Help with lagging in Cakewalk

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

So i just got a new laptop, and I've been trying to record on it but every time I try to dub over a track in Sonar 4 (I know it's old) the audio lags way too much to do anything on time.

I know it can't be a problem with memory, because Sonar's telling me only 1% of it is being used. Plus, I could easily run cakewalk on my old computer and this thing is beastly compared to that piece of crap.

So is there anything I'm over looking? I remember on my old computer having to adjust something in Cakewalk so that there wasn't a delay when I wanted to listen to and record a track simultaneously. Could this be the problem?

Any help well be appreciated. Thank you!

[ken]

Audio drivers are certainly your problem. Are you using an interface of some kind? If you are just using the program on it's own with the onboard audio, download ASIO4ALL and use it as your driver. It will really help with these kinds of issues.

http://www.asio4all.com/

Ken

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

I actually tried doing that earlier but it muted everything for some odd reason.

[Caravan Ray]

I think I had a similar problem when I used Cakewalk about 4 years ago

I used to plug my mic straight into the computer when I first began recording. Then I bought a USB interface (with it's own driver software) and when I first tried to use it, got a lagging problem like you are talking about.

I can't remember exactly how I fixed it - but it involved a lot of googling and i'm pretty sure the issue was in Windows, not Cakewalk. I vaguely remember having to delve deep into the bowels of some part of the Windows utilities stuff to tweak some setting or other.

Sorry I can't be more specific - but all I can remember is going through a ridiculously complicated process to change one little number - and then it worked again. (That incident was actually the last straw for me with Windows, and led directly to my decision to get a Mac a few months later)

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

Hmmm, well it's helpful whether or not it's vague.

I thought I'd solved the problem by increasing the buffer, but when i went to record it started skipping again.

Now I have another problem, even with nothing plugged into the microphone jack whatever tracks are being played during recording are bleeding into the mix. This happens even with headphones on. It's like it's recording whatever is coming from the output straight back in but at a lower volume.

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

Ok I managed to get the audio to stop lagging. But, now I've still got the problem with the click track.

[jb]

Please share what settings you used to make it stop lagging, so this thread might be useful to someone else in the future.

JB

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

Ahhh, very good point.

I went and downloaded the ASIO drivers like ken said to do, only I figured out that it was muted because I had the wrong output drivers selected.

The click track problem is still a nuisance though.

[ken]

What exactly is the problem with the click track?

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

So if I try to record a track using a click it'll bleed into the mix. It's recording straight from the stereo mix even though I've already muted that. The same thing happens if i dub over a track I've already recorded. The first track will be faintly present in the second. I know it can't just be the mics picking up the click either, because even if nothing's plugged into the microphone jack it'll pick up the click somehow.

[ken]

So you newly recorded tracks have bleed from the previously recorded tracks, even if you aren't recording anything at the time? Does your computer have a built in mic that may also be pick up tracks? It sounds like bleed to me, but you might also check to see if things are routed correctly. Can you open some of your tracks in another program to be sure it is the track itself and not the program?

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

Earlier I found out that the computer has a built in mic, but I managed to turn that off. Hmmm I'll try to see if I get the same problem in a different program.

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

I tested it out in Fruity Loops with the same results. Even when I select the Mic in as the only input it happens for some reason.

[Caravan Ray]

Wow - this thread is like deva vu all over again. Bringing back all the horrible problems I used to have. The bleeding, the click track thing - yep, I had all that.

Still - sorry I can't help. All I recall is I would get Cakewalk going fine, but if anything changed at all, like adding new hardware (and I started using CW on 2 different laptops at that time too, as well as my desktop) - all these annoying little things would happen. Then it would be hours and hours of pouring through the manuals and googling to try and fix it.

On a positive note - I always did get these things fixed - I just don't know how. Even at the time I recall, it would appear that I would do the same thing 10 times in a row to no effect - then the 11th time it would work. It was then that I realised that the computer was not a machine but a malelovent entity sent from Hell to torment me. Computers are the reason I drink.

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

I know exactly what you mean about the 11th time thing. You sure you don't remember how you fixed the click track thing? Any information would be appreciated.

This thing is driving me out of my dang mind.

[Caravan Ray]

It is possible that I never actually fixed the click track. I probably just turned it off.

I never use a click anyway. I always use a drum loop. Back then I was using Fruityloops or Hammerhead.

[Spud]

Embrace the click. Work with it.

[Caravan Ray]

Embrace the click. Work with it.

I thought that said something completely different at first. Lower case "c"s and "l"s are not kerned well on my monitor.

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

Well the thing is even if i record with a drum loop then the loop will bleed into the mix rather than just the click track.

I would embrace the click, but then I'd have to also embrace the bleed that comes from ever other previously recorded track I have :[

[ken]

I'm guessing that somehow multiple tracks are assigned to your input and there is a loop in there somewhere. hard to sort out from here. Sorry about that. I wish you the best of luck, but my main suggestion is this: buy a cheap usb interface that comes with Cubase LE.

Well hey, look what's the stupid deal of the day: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid

or cheaper: http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=245507

Ken

[Damien Verrett (Jonas)]

Yeah I'm thinking I may just upgrade to some kind of firewire interface, but if I do this I want to be completely sure the same problem isn't going to happen. That'd probably push me over the edge.

If I'm gonna buy an interface I want to make sure it's got enough inputs to mic drums and runs on Vista. I might as well get something that'll last, ya know?

[ken]

Of course, if you've got the money for it.

I've been using the M-Audio Fast Track Ultra on my Vista laptop and it works great.

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/pr ... sku=241806

Ken