Been awhile! Hi guys: My 32 gig machine is "all of a sudden" stuttering when working with BB for some reason. Anybody have that same problem? I changed to using my LG Gram laptop, and it works perfect there! I have the "Audiophile" product 2017.

Thanks all . . . and keep those masks on please. It seems to be working here on the West Coast. JZ

Generally when I have audio problems using any music system it is with my audio interface buffers. Have you increased those and do they make a difference?

Hi Johnny. We're going to need a lot more info to help. If you use an ASIO driver, Mario's advice may work.

Tell us about your audio interface and the settings you use in BIAB. And please define stuttering if you can. Or record a snippet of audio and post it here.

johnnyzell,

Great to see you posting on the forum once more.

If your 32 gig computer is using the Windows 10 operating system it may have received an operating system update.

I have read numerous complaints of updates changing audio settings. Check your Windows Control Center audio settings and Band-in-a-Box audio settings.

There is a really good chance the Band-in-a-Box driver selection changed from the audio interface ASIO driver to the Windows WAS setting.

I get stuttering from time to time with my (ASIO) audio card. Strangely, what I found works for me was to go into Audio->Audio Drivers/Settings->Audio Drivers->Clicking OK and exiting that menu,changing absolutely NOTHING. It seems BIAB resets driver at that specific point and everything starts playing Stutter free.

Another simple way to test things is to restart computer and first thing open BIAB, load something and see if it plays ok without using any VSTs. Sometimes secondary programs that might run parallel or even closed before starting BIAB do not release driver properly.

Good luck.

Wow! Thank ya'll for these excellent "remedies". I'll start them, one by one, and then get back to let everybody know what worked for this instance! By the way, don't ever be playing "The Minute Waltz" when having this problem. Last take took me 20 minutes!! JZ

I like Jim's suggestion as we have seen this done by Windows. But be prepared for the longer haul here. There are a lot of things to examine, and a lot of things to try. I prefer to define the problem before suggesting remedies.

Yes, I agree Matt. So, I just couldn't resolve the problem after 4 hours, so I "re-installed" BIAB. Progress is good now as far as the complete chart working, but I still get bars where everything stops along with the "stuttering". So I'm thinking of "buffers" may need me to make a little larger . . . but I can't find them!! Ha! But all is not lost as the "Django" solo just keeps getting better and better. Getting happier!! JZ

Yes, HI! I am not using ASIO. MME! JZ

I never had good results with MME + audio programs. Try WASAPI.

OK, thanks! JZ

Jim "et all". SUCCESS! I've never had any success with ASIO drivers so I just forgot about them all these years. But thanks for your "remedy", I downloaded the latest and put them in. EVERYTHING WORKS LIKE A CHARM NOW!! The sound seems to be even clearer now too. Is that possible?? What great help you ALL were!

Thank you!! JZ

Great fix, my friend! Yes, sometimes a fix comes in just the way you described it and now I can get back to work. Whoever BIAB used to do the Dgango licks is FANTASTIC!

Big thanks for your help!

JZ

BTW guys, my setup here is a MSI gaming machine with 32 gigs, an I-7 Intel processor, Nvidia GForce GTX audio card, Klipsch desktop sound system, Samson C01U mic and BOSE noise-cancelling headphones. BIAB 2017, That's it! JZ

Johnny, it has been a long time since you stopped in. Glad to see you are still blowin the horn. I always get such a kick bumping into you. You are musical royalty in my home from your days with the LW orchestra...

Love the picture.

Johnny, I'm glad to hear of your success.

Somehow I think you are not done yet.

I listened to the audio sample you sent. Your description, stuttering, is accurate. I've heard this caused by several things, including a program running in the background that just kicked in, an errant driver that causes spikes you can see in Latency Monitor, a hard drive that needs defragging, and an over-stressed CPU perhaps caused by too many RealTracks, especially soloist RealTracks. And that's just for starters.

One thing you could try when it happens again, and I'm reasonably sure it will happen again, is a BIAB setting. Do Control+N to bring up Song Settings. Check the box for This Song Has Playback Problems. Also, is your song's tempo pretty close to the RealTracks tempos?

As for MME, the experience of one person does not make a pattern, and people should not be scared off from using the MME setting. It is generally the most appropriate setting for BIAB, unless you are recording within BIAB.

Dan: That is so kind of you! My career included Hanna Barbara cartoons, The Stan Kenton Orchestra, a short stint with The Count and "pretty notes jobs" for Sinatra . . . but Mr. Welk was my very favorite. JZ

OK, Matt! I will "print" this out so that if it happens again . . . . !

