Import Changes track to white noise

[Stephen Jones]

Hi!

I've been having a lot of fun with the Tascam dp-32sd for nearly 6 months now and have created quite a few songs. In the process, I have imported and exported a number of tracks to work on them on my computer using sound editing software such as WavePad, and haven't had any problems.

However, I just hit an odd snag I cannot figure out. I used the USB connection and exported a track that had some sitar/synth9 on it. I used the software to manually reverse the track, note by note and it came out great. I saved the track and imported it back into the Tascam. However, when I try to play the track, its just all White Noise. No Music.

I double checked the file on my computer and it sounds great. I also checked and the song on the tascam and the track files being exported and then imported are all the same bit rate/hz (24/48).

I have tried to recreate and rename the file on the computer and re-imported it a number of times, including importing into different Tascam tracks. But nothing helps and I have absolutely no idea what might be going wrong. As I said, I have imported/exported a large number of times in the past and never saw any problems before.

Anyone have any other ideas of things I can look at?

Thanks,
Stephen

 

[Phil Tipping]

Hi Stephen, a few possibilities...
Operator error - you're definitely using the Import function from the AudioDepot menu, and not just copying the file directly into the song folder?
Song settings - try creating a new song with factory settings then import to that.
File format - even thought the bit-rate & sampling freq match, the software used to create it may have embedded extra data which is confusing the dp-32, so try using a different software package, or save it using a different option.
That's all I've got for the moment.

 

[Stephen Jones]

Thanks Phil!

To the best of my knowledge, I am following exactly what is instructed on page 65 of the manual on "Importing Tracks." This is also exactly as you state in your own "Step-By-Step Guide" on page 23, "10. How to copy tracks from your computer (Import). " You say nothing about "copying the file directly into the song folder." In fact, you state the contrary in a highlighted note:

"Do not copy files directly into the song sub-folder under the MUSIC folder; the machine needs to convert the AudioDepot files first, ...."​

I have always been under the understanding that you should never touch the files in the song folder, as those are "ZZ" and sys files used by the computer itself. The only time I go in there is to simply copy the finished master file out... nothing going in or otherwise writing to that song folder.

Here are the steps I use : After exporting the individual track file and modifying it on my computer, I reconnect using USB and copy the file into the AudioDepot folder. I then disconnect from the computer, go to the AudioDepot folder, select the Import function, then select the track to import into. Thats the way I have done it in the past with no problems, and that's how the manuals mentioned above say to do it.

I can understand if WavePad might be adding something but the resulting file can be played by any number of other media software (e.g. Windows Media Player, Amazon Fire media player et al). Also, I have used WavePad for a large number of other tracks imported in the same way with no problems.

I just looked at the folder I am using on my computer, and I have done this WavePad process at least 6 times before on different tracks on this same song... with no problems whatsoever.

I am guessing that there is some other parameter (other than 24/48) that accidentally got changed. I know at one time, I had used WavePad to save a Stereo file and it defaulted to saving as "Stereo." I changed that to "mono" when I saved the file, since its mono and going back into a "mono" track. But maybe there is something else I accidentally changed, but so far I don't know what it would be.

Thanks,
Stephen

 

[Stephen Jones]

> used by the computer itself.

That obviously should read "Tascam" not "computer".

 

[Phil Tipping]

You're absolutely right Stephen - my post was confusing. I was really trying to confirm you had imported the file using the correct method via AudioDepot, as opposed to the incorrect method via the ZZ files, but it obviously came across wrong - sorry!
So we're back to square one... anyone else any ideas?

 

[Stephen Jones]

Thanks Phil! No problem.

I have tested a number of things. The latest is to do the entire (tedious) note reversal procedure using the original exported file in Audacity, but then I hit a totally different problem. For some reason, Audacity defaults to "32-bit float" instead of 24. No problem. I change it to "24" and then save it. I bring it into Tascam and it won't let me import it.

So I reload the (supposedly 24-bit) file back into Audacity, and it tells me its still "32-bit float." Frustrating!

Not sure what else to test now. This track is actually going to be used as a kind of background sound effects. I played a few musical lines and note bends on the Sitar and ran it through the Synth9 "Prophet V" synthesizer emulator to give it a nice fuzzy metallic sound. I then edit it in WavePad and reverse each note, then add some Phaser and Wah to various sections. I am planning on then using it at the beginning of the song (much like I did with the Jet sounds on "8 Miles High") and a few other places in the background of the song. I can probably do this in post-production by just merging the track file with the finished mixdown/master song file, although that seems like a rather heavy ham-handed approach.

But that doesn't answer the question as to why I suddenly hit this problem and how to avoid it in the future. So I would really like to figure this out.

Tx for your help!
Stephen

 

[Phil Tipping]

This does sound familiar... I'm sure it's something to do with how you generate the file to get it in a 'portable' format, e.g. with Audacity, something like File, Export Audio, WAV Microsoft signed 16-bit PCM - can't remember the exact details. I use Samplitude, and this has 2 ways of creating files, one way retains Samplitude-specific info in the file which can cause problems with other products, whereas the other way creates a basic wave file without the 'extras'.
Update: see my post #8 in this thread for creating compatible 16-bit or 24-bit wave files - my test used 44100Hz files so not sure if it also works for 48000Hz files.

