What's causing this distortion in my Logic recording?

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I'm recording guitar and vocals. In one track, I keep hearing this kind of electronic hiccup. Sometimes that I had been recording I'll get a message about the frequency being an issue somehow and it stops recording. It didn't stop here but I wouldn't be surprised if this problem is related.

I could screen shot the track if someone would find that helpful. Here's a Dropbox file with a little audio and you can hear what I am talking about: Dropbox - ethnography_album.m4a - Simplify your life

Thanks in advance. This forum is life.
 
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Can you list your complete setup? Mac, and all connected or nearby wireless devices?
 
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So, the setup is a 15' MBP running Mojave 10.14.4

The problem I'm almost positive is the computer not having enough CPU memory. Lately I've been having this issue with kernel_task taking up crazy amounts of room. I wrote about it in this thread....
 
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Have you tried setting a higher buffer setting?

That’s usually the culprit with hiccups or outright lockups.

I’d look into that kernel issue. Perhaps a full nuke and reinstall could be in order. Running audio has its issues and requires a very stable system.

I run pro tools/logic with a pair of UAD apollo8P racks on an iMac and keep that iMac free of everything.
 

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I’d look into that kernel issue. Perhaps a full nuke and reinstall could be in order. Running audio has its issues and requires a very stable system.

I run pro tools/logic with a pair of UAD apollo8P racks on an iMac and keep that iMac free of everything.
I'm not running Logic (nothing I do requires that level of recording) but for my own edification would logging into a "clean" user account achieve the same result?
 
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Huh.....I hadnt thought about that. I think the problem with a clean user account is it'll still have the apps and other cruff that's accumulated. I'd be happy to be wrong however.......

As for the buffer, I'm under the impression a larger buffer is more likely to lead to those kinds of hiccups as the program is processing more while recording. Am I wrong?
 

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It has the apps there in case the user wants to use them but a lot of the unnecessary stuff isn't created until the program runs unless I am misunderstanding something. I don't think a clean account fixes your problem but I was just curious.
 
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re buffer, yes, its the other way around. Higher buffer settings is for systems with less power to handle things, setting it lower (ie 128 or below) can cause all kinds of glitches and pops to outright CPU overload stoppages. I currently have mine set to 256, though sometimes I can get 128, Im using a quad i7 4.2 iMac. unfortunately higher buffer settings gives higher latency, so monitor your source not through your daw. So set the buffer way up (like 512 or more) and test things, bring it down until you get problems. Theres your setting.

Regarding frequency, it. may be what you're recording in, some people will max things out recording it at 24/192, there's just no reason to do so, most of us doing pro work, my most used setting is 24bit at 48KHz. sometimes I get requests at 88.1 or 96KHz, and when I use 96, even with the heavy audio racks with 16 cores of sharc chips in those racks, its pretty taxing. So consider what you're recording at, if its super high, drop it. Your system will better handle lower res audio. Just keep the 24bit, many I know just record at 44.1, even major records.

And, having a very very clean system, is imperative to problem free recording. As an aside I (as well as everyone else it seems) have found Mojave to have some issues with audio. Pro tools wasn't qualified for Mojave until a month ago, and there's still bugs. Logic is going to be better.
 
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I'm not running Logic (nothing I do requires that level of recording) but for my own edification would logging into a "clean" user account achieve the same result?

It probably would. But, if there is a problem system wise that's causing an issue with audio (and all it takes is one tiny little thing) that exists within the OS/system not in the user area, then it won't help. But its worth giving it a go when you're knocking your head.

Ive had to do a nuke and reinstall a couple times over the years, its usually the ticket when you've hit a wall on audio stuff.

But the glitchy stuff sounds more like too low a buffer setting, too high a bit rate and hitting the system too hard. That and/or Im not sure what if any interface going in. Mojave has caused untold grief with many audio interfaces which is why so many have either ditched OS X (if they are able) or stayed clear of Mojave altogether. I recently saw the stats on % of pro tools users on PC, and while it was 70+% Mac at one time, I got quite a shock... in just 3 years, it went from 70 Mac 20+ PC, to the complete opposite. Mac just collapsed in the audio area. Thats deeply, deeply concerning.
 
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