Thanks for listening to the recording. BTW, your Brazilian thing's audio and mix is just so GREAT! And of course, your playing is superb! What a sound!

BIAB is most likely the finest software ever . . . bar none!

JZ

Whoops! One "slight" problem. I can't seem to find a way for the ASIO driver to record my trumpet in BIAB! Is there a "switch" I throw! It's a USB. JZ

Johnny, tell us more. Describe the equipment you have for recording, and any settings you chose.

Yes, I record directly into my MSI computer using my USB mic. The job is usually finished at that point, unless I take the individual tracks and put them into Audacity for a "final mix". MME driver works fine in Audacity, Matt.

So you record the one audio track in BIAB using a USB mic. Then you sometimes mix in Audacity. If you record additional tracks in Audacity, you should be using ASIO. If you’re just mixing on playback, it doesn’t matter.

Now, what were you doing, with what program and what drivers, to make that audio that has stuttering?

I was in the BIAB file and the drivers were set to MME. I hadn't put my trumpet on at that point. That's where the stuttering showed up and where I made the file for you to hear. When I switched to the ASIO drivers, the stuttering went away, but I can't seem to record the trumpet audio trak. When I go to record, the "VU" meters come up but show NO movement when I am playing into the USB mic.

OK. Let's go back to your equipment. On your computer, not the laptop, you said you have this:

MSI gaming machine with 32 gigs, an I-7 Intel processor, Nvidia GForce GTX audio card, Klipsch desktop sound system, Samson C01U mic and BOSE noise-cancelling headphones. BIAB 2017

So, where is the sound card here? The Nvidia is a video card, not audio. What device's ASIO driver are you using?

Whoops! Yes Matt, upon checking the "Device Manager", the sound seems to be REALTEK. OS is Windows 10 Pro. "Work-Around" fix . . . I guess I can finish the chart in BIAB, then add the trumpet with another software program. My new driver is ASIO-4-ALL.

Great, now it makes sense. Thanks.

Ok, I’m just going to say it. If you want to do anything at all serious you should get a dedicated audio interface that has its own ASIO driver. You are driving to work every day on your riding mower.

ASIO4ALL works for some but it isn’t even ASIO. It’s an emulator. If you’ve followed what’s been said so far, you see why that’s a problem.

Realtek is the cheap sound built into most computers, especially laptops. It’s great for playback because any sound card is great for playback.

I suggest you try any of the modestly priced units from Focusrite. The difference is only in how many inputs you need, which seems small.

Questions?

Matt, thanks for getting right to the point. I wanted to step in but I am too intimidated by the OP's star status. You have pointed out exactly what I have been screaming at my screen.

Wow! How about that?? NOT even ASIO! Who "would of" known. Focusrite . . . I'll remember that. Looks like I'm looking at a few days of shopping. BTW, does this new hardware run on AC or "DC" ie: battery? I don't want to introduce any extra noise onto the tracks.

Thanks for your "pro" help. JZ

That’s ok, lots of folks have made the same journey.

The Focusrite units are all USB which means they are external. Right there, any high-frequency noise from within the computer is eliminated. The AC power supplies are quiet; no worries there. But batteries are not an option; some of the smallest units run on bus power, which means they get the 5 volts from the USB line.

One more thing. The smallest Focusrite units have no mixer software. I like having mixer software but I admit it adds one more level of complexity.

Another tip. I buy all my audio from Sweetwater. You can call them and they will help you select the right interface and answer any questions, and then support it after the purchase. Lots of videos too. Fast shipping. My rep is Dan Van Amerongen.

Another plus 1 for Sweetwater and for purchasing an audio interface (sound card) with a mixer.

I've even purchased from Sweetwater, and can confirm that their sales people are knowledgeable on products' capabilities and specifications.

Very COOL! Sounds like this is the way to go. Thanks guys!! I'll keep you up to date. BTW, my Calicchio trumpet is now nearly 80 years old. Dominic reversed the front brace on it for me in 1964 . . . allows the bell to "vibrate" more. I began silver plating it in '81. JZ

I haven’t experimented with a reverse brace, much less a reverse lead pipe. Others have said they have a more open blow?

I do still have two terrific Calicchio trumpets, one quite old built by Domenic with serial #25xx and a still fairly old Hollywood 58xx. I rarely use them anymore, in favor of my new Shires. How great it must have been for you to work with such a master! Do you have the video of him building a horn? Incredible.

another plus for sweetwater and a usb interface. i don't need a mixer apart from the RB one so i have a behringer UMC404HD which was remarkably cheap and works like a charm.

Yes, Behringer makes a comparable unit. Another is this one: PreSonus AudioBox iTwo USB Audio Interface