Stuttery Distortion & Cutout Audio Glitch

Teedub · Post by **Teedub** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 1:01 am

Running Live, there are times (very often, actually) when it seems it's all too much for my computer's ASIO driver and suddenly the sound turns into staticky, stuttery crud. I'm always able to fix this by going into Live's options screen, selecting the audio tab, then switching from ASIO to No Audio and back again. This seems to clear Ableton's throat and I'm able to get back to business for a while.
Sadly, I can't even consider performing with my laptop because this bug happens way too often. It'd be nice to troubleshoot it. Any experiences with this/suggestions?

ar10003 · Post by **ar10003** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:32 am

I too am experienceing this, albeit only recently, and Im on a Mac OSX Tiger 2.5gh. I find I have to logout and then in again. Never had this before...

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 4:16 am

Teedub wrote:Running Live, there are times (very often, actually) when it seems it's all too much for my computer's ASIO driver and suddenly the sound turns into staticky, stuttery crud. I'm always able to fix this by going into Live's options screen, selecting the audio tab, then switching from ASIO to No Audio and back again. This seems to clear Ableton's throat and I'm able to get back to business for a while.
Sadly, I can't even consider performing with my laptop because this bug happens way too often. It'd be nice to troubleshoot it. Any experiences with this/suggestions?

please try turning off Hyperthreading at the BIOS level

richtheitch · Post by **richtheitch** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 12:12 am

I've been having a similar problem that perhaps someone can help with. I use a drum plugin called Groove Agent by Steinberg which has a host of pre-played beats. I'm supposed to be able to change beat styles in mid-song (say from Rock to Samba), but when I do, the whole songs stops for a second, as if it has to manually shift from one beat to the other. It should switch instantly at the spots I designate, but it hiccups instead. Anyone else experience this/have any answer for it? I would greatly appreciate any insight. Thanks.

Teedub · Post by **Teedub** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:01 pm

sweetjesus wrote:
Teedub wrote:Running Live, there are times (very often, actually) when it seems it's all too much for my computer's ASIO driver and suddenly the sound turns into staticky, stuttery crud. I'm always able to fix this by going into Live's options screen, selecting the audio tab, then switching from ASIO to No Audio and back again. This seems to clear Ableton's throat and I'm able to get back to business for a while.
Sadly, I can't even consider performing with my laptop because this bug happens way too often. It'd be nice to troubleshoot it. Any experiences with this/suggestions?
please try turning off Hyperthreading at the BIOS level

Apparently hyper-threading is what differentiates my machine from a doorstop. Windoze won't even start on this thing without hyper-threading enabled. I apparently have my own system issues regardless of any Ableton problems.

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:48 pm

Teedub wrote:...suddenly the sound turns into staticky, stuttery crud.

People actually buy plug-ins to do just that!

dan aktivix · Post by **dan aktivix** » Sat Apr 21, 2007 11:43 am

I'm having the same problem with Live 6. Damn, playing tonight too. I've tried everything: got rid of all trojans, turned off all services, even turned off explorer (which you can get back with the task manager...)

The weird thing is, it only seems to be the first time I play something. Once a bunch of samples have been played once, Ableton seems to 'warm up.' Which is bizarre... I mean, Ableton, just load the samples or don't, what's this 'warming up' business...!?

So I shall play the set through once tonight before the live version. Hmmph.

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 6:24 am

dan aktivix wrote:I'm having the same problem with Live 6. Damn, playing tonight too. I've tried everything: got rid of all trojans, turned off all services, even turned off explorer (which you can get back with the task manager...)

The weird thing is, it only seems to be the first time I play something. Once a bunch of samples have been played once, Ableton seems to 'warm up.' Which is bizarre... I mean, Ableton, just load the samples or don't, what's this 'warming up' business...!?

So I shall play the set through once tonight before the live version. Hmmph.

oh dude

u need the -UseSystemFileCache setting.

bleeding obvious when you mentioned that

nobbystylus · Post by **nobbystylus** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 8:09 am

sweetjesus wrote:
dan aktivix wrote:I'm having the same problem with Live 6. Damn, playing tonight too. I've tried everything: got rid of all trojans, turned off all services, even turned off explorer (which you can get back with the task manager...)

The weird thing is, it only seems to be the first time I play something. Once a bunch of samples have been played once, Ableton seems to 'warm up.' Which is bizarre... I mean, Ableton, just load the samples or don't, what's this 'warming up' business...!?

So I shall play the set through once tonight before the live version. Hmmph.
oh dude

u need the -UseSystemFileCache setting.

bleeding obvious when you mentioned that

What is the UseSystemFileCache setting?

Teedub · Post by **Teedub** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 11:55 am

It's not an Ableton preference, is it? I wasn't able to find it.

dan aktivix · Post by **dan aktivix** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:32 pm

Hmm, I don't think there is such a setting. You can set the buffer size on your sound card, though. Not that this worked for me, mind...!

