Strange clicking noises

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Strange clicking noises

2006-11-08 05:25 pm

    Hi, People.

   Many, many years ago, when I was still using Version 1.1, I think I read somewhere - possibly in a Help File - about notes sometimes sounding with a sort of included tapping or clicking noise, and that this was curable by ... and I've forgotten what! Perhaps increasing the buffer size/number (and I remember an initial "error" message which said there was too little buffer space, and would I like to increase it!)? Or summat.

   I often experience such a tapping noise, and I would like to get rid of it. Does anyone know anything about this?

   MusicJohn, 8/Nov/06

Re: Strange clicking noises

Reply #1 – 2006-11-08 10:16 pm

I'd like to know this too - I get a similar problem on my notebook. Only have a softsynth, the on board sound has no hardware synth.

Re: Strange clicking noises

Reply #2 – 2006-11-09 04:55 am

Just a guess, but all synths have a finite number of simultaneous voices. When exceeded, it drops sustained notes. Some do this more gracefully than others. Many of the "instruments" use more than one voice per pitch and you can exceed the limit with just a few notes.

If you add a playing style of staccato to each staff and the clicking goes away, I'd say this is the problem.

Re: Strange clicking noises

Reply #3 – 2006-11-10 05:11 pm

   Hi, Rick.

   You make the point about synths having a finite number of simultaneous voices, and then dropping sustained notes. You suggest a test: add a playing style of staccato to each staff and if the clicking goes away then that's the problem.

   Hmmm. Staccato doesn't seem to make any difference, and anyway I need all the notes in other styles.

   But ... do I assume that no-one else has any knowledge of what I seem to recall - some sort of "Help File" message about this tapping or clicking noise problem? And - and possibly connected - a recommendation to increase the buffer space?

   Eric: can you help here?

   MusicJohn, 10/Nov/06

Re: Strange clicking noises

Reply #4 – 2006-11-10 07:22 pm

Quote from: MusicJohn – 2006-11-10 05:11 pm

You suggest a test: add a playing style of staccato to each staff and if the clicking goes away then that's the problem.

Probably not the problem, then. Of course you won't want everything staccato. That is why I called it a test.

I assume you have tried to mute anything using Channel 10 or possibly 16 (whichever is the drum channel).

You might try muting half the staves. If it stops, enable more, etc. If just a few staves cause the problem, look there, especially at MPC's - they can generate a lot of MIDI commands.

Try saving the file as MIDI. if the clicks go away, NWC is doing something it shouldn't.

Re: Strange clicking noises

Reply #5 – 2006-11-11 03:41 pm

How about posting a link to one of your NWC files where you hear the "clicking".

This would help us all to analyze this problem.

Re: Strange clicking noises

Reply #6 – 2006-11-12 06:34 pm

   Hi, People.

   It is with some embarrassment that I have to report that, having found an example of a File with the unpleasant "tcking" noise, and having - on a whim - experimented with changing the instruments, I have discovered that it seems to be the instrument itself that is the cause of the "problem". Specifically, it is flute-like instruments - the flute and the piccolo - and other "breathy" ones, such as (going down the list) the recorder, the pan flute, the bottle blow (!), and the shakuhachi (whatever that is) ... but not the whistle or the ocarina. It seems to be built in; generally, an instrument that starts each note with a puff of air has the "tck" sound at the beginning of the note. And the greater the dynamic, the more apparent the "tck" (which is I suppose obvious given that increased dynamics represent increased velocity, and so hitting/attacking the note harder).

   Oh well; sorry to waste your time.

   On the other hand ... I still remember reading something about this many, many years ago, as well as - and possibly connected - being invited to increase the buffer size. Surely someone else has come across these. Eric?? Speak to us, Eric!!

   MusicJohn, 12/Nov/06