Weird Sound Issue

[stanley19]

I have a music recording program (Cool Edit Pro) installed on my computer.  I record the instruments directly into the mic jack on my sound card (Creative Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS).  It has worked just fine for quite a while now.  Just today I came across kind of an odd issue. 

When I record the instruments, they don't come through the speakers like they have been.  They record just fine into the program, and they play back through the speakers perfectly after they are recorded onto the track , but while the recording is happening, the instrument being recorded doesn't come out of the speakers.  It's not typically an issue when recording guitars, but it's nice to hear the drum machine come through when I'm creating patterns.

Does this ring a bell for anyone?  I'm hoping this is a simple fix, since it worked up until today, and I can't think of what could have been adjusted.

All other sounds come through the speakers just fine as well.  Please help!!

[JJ 3000]

Try doing a System Restore to before the problem started

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000589.htm

[Kurtiskain]

This is a simple fix Open your sound mixer from the bottom right corner, if is not there, go into your control panel and find the sounds and devices applet, and check the box that says put icon on taskbar (assuming windows XP here, by the way)

Double click the speaker icon to bring up the mixer. Where mic is in the list, check to see if it is muted, or all the way down. If 'mic' is not on the list, go to options > properties and select all the boxes, and push ok.

Now that mic is in the list, unmute it, and it will now be played back through the speakers.

Now for the explanation;

Sound cards have 2 mixers (apart from the new HD audio, like mine, with multi-stream technology)
One is playback, one is recording. (you can access the recording one by going to options > properties, and changing the drop box to recording)
Now as you can see, you can edit them independently and have 2 separate mic levels.

I believe that your new program muted the playback level, to avoid getting echo through the 'mic' you are using, but in your case, this does not matter.

Hope this helps!

Kurtis

[quaxo]

Also, in the advanced settings for the microphone, make sure 'do not monitor' is unchecked.

[stanley19]

This is a simple fix Open your sound mixer from the bottom right corner, if is not there, go into your control panel and find the sounds and devices applet, and check the box that says put icon on taskbar (assuming windows XP here, by the way)

Double click the speaker icon to bring up the mixer. Where mic is in the list, check to see if it is muted, or all the way down. If 'mic' is not on the list, go to options > properties and select all the boxes, and push ok.

Now that mic is in the list, unmute it, and it will now be played back through the speakers.

Now for the explanation;

Sound cards have 2 mixers (apart from the new HD audio, like mine, with multi-stream technology)
One is playback, one is recording. (you can access the recording one by going to options > properties, and changing the drop box to recording)
Now as you can see, you can edit them independently and have 2 separate mic levels.

I believe that your new program muted the playback level, to avoid getting echo through the 'mic' you are using, but in your case, this does not matter.

Hope this helps!

Kurtis

Thanks Kurtis.  That was exactly the problem.  I've had this program for about 6 years now and it's the first time that this has happened.  Thanks again.

Steve

[Kurtiskain]

You are very welcome!

Welcome to Computer Hope, by the way!