# Audacity not responding



## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Hi to all,

I have a new Thinkpad T520, SP1. I Was trying to record some music with Audacity but could only pick up external sounds, for example, my voice!!! In Audacity, under I/O Preferences, the recording devices I have are:

Playback = Speakers (Conexant 20672 SmartA)
Recording = Internal Microphone (Conexant 2)

in the drop-down menu there's also Microsoft Sound Mapper - Input



When I check in Recording Devices on my little speaker icon, it only shows an internal microphone as my recording devices. It's a Conexant 20672 Smart Audio HD.

How do I go about enabling me to record, please? I've checked and have the latest driver installed. Do I need to install anything else, please?

I understand that Thinkpads can cause problems but there must surely be way around this?

Many thanks,


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

I used to be able to record from the soundcard using audacity but my understanding is they've stopped allowing that because people are recording music illegally. However, you can record from your soundcard by getting a double ended male cable and route the headphone socket into the microphone socket. You have to fiddle with the levels, but that's how I've managed it. Hope this helps.


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Hi superdadie, Thing is, how do I go about doing this, please? I am so grateful for your reply xxx


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

Connect your cable (male to male standard 5mm jacks) from headphone port to microphone port on your computer so that what would normally come out of the speakers or into a headphone goes back into the computer's microphone socket as input. You might want an extra connection for headphones into the second side so you can monitor what you're recording. Remember all your system sounds will be recorded so you might want to turn those off! Select microphone as your inward source. Hit record and play your sounds.


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Hi supersadie,

Gosh, that sounds complicated. Thing is, I only have one place where I can plug in the jack. I've looked around this laptop and there isn't any other port for the microphone ...... unless I've misread your reply?

thank you so much for your response xx


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Maybe like this ...


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Have you got the new audacity ... it might help ???


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Hi noyb and how are you?

Yes, I tried also with the latest Audacity but I have since read it doesn't convert to MP3s? 
As to the cables, I only have one speaker port and this is where my Jack plug goes. I can hear music from my speakers but it's the recording music that I'm having problems with. Do you mean at the back of my speaker itself? I have one main one and 2 small woofers.

Not only this, but whenever I surf and click on a website, I hear this TICK from the speakers. Also, when I play a music track. .... just before the tune starts, I hear again this TICK. If I stop the track and click play, the tick's gone. Most peculiar because I've never had this problem before with XP. 

thank you so much for your reply xxx


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Morny said:


> Yes, I tried also with the latest Audacity but I have since read it doesn't convert to MP3s?


Mine does ... did you install the Lame encoder ??? .... From the Audacity help files ...


> To export as MP3, the optional Lame MP3 encoder must be installed.


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Yes, I always do because it won't save any recordings otherwise. I would like to get this sorted but think I might go back to my XP machine/laptop because it was so much easier :-(


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

I'm assuming you have W7 ... have you tried to enable stereo mix ??? 
The new audacity has more input choices/control .. I was hoping this would help


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Supersadie was suggesting to wire the headset output > back to the > mic input so you could record from the mic input what was being played to the laptop headset.
I've had to do this before and I used a Y Cable from Radio Shack
This Y splitter allows you to connect a headset so you can listen to what is being recorded.
In my picture above (post #6) ... the "line out" would be the headset output from a laptop.
If you plug into the headset output on a laptop .. it will shut off the internal speakers and you might need a headset to hear what you're recoding


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

Noyb has it exactly. I'm having difficulty with you not having a socket for headphone/speaker and a separate one for microphone. Have I misunderstood you? I would have thought that was standard on a computer but...?

By the way, I can't get my Audacity to export to MP3 properly either - it says it's doing it, but the output is horrible. I've got round it by exporting to a wav file and then using Mediacoder to encode to mp3. Works like a dream. You just drag the file into the program, select format and then mp3 and then hit convert. Super simple interface. And free.

I also record on my digital recorder (tiny olympus thing) using a jack from headphone (computer) to recorder (microphone). Then I upload the wma file to my laptop, convert to mp3 with mediacoder and then it will open in audacity for editing.

I've learnt all these workarounds just by trial and error. Hope this helps!


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

supersadie said:


> By the way, I can't get my Audacity to export to MP3 properly either - it says it's doing it, but the output is horrible.


Mine seems OK .... What version of lame are you using ???


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Yes, I have W7. I do not have the stereo mix.


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

I'm not sure i've ever had to install anything separately. I've searched my laptop and there is a Lame v3.98.3 for audacity on windows, on it but I'm not sure if I installed it. Is this the one I should have? If not, do you know which one is latest and best for Audacity? Thanks!


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Morny said:


> Yes, I have W7. I do not have the stereo mix.


See if you can unhide it .... http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/39532/how-to-enable-stereo-mix-in-windows-7-to-record-audio/


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

supersadie said:


> I'm not sure i've ever had to install anything separately. I've searched my laptop and there is a Lame v3.98.3 for audacity on windows, on it but I'm not sure if I installed it. Is this the one I should have? If not, do you know which one is latest and best for Audacity? Thanks!


I have v 3.99.2.3 ... and I place it in my Programs/Audacity folder


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

I found and installed Lame form here http://lame1.buanzo.com.ar/#lamewindl
Haven't tried yet.


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

*from here


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

?????
This will install the latest ...


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

Just tested exporting to mp3 and it's just as horrible as before. A mess of noise, not even recognisable


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

I installed but can't find it in my c programs audacity folder (which is where it said it would install)..


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Check your Preferences ....
Your program may not be using the lame you think it is ????


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Hello to all and I initially installed the .dll code because without this, Audacity cannot save your file. I think it's because I've tried so many different ways, AND restored my PC back that I hadn't actually reinstalled the .dll file.

I've just installed the latest Audacity AND the latest lame encoder (thank you) and had a trial run AND it worked!!! Can't believe it. I have to say it's seems a bit of a long-winded affair recording after using it with Wnds XP. 

Thing is, I've just tried playing some music and had Audacity running BUT again, it doesn't pick up the sounds properly, if at all and sooooooo back to square one.


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

I found the dll and put that in the audacity folder.
No difference.
I don't know what to do with preferences.


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

Sorry - didn't see your thumbnails. Will check!


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

The .dll just goes into your DOCUMENTS folder ......... anywhere really, as long as it's sitting there. I presume you're using Windows 7?
Then when you start Audacity for the first time, it will ask you where it is and you use BROWSE and get to your Documents folder and click on the .dll link and it will save your music.


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## Noyb (May 25, 2005)

Morny said:


> BUT again, it doesn't pick up the sounds properly, if at all and sooooooo back to square one.


Play around in your Audacity > Edit > Preferences ... I had to try several before I got it ???


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

No. It's not asking me anything. I checked in preferences and it's there. But the file is all mashed


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Start playing any piece of music. Maybe you have something on your C drive? Just start playing it and stop after a short while and pretend you're going to 'save it'. Click on export selection as ..... and THEN Audacity will ask you if you want to add the .dll and then you browse to your DOCUMENTS and double click this .dll file and then you carry on saving your selected piece of music.


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

Tried again but same result. Will probably go back to mediacoder...simple but effective!


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## supersadie (Sep 26, 2009)

Thanks very much for trying to help. 
And well done Morny for getting something, at least, to work..


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Going back to my problem of not being able to record directly from music played ...... I think it must be a Thinkpad issue. I have read this has caused problems but I have no idea why?


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

Can you record with this, please? Also is it free?


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## Morny (Oct 12, 2005)

I just tried to download this Media coder but I had to abandon. It created several Trojans and baddies!!! Perhaps you could give me a proper link, please?


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