Weird Midi-like tones in voice recordings

Help!

Ok, here’s the dilemma. We’re using my Line 6 PodXT Live to do some recording via the USB port, and we’re getting a strange regular pattern of what sounds like midi tones interspersed on the track at 10-15-10-15-10-15 second intervals. To take a listen to the sound visit: http://204.244.87.10/midi _problem1.wav

Midi Problem

It’s been confirmed to happen in both ASIO and WDM driver modes. We’ve tried playing with all the midi settings and driver settings, and it happens regardless of what we do.

Thanks in advance. Let me know if you need any other details.

Here’s the fixed link:
http://204.244.87.10/midi_problem1.wav

That’s a rather strange one. My first guess is that it IS MIDI notes and you are recording "what you hear."

I have no clue – every idea that seems like a MAYBE gets shot full of holes in just a few seconds.

Thanks for fixing the link. I’m not sure what I was doing there. We looked to make sure we were recording the right ‘input’ and have disabled pretty much every incoming sound as possible.

Ok. Now I really don’t know WHY those tones were coming up at those intervals, but I’ve been able to stop them. If I actually go:

Start–> Control Panel --> Sounds and Audio Devices --> Hardware --> Realtek AC’97 Audio --> Properties

Then under “Device Usage” select “Disable”, the sounds go away. So there was some phantom communication between my on board sound card and the PodXT Live.

So, now that I’ve got the recording working again, it’s back to vocals :laugh:

That’s a great clue! Something is sending MIDI note (at least) events and the default windows MIDI device is simply playing them…and you are probably recording “what you hear” somehow (whatever it’s called for you recording card).

I know very little about the PodXT, but I just got a GuitarPort yesterday (new Christmas Toy/Gift to myself and I’m VERY happy sitting and playing with it for hours). I know it responds to MIDI for volume and wah and probably other stuff. I also know it has a built in player (something I haven’t tried even once yet). I think the GuitarPort and PodXt use the same software.

It depends on what the PodXt does and what it uses for specific MIDI control events, or if the Pop player is simple playing something unbeknown to you.

As an example of bad MIDI usage design we should look at Microsoft’s original Force Feedback Joystick (I don’t know if the newer ones still do this - I hope not). It uses MIDI to control motors in the joystick so you feel movements and vibrations your hand. The really dumb-stupid-I-can’t-believe-they-did-this design is that they use notes on MIDI channel 5 to do it.

It you happen to have the joystick plugged into computer while using a Joystick to MIDI break out cable the MIDI events won’t get to the joystick, they will go to any external synth and you can hear them playing. There is no reason in the world MS needed to use MIDI notes to control the joystick. If they wanted to use MIDI (which is actually not a bad idea) they could/should have used control events or even better sysex events.

Regardless my guess is that’s what’s happening. But for that to happen the PodXt needs to be sending events, or they are being passed through from any MIDI controller you might be using. Line 6 uses standard control events for volume (CC#7) and wah control (CC#?? – don’t remember) so those won’t do it, but maybe there are other things you can look at.

The GuitarPort have much less functionality but I’ll dig in a little and see if I can find something. This gives me a good excuse to keep playing with it. :)

I was just banging around the n-Tracks website that this tidbit on the FAQs page hit me funny…maybe this is the demo organ sound? I don’t know since I’ve never hear it, but I doubt it since disableing the onboard soundcard gets rid of it…but it is a thought.

<!–QuoteBegin>

Quote
7.d - Q: I hear the evaluation version organ sound even after the program has accepted the registration codes

A: Make sure that a 16 bit format is selected in the dialog boxes that appears clicking on the hammer button on the recording and playback vumeters. Try to restore the program’s default settings: load the program, open the Preferences dialog box and click on the ‘Revert preferences to default settings’.

If you’ve registered the 16 bit version, the program will play the nagging sound when used for 24 bit recording or playback.

If you’re using Asio drivers with a 24 bit soundcard with the program registered in 16 bit mode please note that Asio drivers dictate the bit depth to be used by n-Track so with the 16 bit version of the program you’ll always hear the nagging sound. You can use WDM drivers in 16 bit mode selecting them in the File/Settings/Audio devices dialog box. There is no advantage in using Asio drivers over WDM as both can achieve very low latencies.
Quote (phoo @ Dec. 16 2004,16:53)
I was just banging around the n-Tracks website that this tidbit on the FAQs page hit me funny...maybe this is the demo organ sound? I don't know since I've never hear it, but I doubt it since disableing the onboard soundcard gets rid of it....but it is a thought.

7.d - Q: I hear the evaluation version organ sound even after the program has accepted the registration codes

A: Make sure that a 16 bit format is selected in the dialog boxes that appears clicking on the hammer button on the recording and playback vumeters. Try to restore the program's default settings: load the program, open the Preferences dialog box and click on the 'Revert preferences to default settings'.

If you've registered the 16 bit version, the program will play the nagging sound when used for 24 bit recording or playback.

If you're using Asio drivers with a 24 bit soundcard with the program registered in 16 bit mode please note that Asio drivers dictate the bit depth to be used by n-Track so with the 16 bit version of the program you'll always hear the nagging sound. You can use WDM drivers in 16 bit mode selecting them in the File/Settings/Audio devices dialog box. There is no advantage in using Asio drivers over WDM as both can achieve very low latencies.

yep. its the demo organ doo-doo-doo.

i forgot about it when i dl 4.0 and just tried it out for some guitar tracks. i was like ??? where the ell did that come from?? it freaked me out actually.