Crackling sound

[Astaroth616]

As soon as I added keyboards to the mix I'm getting some weird crackling sound. Now before I used to be able to export my mix into an MP3 file and when I play it in Windows Media Player I wouldn't hear the crackling anymore, but when I do export everything as an MP3 I still hear the crackling. Weird...

When I playback my song in Mixcraft with only the guitar it doesn't make the crackling, only when I playback the song with the keyboards.

All keyboard sounds have the following FX:
Compressor - String Pads
Reverb - Canyon

Guitar's FX:
Voxengo Amp Simulator - Chugga Chugga
Reverb - Canyon
Delay - Echoes

I'm trying to create a Black/Funeral Doom Metal track with ambiance, but the crackling and popping noises just kill the atmosphere of it completely. Otherwise it's sounding good so far.

Is there some setting I can change to maybe fix this problem or is it my whole computer entirely?

My Laptop Computer specs:
CPU: 1.60GHz
RAM: 1.75GB

[kr236rk]

mixcraft will crackle if the volume is too high or the bass too boomy at source

mc will also crackle if the latency is set wrong - associated with this might be the interface you are using, have you checked with the manufacturer's web site that you are running the latest driver?

the best settings for mc that i have found are ASIO, so also check for that under file > preferences

hope this helps

R

[Astaroth616]

Thanks. I'll just tweak around with the settings until it sounds right.

[kr236rk]

Thanks. I'll just tweak around with the settings until it sounds right.

No worries - MixCraft is great and the longer you work with it the more hurdles you'll overcome

[Ianpb]

I'm getting a similar problem. I've been overdubbing my brother's song that is a high bitrate MP3, to which I've added some compression with the Classic Compressor to level down some peaks. I go through each individual track and there is no crackle (distortion), and when I switch the other tracks on one by one there is still no crackle, but when I bring all the other tracks in, the original track seems to break through the compressor settings and introduce crackle. This even happens if I apply full on threshold. It's as though bringing in every track is affecting the functionality of the compressor. The same thing also happens if I use the Acoustica Compressor instead.

[kr236rk]

I'm getting a similar problem. I've been overdubbing my brother's song that is a high bitrate MP3, to which I've added some compression with the Classic Compressor to level down some peaks. I go through each individual track and there is no crackle (distortion), and when I switch the other tracks on one by one there is still no crackle, but when I bring all the other tracks in, the original track seems to break through the compressor settings and introduce crackle. This even happens if I apply full on threshold. It's as though bringing in every track is affecting the functionality of the compressor. The same thing also happens if I use the Acoustica Compressor instead.

Check your memory / processor.

I was running a Pentium 4 with 2.5GB Ram but the single core processor could not handle a large project (over 6 tracks) and I think adding effects increases the memory drain/cpu activity. First signs of system stress were crackles, then freezes then complete crashing.

I loaded the same project to a dual core and no worries at all - I think MC5 has been designed around the idea of the multi-core processor.

[Acoustica Dan]

Are your master meters hitting the red? Chances are they are, and this is causing distortion. Turn down the master volume, or turn down the volume on your individual tracks, until the distortion goes away. Mixing too loud (clipping) will introduce distortion, and this can get even worse when mixing down to MP3.

Thanks,
Dan

[kr236rk]

Yes there are many things which can cause crackling - excess volume being another factor. I tend to under-record if anything, then carefully adjust volumes in MixCraft.

I have to admit it is a mystery to me how the MC5 demonstration tracks never clip-crackled on being recorded, some of those audio graphics are a solid wall of clip, but they never crackle.

How is this done please? Look at 'Pressurize' Track 5 'Drum Mix' for example - it is a wall of solid clipping, but there are no crackles?

Thanks.

[Ianpb]

Are your master meters hitting the red? Chances are they are, and this is causing distortion. Turn down the master volume, or turn down the volume on your individual tracks, until the distortion goes away. Mixing too loud (clipping) will introduce distortion, and this can get even worse when mixing down to MP3.

Thanks,
Dan

You don't seem to fully understand what I'm saying. When I play all the tracks seperately, none of them is peaking anywhere near the red. Then I go back to play the track containing the original imported MP3 (which is also not peaking into the red) and as I switch on the other tracks the original MP3 track starts peaking into the red.

Another thing I've noticed in relation to this too. From this project, if I play only the 'Bright Piano' (from Acoustica selection) track it's okay, but when I add the 'Finger bass' track to this, distortion occurs when a chord is played in the "Bright Piano' track. This is despite the fact that neither of the levels from these two tracks is anywhere near the red.

I've also noticed that if I continually repeat a section of the imported MP3, it peaks at differing levels.

For reference my system is: E6300 dual CPU, 4GB RAM, Windows 7 (64-bit), P45 Express chipset.

[kr236rk]

with a system like that you should be up and away

what interface did you use if you used one / have you checked the driver settings under file > preferences, anything weird there?

what are your CPU/MixCraft and System readings at the bottom right of your screen 0 - 100%

compare these readings on single track playbacks and multiple track playbacks when things start getting out of hand.

[Ianpb]

No interfaces were used because I'm using only virtual instruments to dub over an imported MP3 file that is distortion-free (recorded on Audacity). However, that would be irrelevant because, apart from the imported MP3 file, I'm using only virtual instruments.

Mixcraft reading at full mix: 16% - 25%, System 16% - 41%.
Single imported MP3 track: 0% - 12%, System: 1% - 37%
Single 'Bright Piano' track: 0% - 10%, System: 0% - 34%

Very occasionally the sytem reading hits about 68% on all the above, causing all the digits to go from green to grey. I don't know what that means.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Is the crackling only occurring in the loud peaks of the song? Or is it happening throughout the song?


Greg

[Ianpb]

It happens at the peaks when they occur in the master volume. However, if I mute the imported MP3 track that has compression applied to it, all the other tracks are way below the red in the master volume, and the crackle does not appear. Then, if I play only the imported MP3 track with solo button activated, it likewise stays well below the red in the master volume and crackles do not appear. However, when I switch off the solo button to bring everything in together, the level in the master volume rises and begins to occassionally hit the red to cause the crackle.

[markcm]

I think I have seen this as well, I'd call it an addative effect where several tracks which are all safely below clipping by themselves will compound the master level when played together and cause clipping on the master. I wouldn't say I have a problem with this although it sounds familiar and I believe I saw it when I had an mp3 in one of the tracks that I was playing along with.

[kr236rk]

may need to retrace your steps and create another mp3 in that software and see if the interference duplicates itself - and maybe check the levels for the source mp3

also try it with a wave file

am wondering if the original settings/levels for the audacity mp3 might have caused it to go OTT in mixcraft as you gradually mix extra tracks to it?