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Modern Toshiba Satellite, dual Intel 2.1 GHz/8/250, Vista Home Premium 64, TASCAM US-224 USB I/O, Real Band/Cubase VST/whatever.

I have successfully recorded before from on my desktop DAW using both RB and Cubase as well as Nuendo. Now I need to do a project on my laptop. Feel like a fool.

Recording a storyteller. One channel of mono audio. I'm getting level into the TASCAM and into Windows. I can't seem to get usable level into or out of either RB or Cubase. (It took me two hours to get anything out of either and I'm not sure what I did. I've been reduced to using MME drivers, even though both Cubase and the TASCAM are ASIO based.)

In Cubase I can make up some of the gain with compression, but that'll make it real noisy. I seem to be missing the gain knob that I would have on a hardware mixer.

I don't care what program I use, but I have a deadline. Help.

R.


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First thing I would check is the recording levels in whatever driver software comes with the Tascam unit. You may find these are set too low.

Since I don't know that unit - I'm just guessing!

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Just checking:

double-click on the speaker icon, lower right, and check the Windows mixer levels.


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Quote:

I'm getting level into the TASCAM and into Windows.




I do have gain controls on the I/O and it's cranked. Likewise on its control panel. The Win mixer controls are all the way up, too.


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In RB do you have the Tascam set as the input device?
Can you peak the meters in the Tascam? What about in RB?


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OK - don't feel stupid, but make sure you are actually using the TASCAM and not the built-in laptop mic/soundcard as the default sound device. I've made this mistake more than once as something decided my default device was not the external card.

Don't feel stupid if this is the mistake you made - it's easily done with a laptop if you use the lappy for more than just sound recording.

-Scott

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If all you're doing at first is recording voice, why not try audacity?

Daisy

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Taint the proggy. It's either the man or the interface.


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Citaat:


In Cubase I can make up some of the gain with compression, but that'll make it real noisy. I seem to be missing the gain knob that I would have on a hardware mixer.




In Cubase select the channel you want to record on. Click on the VST audio channel settings (the e-sign you see on the right side of the track-name). Now you will see a window containing all the track settings. On the right-hand side make sure you've selected the correct input. Now beneath the input and output selection fields you will see a round knob. This is your input gain knob. Use <shift> to modify.

If you allready have recorded the event and have no option of re-recording it, you can increase the gain of the recorded signal. To do this <ctrl>left-click on all the parts you want to modify. Now right-click --> [process] --> [gain]. Here you can set the amount of gain you want to increase or decrease. This can be un-done, so no worries there.

Good luck!

Last edited by Mike sings; 12/02/10 02:10 PM.
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Same process can be done in RB-
Hilight section
Richt-click -> audio effects->gain change.(or edit-audio effects-gain change)
Check the button selections and try boosting the gain a few dB..

The symptoms sound like maybe windows soundmapper is involved, diverting the signal
As mentioned, make sure correct input drivers are selected (hilighted)in Pref->Audio and then click the 'move selected device to top' so it becomes the default device.


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This is frustrating. My kickass desktop DAW works perfectly. Problem is scheduling and ambient noise. I share a house and rarely have control of external noise. It would be extremely difficult to get the storyteller, who wants to read several books, here during those times when I am alone. (It's rarely a problem for my own work because most of what I do is electronic, and I can record voice whenever it's best.)

Hence the plan to use the laptop. I can take it to her place and record at our mutual convenience, if I can get the system to work properly.

John: I can light up the signal indicator on the I/O and occasionally get the peak light to flash. I also show good levels into the Windows mixer. I barely get any signal into either RB or Cubie.

Scott: I routinely change the input and output devices. (I even found a cool hack that lets me listen to one thing on headphones and another on external speakers connected to a docking station.) The US-224 is for certain sure set as the audio I/O.

Daisy: I'm willing to try anything, but I have used these programs and others elsewhere with good results. It's something I'm missing with this particular system. As John says above, it's either me or the hardware.

Mike: Cubase VST is a bundled version that came with the TASCAM and dates to 2004. It is fully functional except for having only one level of undo. (I am also familiar with its big brother, Nuendo, versons 1.0 through 4.xx.) I tried what you suggested. Either the gain knob is somewhere else or it doesn't exist in this version of Cubase.

I do appreciate the reminder about gain processing. Unless I can get at this issue from the front end, that's what I'll have to do.

Also, for the record, I have diagnosed two bad mic cords and replaced them with a tested and known-good piece. I wonder about the USB cable. As far as I know the TASCAM is USB 1.0, but if I can find a replacement I'll switch that out, too.

Still open to suggestions.


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When you double click on the speaker icon in the tray when the screen comes up does it say Tascam at the bottom left? If not click options/properties and using the drop down select the Tascam THEN set the recording & Playback properties. If it's not listed do a reinstall.
Did you actually install the Tascam onto the lappy?
Does it show as an input device in the audio prefs?
Do you get any signal to show on the meters in RB?How much?

Last edited by silvertones; 12/03/10 04:24 AM.

John
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Quote:

When you double click on the speaker icon in the tray when the screen comes up does it say Tascam at the bottom left? If not click options/properties and using the drop down select the Tascam THEN set the recording & Playback properties. If it's not listed do a reinstall.
Did you actually install the Tascam onto the lappy?
Does it show as an input device in the audio prefs?
Do you get any signal to show on the meters in RB?How much?




Yes. Yes. Yes. Not yet. Getting something in Cubase that I may be able to work with using major dynamic gain processing.

Not important right now, but there's a good quarter second of latency when I put it in full duplex and monitor.


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Ryszard,

If you have the monitor button clicked on then there will be a latency. At least that is what happens to me in Cubase.

Steve


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