Audacity problem

[georgemaddocks@yahoo.co.uk]

I'm very inexperienced with audio stuff like this. I'm trying to turn something I've made on Ableton Live into an mp3 but when I record using audacity the recording is very quiet and there is lots of white noise. I haven't changed any settings at all since I got the program. Can anyone help?

[cpwilson]

hiya George

how to and FAQs
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq

try this and see if it helps, more will follow

hth cp

[georgemaddocks@yahoo.co.uk]

Nothing in there that helps me, but thx

[exodus]

Hi, perhaps you could explain your method of recording and converting to mp3.

I know nothing about Ableton Live, so bear this in mind in your reply.

Exo

[georgemaddocks@yahoo.co.uk]

Thank you for replying
Ableton live is just some music program and I'm trying to record the thing I've made on it to mp3 just by playing it and recording on Audacity. The problem is that I can just about hear it when I play the recording back but it's VERY quiet and with lots of white noise.

[exodus]

Hi,
Apologies in advance with the questions but unless I understand what you are doing or has been done, I can't really offer any advice.

What was the source of the music recorded?
How did you record it?
Is the music file already saved to the hard drive/storage media?
What is the file extension of this created file?

The more information you can provide the more likely I will understand what you are doing.

Exo

[georgemaddocks@yahoo.co.uk]

Sorry I was unclear.
Ableton Live is a music sequencer designed for live performances and you cannot therefore save what you have made as a straight recording. However, I wanted to so downloaded Audacity, a sound editor with a facility for recording what is coming out of your sound card. All I did was play the thing I had made on Ableton Live and press record on Audacity and it should have simply recorded what had come out of the sound card. When I play the recording back, however, it is audible but very quiet and masked by much white noise. The Ableton Live file is indeed saved on my hard disk but that shouldn't have any bearing on what happens when I record with Audacity. The very poor quality recording made on Audacity has not been converted to mp3 yet by me because I see little point. Audacity is meant to be very simple and give a good quality recording of what is coming out of your sound card.

[exodus]

Hi, so Ableton Live is for live performances. I assume it is just a glorified sound graphic equaliser.

>you cannot therefore save what you have made as a straight recording
>>the Ableton Live file is indeed saved on my hard disk

Seems to be a contradiction there.

Anyway, I assume the Ableton Live file can be played.
What file extension does the file have.
What media player are you using to play it on the computer.

In the meantime, try this.

Open Audacity. By default it is set to record in mono, so you will have to adjust the settings to record in stereo. This is done via File/Preferences/ select the Audio I/O tab and ensure the recording channels are set to stereo. Other adjustment are available depending on your soundcard in use.

You now need to adjust the source of the sound recorded. In the top right corner of the Audacity window, next to the microphone slider, is the source box. Click on the down arrow and scroll/select "What U Hear". Audacity will now record anything played through the sound card.

When the set up is complete, click on the record button and then commence playing your music file via the program of your choice. Bear in ming every sound is recorded, so do not use other applications that create sound whilst recording.

Let us know how it goes or if I have still misunderstood.

Exo

[georgemaddocks@yahoo.co.uk]

Don't worry, I've finally managed to record it using Ableton Live itself.
However, thank you very much for your help and effort!