Chunks of sound missing after saving files

Dianne-MacDonald wrote on 9/17/2021, 9:28 AM

Hi,

We have recently purchased Sound Forge Audio Studio 15. We are using Microsoft Windows 10, version 10.0.19043. I don't know what is meant by hardware setup. We have been using Sound Forge 10 for the past 8 years or so. I am the person who does the editing. I am not a sound technician, just a personal assistant trying to make things work!

On the older software, when I would save files, if I was about to save the file and have an "unexpected" outcome (like bits of my file being missing), I would be notified before I continued to save. Now that I have Sound Forge 15, I am trying to save files and losing sections of the files every time I save, with no notification. This means that we cannot use the files we have recorded and we have not been able to do our usual postings since we bought the new software in July/August.

Please help me to understand what I am doing that makes this happen and what I should be doing so that it doesn't happen again. I don't have a lot of technical knowledge as far as doing effects. I just record, do minor editing and then save the recorded file for upload. I am sure it is a simple thing. I have been googling what to do and it seems that this is something that no one else experiences... probably because it's too easy of a fix and people with sound technician knowledge know what they are doing LOL.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

Dianne

Comments

rraud wrote on 9/17/2021, 1:12 PM

What format are your source files and what format are you saving them as?
If the source media are of a lossy file type (MP3, AAC, ect,) try enabling "Always proxy lossy formats" I am not exactly sure where this setting is in Sound Forge AS (Audio Studio) though, In Sound Forge Pro, the setting is in "Options> Preferences> General" checklist.

In general, it is best use 'Save as' so the original files remains intact if something unexpected happens. It is also a good practice to save files in a PCM format to maintain quality and encode 'end user' lossy files from that.

btw, welcome to the Magix Sound Forge users community @Dianne-MacDonald.

robert-p wrote on 3/28/2024, 11:04 AM

I am using Sound Forge 14, and I work with mp3 all the time. After I originally record an hour long talk on a different recorder in mp3. I transfer the raw mp3 file to my windows 10 64 bit machine to do sound forge editing.

I work it down to a ten minute chunk that contains the key message and when I save it even incrementally in x1, then x2, then x3 progressions to protect myself when sound forge loses random portions of the track, it is perfect until I save the file in x4. When the file is done saving, I look at it and randomly some sections of the file are blank (no waveform just look like a mute button was pushed) the file length is original still ten minutes, so I go back to the prior "good file save" progression and then open it and redo the final edits and save it to another xxxxxx file on a different drive and the file saves correctly and can be reopened correctly.

The frustration is that I spend a hour getting everything right and more often than not, I have to redo work that took some time to get perfect.

At this point, I've changed the actual storage disk where my audio work is stored just in case the hard disk is doing something funky. Anyone else see this?? I was also thinking of removing and reinstalling sound forge 14 from scratch.

The computer I'm using is rock solid and up to date in all respects, I've had more than a few pains with prior versions of Sound Forge ever since Matrix bought the Sony product. (The Sony version of sound forge was rock solid, but feature evolution is part of life in software)

SP. wrote on 3/28/2024, 12:16 PM

@robert-p Don't edit MP3 files. Convert them to WAV first or enable to always proxy compressed file formats in the program preferences. Compressed formats like MP3, OGG or AAC or are only for distribution to listeners after the final export. Depending on the compression algorithm, it's possible that there is no more valid data if you simply cut a compressed file at an arbitrary position.

rraud wrote on 3/28/2024, 2:00 PM

I concur with @SP., MP3 and other lossy formats are primarily for end-use distribution. Always edit in the PCM format, with at least a 44.1k/16 bit resolution and encode an MP3 (or whatever codec format) when all editing is complete.

I do not recall reports of SF-14 deleting files,.. or parts of arbitrarily. If you wish to uninstall-reinstall, try resetting Sound Forge and clearing the cache. 'File> "Reset all preferences and clear cached data". .. If you cannot open Sound Forge to access the 'File' menu, hold down the 'Ctrl+Shift' keys, whilst launching SF, which should open the reset/clear cache tool..

If you would still like to uninstall-reinstall, use a third-party uninstaller that removes leftover data the default uninstall leaves behind, otherwise abnormal behavior may reoccur.

johnebaker wrote on 3/28/2024, 3:33 PM

@Dianne-MacDonald, @robert-p

In addition to @rraud comment:

. . . use a third-party uninstaller that removes leftover data the default uninstall leaves behind . . .

Magix have recommended using the Revo free uninstaller. If you do not want to install the program, download the 'Portable' version, this can be run from a memory stick if necessary.

John EB
Forum moderator

robert-p wrote on 4/10/2024, 7:23 AM

re: Chunks of sound missing after saving files Addendum to my original comment posted on 3/28/2024.

I tried saving the mp3 file on another seagate barracuda drive in windows 10 64 bit. It saved correctly without any unexpected muting of various chunks/parts of the audio file. I decided to take my original seagate barracuda disk that was losing random sound portions during the save and swap it for another cloned disk. I have not seen the problem ever since swapping a seagate disk.

So, I ran the "suspect" disk through all seagate tests and then did a full erase and dskchk x:/r Nothing caught errors or anything suspicious that would cause me to conclude the disk was bad.

LONG STORY short, the problem disappeared just using another hard disk.

So, I conclude that if anyone is randomly seeing random portions of a MP3 file muted after it is saved, try saving to another hard disk (or perhaps a usb storage disk). If the problem goes away, then it is time to replace the harddisk even though the disk shows no issues saving other types of files such as WORD or EMAIL.

PS I used this different hard disk for over a month now to save MP3 files before I published this finding. It boggles my mind that a hard disk could cause such an issue, but I throw this observation out to the forum just in case someone else is seeing this strange operation.

FLAME OFF

johnebaker wrote on 4/10/2024, 9:02 AM

@robert-p

I have hidden your last comment as it is repeating what has already been posted.

Did you not notice that the OP, @Dianne-MacDonald, posted this question about 2 1/2 years ago and never came back with information requested at that time.

John EB
Forum Moderator