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:49 pm

Teedub wrote:It's not an Ableton preference, is it? I wasn't able to find it.

The System File Cache option can be manually set via an options.txt file. The content of the text file should be:

-UseFileSystemCacheForReading=Off

You have to place the text file here:
Win Live 5: C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Ableton\Live [version]\Preferences\Options.txt

also if on windows laptop turn off the ACPI battery under device manager/batteries.

nobbystylus · Post by **nobbystylus** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:25 pm

sweetjesus wrote:
Teedub wrote:It's not an Ableton preference, is it? I wasn't able to find it.
The System File Cache option can be manually set via an options.txt file. The content of the text file should be:

-UseFileSystemCacheForReading=Off

You have to place the text file here:
Win Live 5: C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Application Data\Ableton\Live [version]\Preferences\Options.txt

also if on windows laptop turn off the ACPI battery under device manager/batteries.

What does this setting actually do? Will this work on a Mac also?

peeddrroo · Post by **peeddrroo** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 4:33 pm

Teedub wrote:Running Live, there are times (very often, actually) when it seems it's all too much for my computer's ASIO driver and suddenly the sound turns into staticky, stuttery crud. I'm always able to fix this by going into Live's options screen, selecting the audio tab, then switching from ASIO to No Audio and back again. This seems to clear Ableton's throat and I'm able to get back to business for a while.
Sadly, I can't even consider performing with my laptop because this bug happens way too often. It'd be nice to troubleshoot it. Any experiences with this/suggestions?

do you have this problem on the audio input, output, or both?
how long have you had this problem for? (i guess if you play gigs, you've had live for long)
did you change anything in your hardware/software config?
which version of Live are you running?

JdA · Post by **JdA** » Tue Apr 24, 2007 5:40 pm

if you´ve this problem with LIVE, it may be you´ve it with other Sequencer too.

I´m working with LIVE, SONAR 6.21, FL-Studio (7.0x), SAMPLITUDE 9.11, PROJECT5 and REASON.

I´ve the "WARM-UP"-Problem with most of this Sequencer (each in another way - and other workarounds) . It seems, the warm up is that time that the sequencersoftware have to have to fill the Audiobuffers (to IF / Stream) optimal like you say in preferences or initfile aso.

The problem is NOT with "REASON" (there is no AUDIO-IN - thats why no problem).

A little trick with LIVE is the following thing:

01. In LIVE-Arrangement you have to fill (or play) in 3 to 5 empty pattern bevor starting the song. Put the Mastervolume of Live down per automation.

In that empty pattern (one for each track you use in the song) you have to fill some Informations (example: for VST-Synth-Plugs 4 to 6 MIDI-Notes) that have to play the Plugs before the Song starts.
On this way LIVE initialize all used Plugs and Tracks and the Audiostream will be calculate like the hardest (most wanted CPU and DSP) position in the Song.

After this first 5 measures you put the Mastervolume per Automation up to the used / wanted Level and your song plays know without any crackels. BUT you´ve to do another thing too:

02. In the CPU-Form (Voreinstellungen) you´ve to say you want to use only "128" ASIOBUFFERS (or lower if it works) and NOT "AS AUDIO BUFFERS". So LIVE calculate and initialize all this things correct withing only 5 Measures.
If you say: "AS AUDIO BUFFERS" you´ve to wait some more measures (13 - 15 measures)

------------------------

Check it out. Its only a workaround and not a correctly fix. But it works at most.

----------------------

Ableton can fix it (like the other companies to) if they will calculate the song directly after loading it and wait / do to fill the ASIO-Buffer before playing the song. Or if they write a logfile per song and send some Bufferdata to the AUDIO-IF before starting.

Can be fixed per better AUDIO-driver too.

-------------------------

I don´t know, but it seems a problem with real USB-2 AudioInterfaces (Real Highspeed). I´ve this problem since that kind of drivers and AUDIO-card.

Momentary I do this little trick I talked about -- -- and it works.

--------------------------

I´ll look for a better workaround but today I can tell you only this little trick. And it works - and I don´t hear any crackles anymore

Jd

Stuttery Distortion & Cutout Audio Glitch

Stuttery Distortion & Cutout Audio Glitch

Adio glitching

Re: Stuttery Distortion & Cutout Audio Glitch

Pause when I change beats

Re: Stuttery Distortion & Cutout Audio Glitch

Re: Stuttery Distortion & Cutout Audio Glitch

Glitches and CPU spikes n the 'warming up' phenomenon.

Re: Glitches and CPU spikes n the 'warming up' phenomenon.

Re: Glitches and CPU spikes n the 'warming up' phenomenon.

System shmystem

Re: Stuttery Distortion & Cutout Audio Glitch

AUDIO crackle ....