Horrid playback in Sonar 3 PE.

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NLAlston
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:34 am

Post by NLAlston » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:53 am

Hello,

New here, and am posing a question for my brother who doesn't have internet service yet. He just a purchased a new Pentium-4 HP computer, and is to be using it solely for his music creating. He installed Sonar3 PE on it, and called up a few files that he had previously done in Sonar 2. The playback was horrendous, meaning that the sound was muddied and riddled with popping noises. However, those very same files played clear as a bell when through the Windows Media Player. We tried everything that we could think of (changing through the four listed drivers, and a host of other settings), but nothing would offer a favorable solution. Those files played fine, also, on his other computer w/ Sonar 2, and we tried to install that version on his new computer to see what the story would be. But it would not install on the new one. It kept giving reference to DirectX 8.1 being needed - and would go through the process of installing it. After receiving indication that DirectX was successfully installed on the system, I restarted it. But - when trying to install Sonar 2 again - that same DirectX installation screen would surface, with that same message.

It is imperative that my brother gets this matter straightened out ASAP, and we are hoping that someone wouldn't mind stepping up to help him out in this. It would be MOST appreciated.


Special-K
Posts: 52
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2003 3:44 pm
Location: UK

Post by Special-K » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:24 pm

Try this link regarding DirectX / Sonar 2

http://babyurl.com/2xq5gF

NLAlston
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:34 am

Post by NLAlston » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:03 pm

Special-K,

First of all...thanks a heap. I will get this info to him just as soon as I can. But another question: do you have any idea as to what might be going on with the problem that I described him to be having with Sonar 3PE? Last night, he recorded a song into his computer, which incorporated MIDI files & Audio tracks which had been recorded on his Fostex MR-8. The MIDI files played back perfectly, but the Audio files had the same popping & staticy playback as earlier. Any ideas on this? I am hoping that his version 3PE won't turn out to be a waste of money, being that he can't seem to get it to respond properly. With the direction that you have provided I am quite sure that we should be able to get Sonar 2 on his system, now - and am just hoping that h doesn't run into this same issue with that version also.

Guest

Post by Guest » Fri Mar 11, 2005 9:43 am

You don't say what soundcard he is using in the new machine.

It sounds like he needs to increase the size of his audio buffers or if it is for playback only just increase the latency via the slider.

Make sure his new PC is optimised for windows XP and making music. Being a defacto HP it will not be set up for music production.

NLAlston
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:34 am

Post by NLAlston » Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:23 pm

Anonymous wrote:You don't say what soundcard he is using in the new machine.

It sounds like he needs to increase the size of his audio buffers or if it is for playback only just increase the latency via the slider.

Make sure his new PC is optimised for windows XP and making music. Being a defacto HP it will not be set up for music production.
Thanks Guest,

Until such time as he can afford better, my brother will have to contend with the integrated soundcard. He did call me, earlier this morning, to inform me that he had finally gotten everything to work as it should. But you mentioned "Optimizing" his system for music apps. How is this done, please?

andychap
Posts: 685
Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:26 pm
Location: UK

Post by andychap » Fri Mar 11, 2005 9:41 pm

Sorry, I forgot to log on earlier :oops:

Try this website for tuning tips for music production. Some are essential some not so important but still worth doing.

Then there are things like hard drive usage. 2 drives both partioned. Drive 1 partition 1 - Operating system. Drive 1 partition 2 - Applications.
Drive 2 partition 1 - Cakewalk project folders with audio data (leave the picture data on the apps partition). Drive 2 partition 2 - Samples etc.

If possible use a third removable drive for back up.

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