Ok, thanks for this. I'll have to carefully read your comments and digest them and then see if I can do some troubleshooting with regards to your points.You've got a gremlin in the works. The waveform has lots of nasty little miscoding in it - the ones that line up with starts of notes are just more obvious - but they seem to be random bits of noise, or VERY steep jumps in the levels - and speakers cannot cope with these nor the electronics so the little clicks are the harmonics from the very sharp almost square wave start.
Cause wise? probably not levels, because those clips were modest in amplitude - so probably either a dodgy driver, which could always be removed or updated as a start, or a proper hardware fault - but that would be rare, I think. If you plug the DI output into some other device that would either click or not click. Not clicking points again to the AD process but if it did click, then if it's an active DI - could that be the problem? I don't think it's static, despite sounding like it - but the waveform suggests something else. If both pickups do it, discount the bass, and look for electronics.
Yeah, there's lots of interference around these days and electronic garbage. Not being able to consistently repeat the clicks makes it really hard to get to the bottom of what's going on. I'd hate to think my RME Fireface UFX 2 is faulty. I checked the drivers and flash stuff and it's all up to date and current. So the search for answers continues.I had a listen. Now I’m doubting the static theory being the cause of the clicks.
(Although, shielding the p/g is still a good idea)
So now, it feels like we’re in the twilight zone episode.
I remember back in the earlier days of cellphones weird stuff happening.
I’d be working while listening to the stereo and would hear some strange electronic noises coming through the speakers.
Then 2 seconds later my phone would ring. I started noticing this being quite a regular phenomenon. This would do this with any visitor’s phones as well.
So fast forward to late 2023. A buddy stops by with the latest iPhone in tow, as he always does. A walking loyal Apple advertisement he is.
But let’s get to the point. We’re checking out a new guitar of his........and wait for it......
I hear a ticking noise coming through the amp!!! Twilight zone stuff.
He says, “oh, that’s just my phone” and moves it away. The ticking immediately stops
So in closing, I don’t know what your clicking problem is, even though I thought I did yesterday.
I do know, in this time and space, we are bombarded with all kind of electronic garbage floating around.
Just food for thought.
Right, but it isn't really specific notes. If I gave that impression that's my bad. Sometimes I feel like if the fleshy part of the hand connects two strings then that's a cause...but yeah...not repeatable. I've DI'd this bass numerous times and got through sessions where the clicking doesn't occur or is very infrequent. Other times it's prominent to the extent that you can't record. Many times I'll do a passage and go listen back and I hear some of the clicks. I'll delete the take and re-do it until I get a take with no clicks. But yeah, sorry if I misled there on the 'specific notes' thing. That's not really the case.Seems to me, if it was a static problem, you'd be able to make the click sounds just by lightly touching any metal part of the bass.
Having to play specific notes screams "frequency" issue...
I'm thinking interface.
Yeah I do. I have an RME Babybface but not installed on this PC. I have it hooked up to a laptop. I could try recording through it DI.Do you have any other way to record that bass direct that isn't the RME Fireface UFX 2? Just to rule that out?
Yeah you're making a lot of sense. I guess I should head on over to RME and post a thread on their forums. By the way, I'm always very impressed by fellas like you taking the time to throw audio clips into your DAW for a look-see. Appreciate that!The thing that leads me to doubt static is the fact that most clicks are aligned with notes. Static would be random - there are a few random impulses, but most happen on the transition of no sound, to sound. Touching the strings can be a discharge point, but it's hard to not have a ground path with your left or right hands. Like when we have a buzzy guitar with no hands touching - your left or right hand easily initiates grounding. My view of the waveform suggests a big jump in digitised levels from silent to loud when the notes are 'twanged'. mis-sampling errors. Digital values taking a huge sudden hike.
Yeah, all latest updated stuff. And buffer size is nowhere near low. I'm looking into the possibility of some kind of USB port snafu. But this issue existed on my old laptop too. Which would mean if it is USB related that'd be 2 bad USB ports in a row on 2 different machines producing the same problem. Unlikely? Maybe. The room I record in is 8x9ft with many, many...many audio cables etc for all my studio gear. Some kind of interference? Not sure. I've made a thread at some bass forums and at RME. Haven't had the time to look into stuff lately. But will get back to it soon enough.First thing is to make sure you're on the latest drivers and stuff? I guess it could also be maybe linked to buffer size? but that type of click is usually randomly placed?
Hey Talisman. Thanks for looking into the wav. So by "induced" what are you getting at? Your point about not being close to missampling. Interesting. And no, the recorded track was well under clipping. I think it may have been -18dbfs or something. Don't quote me on the figures but when I recorded the examples I was well under clipping. Not even close.Like Rob, I looked at the waveforms but it's really tough to find those really small crackles in the middle of the wave. But it was easy to see a couple before the first note was even picked, which I would think is something induced. I'm assuming that these are the clicks I am hearing. At that point, the waveform is nowhere close to a condition that one would expect missampling. It's not close to clipping.
View attachment 135326
Strange......
Right - if it was a defective RM or Guitar CableI it would do it on all the strings - it is probably the Bass - and somehow he is touching the strings to the pickup or making some contact on the strings.So, now we're narrowed down to a defective RMI, a defective guitar cable, or something in the guitar itself. I'll try to record some static from one of my guitars and you can let me know if you think it sounds and looks similar.