Subject:Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Posted by: saxxlife

Date:7/9/2003 7:28:20 PM

I have a problem with Acid 3.0. I'm doing audio recording.

I have a loop on one track.

I record a bassline on the next track.

I record a keyboard on the next track

When I play all 3 back together the quality of the first track is terrible. I have a Windows XP and I'm using the USB Audiophile M-Audio sound card. Can anyone
offer any suggestions?

Terry

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: MyST

Date:7/9/2003 8:08:57 PM

Can you be more precise? The quality is terrible. How? Popping, crackling, distortion??
When you play back all three tracks, did you try soloing the track to see if it still sounded poorly when soloed?
Maybe your first track is clipping?
Any plug-ins added to the track?

M

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: dkistner

Date:7/10/2003 10:26:14 AM

Any frequency "train wrecks"?

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: saxxlife

Date:7/10/2003 7:21:30 PM

The first track is usually a drum track. The tone of the drums is changed with every new track I add. However, when I play it solo it sound fine. Strange. I'm guessing this doesn't happen with everyone. I've been using a drum machine but it seems to happen with loops too.

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: dkistner

Date:7/11/2003 7:32:59 AM

I have this experience, too, sometimes, and it's usually because of train wrecks. That may not be your problem, but it could be contributing.

I've learned that sometimes you have to filter sounds that, while they sound good by themselves, sound awful when mixed with other things. You might check out the articles here and also pick up a good book on mixing. I bought Bobby Owsinki's Mixing Engineer's Handbook, and it was a real eye-opener for me.

Maybe others here can recommend some good reading material on mixing out there on the Internet. If not, hit Google and you'll find tons.

But what Myst was asking is important. Exactly what is it about the sound that sounds awful? That will help us help you determine what the cause might be.

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: SonyNateM

Date:7/11/2003 1:24:22 PM

I'll bet you are re-recording all tracks that are playing back each time you record. This will give the slightest offset due to latency and can destroy the sound of the original track when you play them together, giving all sorts of flangey-type effects and killing your bass tones.

What type of sound card are you recording through? Are you sure you are only recording your intended audio, and not mixing everything to the input?

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: SonicJG

Date:7/11/2003 5:02:01 PM

To add to what Nate said, are you using headphones, or are you recording open-air, and monitoring through speakers?

IOW, if you solo the Keyboard track, are you able to hear the other two bleeding through? If yes, that's a sure sign that you're going to get major mud.

HTH,
Joel

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: saxxlife

Date:7/11/2003 11:45:33 PM

Ahh, I see what I've been doing. I've got my mixer set up wrong. I'm re-recording that first (and all others) track. I have my play back going to my mixer so everytime I play a track back to record along with it, I'm picking up the first track again. Doh. I feel so stupid. But this stuff is all so new to me. I'm a simple sax player trying to learn.

Subject:RE: Loops seem to diminish in quality the more tracks I add

Reply by: SonyNateM

Date:7/15/2003 10:21:42 AM

Just glad we got you on the right track! :)

Nate