Question about waveform in Audacity

[kickingtone]

Hi! I often notice when recording my vocals (using Audacity) that the dark blue trace is not symmetrical. Does anyone know what would cause this? Is it anything to do with centering the pitch?

 

It would be really useful if I could understand the effect enough to be able to control when it happens.

 

Thanks!

 

http://soundcloud.com/kickingtone/ichfilwy002lv

 

 

 

[1001gear]

These are dark harmonics. They seem to be inaudible and their very existence is a matter of fierce debate.

[kickingtone]

These are dark harmonics. They seem to be inaudible and their very existence is a matter of fierce debate.

 

Hi! Do you have any links to the fierce debate?

[1001gear]

These are usually private single ended debates and can put the untrained observer at considerable risk.

 

Try asking here instead:

 

http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/recording/acapella-14

 

wrgkmc will know. I promise.

[kickingtone]

OK. Can I quote your #2 post?

[1001gear]

Absolutely. I am the proud saidist. Sig it. lol.

[1001gear]

FWIW I thought plus/minus was always equal. I can't understand how these traces can be not just lopsided but consistently phase specifically lopsided. I do recall digital waves can be synthesized to contain top or bottom but that doesn't intuit into audibility at all. Best as I can figure the imbalances in your traces are pulsed anomalies at the frequency of occurrence. Which still makes no sense to me...

 

I do think that while oscilloscope control can be an interesting reference / challenge, your time would be better spent using your ears.

[kickingtone]

FWIW I thought plus/minus was always equal. I can't understand how these traces can be not just lopsided but consistently phase specifically lopsided. I do recall digital waves can be synthesized to contain top or bottom but that doesn't intuit into audibility at all. Best as I can figure the imbalances in your traces are pulsed anomalies at the frequency of occurrence. Which still makes no sense to me...

 

Yep, that is the sort of thing that occurred to me, as well. I don't know why the effect is biased in one direction, and sporadic.

 

One possibility is that the system responds with more mechanical/electronic noise for particular sounds. That would push up the RMS, causing the trace to zero at a higher point (effectively pulling the dark blue trace down).

 

I do think that while oscilloscope control can be an interesting reference / challenge' date=' your time would be better spent using your ears.[/quote']

 

I don't think it is one or the other. Both are happening even as you use graphical output.

 

Sometimes, bad technique can sound fine. It is only when you perform under stress that it gets out of control. It is better to eliminate bad technique than to control it. You should find and practise a correct technique. Some bad technique is visible in a trace, even though you may not be able to hear it. Maybe you can learn to really listen hard and hear it, but why not investigate if you SEE something odd in a trace?

 

Diphthongs are a pretty good example. I can sometimes see a kink in a note that is the signature of a badly executed diphthong, but it is not bad enough to be audible. But what the visuals demonstrate is that you have used the wrong technique. Why not take the opportunity to correct the technique?

 

[1001gear]

Maybe a field like "voice diagnostic technician" (needs to be invented first) would have use for waveform analysis. What comes to mind in reading your responses to WRGKMC is that a voice stress analyzer might offer more practical feedback than waveform archeology. Even then I'd venture that faced with this micro or macro junction, most musicians would go large and focus on audible progress rather than hyper refined and possibly inaudible detail.