 

[Stephen Jones]

I saw your previous post the other day. The problem is that I am already using your option #2. I change the existing recording from "32-bit float" to "24 bit" and export the file. But if I bring the file back in, it sees it still as "32-bit float' and when I bring it into the Tascam, it does not see the file at all. So I have to assume its still in 32-bit float.

I haven't used audacity much in the past, as wavepad is easier to use.

 

[Stephen Jones]

Well, I haven't figured out why WavePad suddenly stopped being able to create a file that can play ok on the Tascam, or why Audacity doesn't keep the changes I make (to 24-bit/48) when I saved. However after trying a lot of different stuff, I downloaded a totally different editing software (Wavosaur). I loaded the original Tascam track and did some quick editing, saved and transferred. It defaults to the same bit-rate/sample freq as the original file. So it worked fine in the Tascam.

It isn't as easy and nice to use as WavePad and doesn't have all the features (e.g. phaser, Wah) that Audacity has, but at least it will do the job and I can do the note reversal I wanted to do.

 

[Stephen Jones]

I found a bit of a workaround. I took the processed file from Audacity and brought it into MixPad and used that to convert back to 24-bit. I was then able to transfer the file into Tascam with no problems.

The only changes I made with WavePad that I know of were to change the default for SAVE from Mono to Stereo (which went fine) and then back to Mono, after which the problem appeared. I must have inadvertently changed something else, but I can't seem to figure out what. I am thinking I should just reinstall WavePad from scratch.

Anyway, problem is gone as long as I edit it in Audacity and then use MixPad to change to correct bit-rate and sample frequency.

 

[Phil Tipping]

If you don't mind sending me the file, I'll try out a few ideas.

 

[Stephen Jones]

Sure. What is your email address? It appears you can only upload PDFs or graphic files and not sound files to this forum.

 

[Phil Tipping]

patipping at gmail dot com

 

[Stephen Jones]

Just sent it. Thanks again!

 

[Stephen Jones]

Well this is getting frustrating! After I finally got that one background file loaded ok, I exported two other tracks to do small tweaks in volume here and there. I went through Audacity, then loaded into MixPad to correct the sample freq/bit rate. But it got me the White Noise again on Tascam. Guess I will have to keep digging.

 

[Phil Tipping]

I've just sent this via email, but in case it helps anyone else, the 16-bit and 24-bit Audacity export options as described in earlier post both work at 48KHz when imported to the dp32sd - obviously using different songs for the 16-bit and 24-bit files. Interesting that both files appear in the dp32 import list even though only one of them is valid for each song.
Method:
I used Audacity 2.1.2 on linux (think I used MS Windows before, but they both seem to behave the same).
Import the wav file into Audacity (your example shows as 32-bit float stereo 48KHz)
Click File, Export audio.
To create a 16-bit file, use the "WAV (Microsoft) signed 16-bit PCM" option, then click the Save button.
To create a 24-bit file, use the "Other uncompressed files" option, then set the additional drop-down boxes - Header = "WAV (Microsoft)", Encoding = "Signed 24-bit PCM", then click the Save button.
In both cases, the default filename had an .aiff extension so change that to .wav
Both these files were then copied into AudioDepot on the sd-card and imported into a stereo track in the corresponding song; one song was created with 16-bit 48KHz, the other 24-bit 48KHz.

 

[Stephen Jones]

Hi Phil,

I have an old version... 1.2.6, so maybe thats why I'm not seeing some of the options you are. I have a drop-down box that allows me to choose 24 bit. But then I export the file and bring it in and it says it 32 bit float. Also, when I bring in a fresh untouched file from Tascam that I know is 24 bit, Audacity tells me its 32-bit float.

I don't selections for "Other uncompressed files" options, or encoding = "signed 24-bit PCM," et al. I just have a dropdown that lists a number of other things along with "Set Sample Format" which allows me to choose 16-bit, 24-bit or 32-bit (which is the default). It also has a choice to select sample rates, and I select 48000. But as I said, if I export the file with those settings and then bring it back in, it shows up as 32-bit still. And the Tascam doesn't even recognize it. (I.e. I don't even get the White Noise I originally posted about).

I think I must have sent you the wrong test file. I have done this so many times I must have grabbed the 32bit one from Audacity and not the 24 bit (White Noise) file from WavePad. I just created a fresh test file in WavePad that I definitely saved as 24 bit. Tascam recognized the file (thus its 24/48 as is the song itself) and imports it into a track. But the track is filled with White Noise.

PS I uploaded a screenshot of my audacity after bringing in a totally untouched file from Tascam that I know is 24/48. If you look in the red circle, it says its 32-bit float. I suspect you will also notice it looks different than your version.

Thanks again,
Stephen

 

[Stephen Jones]

Just a final update. I had problems with another application (Skype) which turned out to be a virus. I deleted both Skype and WavePad, ran anti-virus and then reinstalled them. So far I have not seen the White Noise again yet.