It finally happened, I've been using wma's forever and never a complaint until now. The girl singer wants some mp3's I tried sending her wma's but no it has to be mp3's. OK, I've been reading about Audacity for years so I installed the latest version, hit New, hit Import and I imported a wav file created with Biab. Nada.
It looks like it imported, the song title is across top but the window is completely blank. No waveform at all. I've closed/reopened, I tried doing a gain change just in case, I've had Biab recreate the wav, it's the same. Here's the instructions and I followed them to the letter:
Importing audio
Go to File > Import > Audio... and navigate to the audio file that you want to import. Select a file and click Open.
If Audacity opens a warning screen click the option that says "Make a copy of the files before editing (Safer)" and click OK.
Audacity can import WAV, AIFF, AU, IRCAM, MP3 and OGG files. WMA files can also be imported with the FFmpeg libraries installed.
What the heck? Audacity is supposed to be drop dead simple and the doc's now say it includes the LAME encoder so what gives?
I just happen to have Audacity on this laptop. I imported one of my .wav files and it imported fine and played fine.
Went to file/export....chose .mp3 and got the 'missing Lame.dll' dialogue box.
Clicked on 'download' the .dll from the dialogue box and got this: file:///C:/Program%20Files%20(x86)/audacity/help/manual/man/faq_installing_the_lame_mp3_encoder.html
Sorry if that doesn't help but thought it could be some diagnostic G2.
EDIT:https://lame.buanzo.org/#lamewindl Scroll down until you see this heading: "TO DOWNLOAD Lame and FFmpeg for Windows, click links BELOW:"
Links are there but I really don't use Audacity or Lame for .Mp3 conversion. Hate those merry-go-round web traversing. (snarl...curse)
Appreciate the reply. You must not have the latest version which is 2.3.2 and it includes LAME.
I just discovered something. Since I have the wma's I installed the ffmpeg codec then imported the wma and it worked! My immediate problem is solved since this is for an upcoming gig and she's anxious. I still can't get a wav to open though. Maybe Biab isn't creating a standard wav file? I'll try a wav created in Real Band later.
In Audacity I don’t “import” the wav file I simply open it. I might then export it as a wav or MP3 (note I installed Lame when I first installed Audacity). I’ve not had any issues.
Tony
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home, Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612 BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
Thanks Tony. I discovered that using Import adds to what is already there but Open wipes out what's there and creates a new project. It still won't open a Biab wav and I've tried 3 songs. Have you tried that? Maybe it is something with Biab.
Let me see if I have this right. You save the RealBand Files as a wav (well render as wav I tend to render as individual files as wav) it then saves the tracks as individual wav files. Then import into Audacity. I have no issue whatsoever.
I also tried a group of saved wav files. Selected them and simply dragged them into Audacity. No worries loaded as individual tracks (ex BB also RB)
I then exported the tracks as an MP3 all melded as expected and MP3 is fine.
Maybe I’m missing something. My Audacity is version 2.2.1 old I know but it serves my purposes (and has done for some time).
Tony
Last edited by Teunis; 07/13/1912:29 AM.
HP i7-4770 16GB 1TB SSD, Win 10 Home, Focusrite 2i2 3rd Gen, Launchkey 61, Maton CW80, Telecaster, Ovation Elite TX, Yamaha Pacifica 612 BB 2022(912) RB 2022(2), CakeWalk, Reaper 6, Audacity, Melodyne 5 Editor, Izotope Music Production Suite 4.1
Try installing an older version of Audacity and download and install the Lame codec and it will likely work fine. Then install the latest version and it should find the Lame codec and work. It sounds as if your current version isn't finding the codec.
A reason why the waveform could be blank can be because the imported file is low volume and therefore not loud enough to register in the window. This often happens when I import a soft vocal WAV or a keyboard soft pad sound. When this is the case, you'll be able to play the track, but you won't hear it, or it will be barely audible.
The solution is to increase the volume by clicking on EFFECTS and then VOLUME. Click OK to increase the volume to the optimum recommended amount shown. I usually increase the volume to -5db below optimum, but this is to leave plenty of headroom for mastering.
MarioD: I believe that BIAB WAV files have a default sample rate of 44100. At least that was the case with all of BIAB Realtracks WAVS that I've imported to Audacity.
Audacity also automatically sets the sample rate to match the first Wav file that is opened or imported, therefore it's unlikely to be the sample rate of Bob's WAV that is the problem. It sounds to me that it could possibly be the fact that the volume of it is too low, and that's why the Waveform isn't visible or audible, and he just needs to increase it by clicking on EFFECT and AMPLIFY.
For Lame MP3 there are other free alternatives to Audacity, like Lame Front End .. just sayin' (in case you NEED to get MP3 right away). I've used it for years. IMO it's best to get the app from the original source - http://www.pazera-software.com/products/lame-front-end/
As with any download, always be careful, though I've never had an issue with pazera nor heard of any.. Obviously; avoid the decoy ad at top of page though .. It also has a Batch mode which is nice. It's a simple GUI for LAME and very fast/efficient. Offers 'Expert' (advanced) LAME options also.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
Good grief. NOW it works perfectly. Yesterday the wav import didn't work but wma import did. Now this morning both work fine. Yesterday there was a Win 10 update, could that have caused this but if so what happened between last evening and now? I had already rebooted twice yesterday in an attempt to clear this up which didn't work. I shut down last night and turned the PC on this morning. Third time's the charm?
Another mystery of the universe.
I just tried two more wav's for giggles and it's fine. I appreciate the replies and I'll mark this Resolved.
MarioD: I believe that BIAB WAV files have a default sample rate of 44100. At least that was the case with all of BIAB Realtracks WAVS that I've imported to Audacity.
.........
Yes, exactly. I was referring to the sample settings in Audacity. I such have been more specific, my bad.
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