Important recording ruined!?!

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rlinzell
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:18 pm

Important recording ruined!?!

Post by rlinzell »

I recently was commissioned to record a world-class concert pianist with Amadeus Pro 1.5.3 onto my Mac PowerbookPro G4. The concert was 1 hour 20 min long. When I tried to save the file (1st as .wav, then as .aiff) I got error messages from Amadeus Pro indicating that the file was too large .... resulting in no save. So then I saved in Amadeus Pro native file format ... and got a 3.9 MB file that will NOT play back. (plays back jibberish ... and yes, you can see the wave-form) I'm SOOOO screwed!! This was an important recording gig for me and I've got nothing! :( I have recorded a number of concerts successfully in the past with Amadeus Pro using this identical rig. I usually end up with a 1.3 - 1.5 GB file size. What happened ???? Is there ANY way to recover ??? I record using an Apogee Mini-Me interface (USB 2.0) at 24bit/48kHZ. Please help if you can!! Ron [/b]

philxm
Posts: 128
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2006 6:55 pm

Important recording ruined!?!

Post by philxm »

Have you tried opening the file, and resaving to a different format, or at
least a different file of the same format? If the data is, as you suggest,
in the file, then it should be salvageable one way or another.

--Phil M.


rlinzell wrote:
I recently was commissioned to record a world-class concert pianist with
Amadeus Pro 1.5.3 onto my Mac PowerbookPro G4. The concert was 1 hour 20 min
long. When I tried to save the file (1st as .wav, then as .aiff) I got error
messages from Amadeus Pro indicating that the file was too large ....
resulting in no save. So then I saved in Amadeus Pro native file format ...
and got a 3.9 MB file that will NOT play back. (plays back jibberish ... and
yes, you can see the wave-form) I'm SOOOO screwed!! This was an important
recording gig for me and I've got nothing! :( I have recorded a number of
concerts successfully in the past with Amadeus Pro using this identical rig.
I usually end up with a 1.3 - 1.5 GB file size. What happened ???? Is there
ANY way to recover ??? I record using an Apogee Mini-Me interface (USB 2.0)
at 24bit/48kHZ. Please help if you can!! Ron [/b]




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rlinzell
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Post by rlinzell »

Yes, I've tried everything. Copy/paste small sections of the file .... saving in all different file formats .... nothing works .... get the same "jibberish" on playback of any filetype.

rlinzell
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Post by rlinzell »

Correction ... the file size is 3.9GB not 3.9MB as I incorrectly stated in my original post. Ron

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Martin Hairer
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Important recording ruined!?!

Post by Martin Hairer »

Have you tried the "Import raw data" function with various settings?
Regards,

Martin

HairerSoft
http://www.hairersoft.com/


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rlinzell
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Post by rlinzell »

Yes, I've tried importing as raw. I've used the settings appropriate to my laptop (PowerPC, 48KHz, Header size 0) .... does not improve the situation at all. Playback sounds like a rattle snake "chit chit chit chit"

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Martin Hairer
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Important recording ruined!?!

Post by Martin Hairer »

What if you try different header sizes (1,2,3,4,5)? Also, have you selected the correct
bitsize (24 bit, not 16)?

Also, you say that the waveform "is there". What does it look like when you open the
file? (Can you post a screenshot at minimal horizontal zoom level, i.e. 1?) Is it possible
that the problem is with playback, not with the recording itself? Regards,

Martin

HairerSoft
http://www.hairersoft.com/


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rlinzell
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Post by rlinzell »

I have a good screen shot saved as a .tiff file. How do I attach it (or insert the image) to a forum post? Tried "Img" but that didn't work for me.... just presented the path and filename.

Update - submitted to Martin via email attachment
Last edited by rlinzell on Sun Jan 16, 2011 7:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.

rlinzell
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Post by rlinzell »

The problem is definitely not with playback. The problem is with the AP data file (50 or so samples followed by a few milliseconds of flat-line, repeating through the entire performance). resulting in "chit chit chit chit chit chit" sound... no matter how I save or "import" it. PS>> My Powerbook G4 is running a very clean installation of Leopard ... no problems with any other apps.

rlinzell
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Post by rlinzell »

Here's another interesting piece to this puzzle: After the concert audience had left the building, the pianist came over to me and asked me to re-record a piece that he felt could have been performed better. I obliged him. I opened AP and recorded the piece. It saved and plays back just fine!!

alansilv
Posts: 31
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:16 pm
Location: Southern California, USA

re: important recording ruined

Post by alansilv »

I know exactly the sinking feeling you are going through and really don't have any more suggestions to offer other than your experience (and my parallel ones) should be a warning not to rely on a single recording device when the job is critical - especially a device that is not a dedicated recorder. There are pro quality digital (flash memory) recorders on the market in the $100-$500 range that will give you excellent results and not add a lot of weight to your field kit. You could loop through your MacBook interface so you have the same inputs to both and wind up with a master recording and a safety backup. I hate to think you won't be able to retrieve your valuable recording, but you can prevent it from happening again.

rlinzell
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Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:18 pm

Post by rlinzell »

Martin Hairer just saved my butt! I uploaded the 3.9GB file to him (at his request) and he waved his magic wand over it ... sent me back a 1.2GB .aiff (the size that I had originally anticipated) and it friggin' worked!!!!! The best part is that the pianist who commissioned the job never even got wind of the issue... YES!!!!

PS> re: backup - yes, I do use a Zoom H4n as a backup. However, the results are far inferior to my primary (Earthworks QTC-40 - Apogee pre/converter) rig. There is absolutely no comparison! This recording is scheduled for commercial release. The backup would never have cut it. So, I guess it really isn't a "backup", is it? Hmmm?? Oh, Oh, Yet again, even more $$$$ need spending.

Sonic Purity
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Post by Sonic Purity »

rlinzell wrote:Martin Hairer just saved my butt! I uploaded the 3.9GB file to him (at his request) and he waved his magic wand over it ... sent me back a 1.2GB .aiff (the size that I had originally anticipated) and it friggin' worked!!!!! The best part is that the pianist who commissioned the job never even got wind of the issue... YES!!!!
Yay Martin!

Now this is service above and beyond the call of duty! I really have to wonder whether the folks at BIAS and/or other audio software entities ever do such Massive Acts of Kindness.

Happy to read a Happy Ending,
))Sonic((

alansilv
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Location: Southern California, USA

Post by alansilv »

rlinzell wrote: I do use a Zoom H4n as a backup. However, the results are far inferior to my primary.
Not surprising, especially if you're using the built-in mics of the H4n. However, if you take a line out of the Apogee and go to the 1/4" line in jacks in the middle of the xlrs of the H4n I think you could get a pretty decent recording considering the H4n is capable of 24/96 wav and you'd be bypassing its mic preamps or at least just having them at unity gain.

rlinzell
Posts: 10
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:18 pm

Post by rlinzell »

I like the concept .... I'll give it a go! THANKS

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