Troubleshooting Common Issues
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6.1 No Sound or Connection Issues
- Troubleshooting audio interface connectivity, software configuration, and driver issues.
It might seem like we are putting the cart before the horse because we haven’t really gotten into the DAW to make a recording yet. But, I want to set some expectations in case you jump into the DAW and things don't go 100% as you’d expect them to.
If you just connected your audio interface to your computer and there isn't any audio, there are a few steps we can take to help find the reason why we don't have sound.
Step 1. - Is your audio interface plugged in correctly? (you’d be surprised)
Step 2. - Your interface is plugged in but you have no sound still. Make sure that you read the directions that come with your interface. Some audio interfaces require drivers in order to connect to your computer. The instructions will highlight this and provide you a step by step process on how to download and install the drivers needed.
Step 3. - You’ve installed all the correct drivers / softwares needed to operate your interface but it’s still not producing sound. Make sure you’ve selected your interface in your computer's sound settings to be your primary sound card for both recording and playback.
Step 4. - If your computer can play audio but your DAW does not, this is an indicator that your DAW isn't looking at your interface as it’s primary sound card. Remember that your computer’s settings are separate from your DAWs settings. It is important to apply the setting changes to both your computer as well as the DAW. This can also be flipped as to where your DAW produces audio but your computer doesn’t.
Step 5. - If you’ve followed all these steps but still don't have audio, make sure your computer/ DAW is unmuted. Can't tell you how many times I've gone through steps 1-4 only to realize I had my system muted for whatever reason.
If you don't have an audio interface, Make sure that your primary sound card is selected in both our computers sound settings as well as your DAWs audio preference.
This is not an exhaustive list of troubleshooting tips but it can be a great starting point.
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6.2 Audio Dropouts and Glitches
- Provided solutions for dropouts, glitches, pops, and clicks.
The dreaded Pops & Clicks. It's inevitable that you’ll come across the pops and clicks. These pops and clicks are derived from your computer's inability to process all the audio smoothly. It’s your computer’s metaphorical stutter. Once your computer reaches its limit, it begins to drop information, skipping things just trying to keep up.
The bigger the file becomes/ the more audio you’re trying to process at once, the more CPU power you’ll draw. Once the CPU can’t process anymore information it begins to glitch out, sometimes it’s so bad that it renders you helpless.
If you remember from the earlier lessons when we talked about buffer size and how a larger buffer size gives your computer more time to process the information. This will be the setting we reach for when we begin to hear the pops and clicks.
Trust me you’ll know it when you hear it!
When your computer begins to glitch out, this is a good indication that it’s time to increase the buffer size. This allows more bits to be processed before sending it out to the speakers and reduces the strain on your CPU.
Unfortunately, we can only increase the buffer size so far until we can’t increase it anymore. If you’re on the maximum buffer size (typically 2048) and you’re still getting pops and clicks, this is a big indication that your computer will not be able to handle the work you’re trying to do. This is a sign that you’ll need a computer with more power.
Like I said in an earlier lesson, you’re more likely to outgrow your computer before you outgrow the interface. I personally have gone through 6 computers within a 10 year span, with the 6th computer (Alienware Intel Core i7-7th gen w/ 16Gb of RAM) still struggling with some select tools. The computer I started with was a single core Toshiba that could only handle 4 tracks in FL Studio before it would crash. Needless to say you have to start somewhere!
A Good computer can go a long, long way.
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6.3 Latency Problems
- Causes of latency and how to reduce it effectively.
The primary cause of Latency is a large buffer size. If you remember from lesson 4 where we discussed the relationship between buffer size and latency, I mentioned that the larger the buffer rate the more time your computer is allotted to process the audio signal. This induces latency.
If you talk into your microphone and there is an audible delay between the time you say a word to the time you hear it back in your headphones, this is a clear indication that you have a larger buffer rate selected which is causing the delay. Reducing the buffer size will reduce the amount of latency BUT it can cause your computer to produce the pops and clicks because it’s inability to process the audio as fast as you need it to be processed.
This brings us back to the beginning of this lesson with the introduction of pops and clicks. Now you can see how you can be limited by your computer if you aim for the cheapest one you can find. If the latency is too strong for you to record, but your computer can't handle a smaller buffer rate, this is another dead give away that you just need a better computer.
CPU, buffer size, Latency, and your ability to work effectively are all a fine balance. If you aren't recording but simply working with samples, you can get away with extremely large buffer rates without noticing any changes. Latency is primarily an issue when recording.
In summary,
Make sure you follow all the directions when purchasing new audio equipment. It can provide crucial steps to the proper functionality of your system. Such as downloading and installing audio drivers or even control softwares for your interface. Make sure your interface is plugged in and selected as both your Computer and your DAW’s primary audio card.
CPU pops and clicks are mitigated by increasing the buffer size. Though, a larger buffer size induces latency, sometimes so bad that it's impossible to record. If the amount of latency is too much to be able to record but you can't lower the buffer size due to the pops and clicks, this means your computer just can't handle it and sooner or later you’ll need a more powerful computer to be able to continue. Refer to lesson 1 to get some recommendations for computer specs to start you off in a good place.