Clicks between tracks in Windows Media Player

[bspro]

I just tried to burn 13 tracks from ProTools LE onto a disk using Windows Media Player and I get a nasty audible click at the end of each track before the next track begins. Does anyone have an idea of how this can be remedied? I mixed all of the songs down to 16 bit, 44.1 hz. The songs themselves sound fine, it is just noise in between. Help!

[AnalogElectric]

I don't work with ProTools LE but I can give some troubleshooting suggestions.

First a few questions:
What operating system are you using? Windows XP (Pro or Home), 2000, or what? (I'm GUESSING it's a PC but what OS?).

Is your OS fully up-to-date?

Is your version of LE fully up-to-date?

What version of Media Player do you have?

One thing off the bat to look at is in Media Player there are a few settings in regard to "quality" (especially look at highest sample rate settings).

Also, try not using Media Player as the burning program. In XP you can plop in a blank CD-R and drag-drop the WAV files and the Wizard will ask if you want to make an audio CD. If you get the same problem then you'll know it's not Media Player (unless that's the systems audio default burner then I'd find a freeware/shareware program online somewhere.

Is this something that has just happened recently? Is it something that happens only when you do it in the order you described or have you burned other non-LE tunes via Media Player on to a disc with fine results?

Do you use dithering at all when doing an audio mixdown?

Hmmm...

Do you real-time export?

Have you tried burning the disc at a slower speed like x8 or less?

So many variables running thu my head, heh. I've found Media Player to be a bit twitchy so when I've been burning discs on my WnXP computer I use a different program. I've gotten pops and clicks from Media Player before even when I tweak its settings. It does some conversion/compression taking a WAV file, converting it to a wm*, and back to a WAV when burning... that bugs me.

Let me know what you figure out.
Anyone else have suggestions?

-- Adam Lazlo

[bspro]

Thanks Adam for the thoughts,

Let me answer your questions before proceeding:

I'm running XP Home with PT 6.1 and Media Player 9, I believe.

I was a little leary about updating to PT 6.7...or actually I think I've got a free 6.4 upgrade, simply because I had 30 songs or so that hadn't been completed (the first half of which I have completed and am experiencing the clicking with).

I had also heard that the Media Player 10 (which I think is the most current) has caused all sorts of issues for people, as has service pack 2, so I've avoided them both.

I am using dithering...but only the dither in the Maxim plug-in.

I have tried burning the disc at slower speeds to no avail.

Today I tried your suggestion to burn in a different program. My computer had a demo version of Musicmatch on it and so I used one of my 5 free burns and sure enough NO CLICKS!!!

However!!!!! I started listening back and once I got about half way through the CD it SLOWED DOWN! Yes, like the batteries on a cassette walkman going out. This wasn't a warble or the like, it was a continuous slow...like it dropped the whole project by 10-20 bpm!!

What CD burning program do you suggest? Will a freeware program work fine, or should I purchase something different?

I certainly appreciate your thoughts, and would invite anyone else to jump in on this as well.

Gratefully,

Brett

[AnalogElectric]

That's strange... I use B's Gold Recorder for my XP but regardless of that I've NEVER had problems like you've described...... and I've sent out mixes pre-mastering to Atlantic, MTV, BMI, and so on based on what you have without "slow-downs", to me that's just waaaaaay weird.

I really have no suggestion or reason as to why your problem is what it is. A gradual "slow down" within a computer and outside listening is very very odd to say the least.

I have NO IDEA why ANY program would "slow down" (like you've stated) .....

Yup, you've stumped me; and I'm sure others as well.

I burn down to B's Gold (XP) or Toast Titanium (Mac) without any problems what-so-ever.

-- Adam Lazlo

[bspro]

Well Adam, thanks for your help nonetheless. As I type this, I've downloaded itunes for windows and am burning the disk once again to see if this fixes my weird issues. I was stunned myself when I heard the "slow down".

Thanks again!

Brett

[syrupcore]

the slow down might be due to an electro-magnet shift. it depends on where you live, relative to the equator. I know it's sounds like bullshit.

that's because it is.

Now, as far as the clicks go, you might want to open your audio files in a 2 track editor (audacity is a very nice free one) and check the very first and last little samples of the file. If they do not end right on the 0 line, you'll get a click. This can be solved by selecting the last (or first) 2-5 samples and using the programs 'correct DC offset' or similar sounding function. You can also usually get away with selecting a little bit more and doing a destructive fade in/out. I'm talking 20-40 samples here, nothing audible (usually). If your CD is going to be mastered, they'll take care of this.

Any CD burning program will do you better than windows media player or musicmatch. they're made for linkin park mix cds and spying on you. nero, easy cd creator, one of these.... http://www.tucows.com/cdrutil95_rating.html

Also, this might be more bullshit, I don't remember but choosing 'disc at once' instead of 'track at once' mode might get rid of pops.

will