, 2022, 2:01 pm

You probably have wave forms that will go over maximum if you put in that number.

First, try Effect/Limiter. Change the 3rd item ("Limit to dB") to... maybe -4 or -5. That will squish down your peaks. Then try amplifying by the 3.4.

(Squishing the peaks will lessen the volume a little, but not enough to worry about.)

Roselbex · Post by **Roselbex** » January 13th, 2022, 5:23 pm

Wow, have I done it now!! I pressed the multi-tool asterisk at the top of the page to see what it did and now I can't shut it off. I pressed other buttons to try to get it off, now I have a double waveform and I don't know how to go back to the original. I shut it off and on and it does not go back to my usual waveform. Please, I need help!!!! How do I get it back????

Post by **ToddHW** » January 13th, 2022, 5:30 pm

Probably have to press the tool that looks like this ][ except only one vertical line. That will get you back to the normal tool (whose name I do not know) instead of the multi-tool (which I never use).

Thanks, Todd

loon · Post by **loon** » January 13th, 2022, 6:07 pm

Keyboard shortcut: the function keys F1 thru F6 select different tools - F1 being the normal cursor tool and F6 being the multitools.

mycatmissesme · Post by **mycatmissesme** » January 15th, 2022, 3:37 pm

I got a new laptop, still with Windows 10, and installed Audacity 3.1.3. Whenever I click the Record button there's a delay of up to 20 seconds before recording actually starts, making it hard to know when to start reading. The program takes a similarly long time to open. I uninstalled the current version and installed 2.4.2, but it doesn't work any better. Also tried Reset Configuration--no effect. Someone on the Audacity users forum had this problem and no one has replied to it.

I'm looking either for a fix or for a suggested alternative recording software.

InTheDesert · Post by **InTheDesert** » January 15th, 2022, 8:54 pm

mycatmissesme wrote: ↑January 15th, 2022, 3:37 pm I got a new laptop, still with Windows 10, and installed Audacity 3.1.3. Whenever I click the Record button there's a delay of up to 20 seconds before recording actually starts, making it hard to know when to start reading. The program takes a similarly long time to open. I uninstalled the current version and installed 2.4.2, but it doesn't work any better. Also tried Reset Configuration--no effect. Someone on the Audacity users forum had this problem and no one has replied to it.

I'm looking either for a fix or for a suggested alternative recording software.

What's the audio interface that you are using to connect your microphone to your computer? Is it a USB microphone, analog microphone or something else?

loon · Post by **loon** » January 15th, 2022, 9:12 pm

mycatmissesme wrote: ↑January 15th, 2022, 3:37 pm I got a new laptop, still with Windows 10, and installed Audacity 3.1.3. Whenever I click the Record button there's a delay of up to 20 seconds before recording actually starts, making it hard to know when to start reading. The program takes a similarly long time to open. I uninstalled the current version and installed 2.4.2, but it doesn't work any better. Also tried Reset Configuration--no effect. Someone on the Audacity users forum had this problem and no one has replied to it.

I'm looking either for a fix or for a suggested alternative recording software.

I can't reproduce the problem on my laptop. I booted into Win 10 - downloaded Audacity 3.1.3 - startup is under a second - the time from clicking record until it's actually going is imperceptible. This is much like my normal results with Audacity running under Linux on the same machine.

Did you get your download from https://www.audacityteam.org/? If not, maybe someone has bundled extra trash (spyware, bitcoin mining, ??) into the software.

mycatmissesme · Post by **mycatmissesme** » January 16th, 2022, 1:37 pm

Thank you both for responding. I think I've fixed the problem by fooling around with the sound input settings--I think one of them may have been pointing apps away from it. I also found and deleted some 3.1.3 files after uninstalling that version and installing the older one (which I did get from audacityteam on the internet archive). Or it could be something else. Anyway, it was working OK last night.

Post by **philchenevert** » January 27th, 2022, 7:39 pm

Someone that did a 1 minute test cannot change their bit rate to 128kbps; instead they say My Quality box doesn't look like that.
It shows only four settings, the lowest of which "Medium 145-185"

Has anyone heard of this?

January 27th, 2022, 7:50 pm

When they export the file to mp3, they need to set the Bit Rate Mode to Constant instead of Preset. Then select 128kbps from the Quality dropdown.

Post by **Rapunzelina** » January 28th, 2022, 4:00 am

And if they can't see the "Constant" option, it might be that their export window is too small. I think you can enlarge it by dragging the corners out with the mouse.

Post by **philchenevert** » January 28th, 2022, 10:34 am

knotyouraveragejo wrote: ↑January 27th, 2022, 7:50 pm When they export the file to mp3, they need to set the Bit Rate Mode to Constant instead of Preset. Then select 128kbps from the Quality dropdown.

Is this a new thing in Audacity, having to select constant before seeing all the options, or has it been there all along? I sure don't remember it from before.

Post by **TriciaG** » January 28th, 2022, 10:37 am

It has been there for quite a while now - at least a couple years.

Post by **philchenevert** » January 28th, 2022, 10:48 am

I skip right over that in my video on bit rate, assuming everyone can see all the bit rate options. Wonder how many people were confused when they were not there.

mherbers1800 · Post by **mherbers1800** » February 1st, 2022, 11:48 am

I'm trying to delete a 3-min. segment. I tried cut, delete, scissors, etc. and still just have an empty pink chunk with no audio markings. Any clues how to get rid of that empty chunk?