Built-in sounds are downloaded from the server the first time you play them, so there’s a short wait; after that they’re stored on your PC and play right away. Just click through the sounds you’ll use before going live.
Why the first play is slow
- Built-in sounds (including built-in background music) aren’t installed with the app — each one is downloaded from the server the first time you play it, and plays as soon as the download finishes. How long it takes depends on your connection and the length of the sound; the button shows no progress while it downloads, so it can look as if the click did nothing.
- Downloaded sounds are kept on your PC (in the storage location folder) and are still there after you restart the app, so you only wait the first time a sound is played on this PC. A sound is downloaded again only if it’s updated on the server or its file is deleted from your PC.
- Sounds you imported yourself are already on your PC and don’t need downloading; on a new PC, or if the file is missing, the first play fetches it from the cloud, which can also take a moment.
- If you click another sound while one is still downloading, the downloaded one won’t play by itself afterwards, so it can’t suddenly go off a while later.
How to avoid it
- Before going live, click every sound you’ll use once — especially the ones with hotkeys — so they’re downloaded in advance; see First stream: set up a sound kit that works.
- On a slow or unstable connection the first play takes longer; while offline, built-in sounds you’ve never played can’t play.
Every play is a little late
If it’s slow every time, not just the first time, the usual causes are:
- Fade-in is on: the sound starts quietly and swells up, which can feel a beat late. Check this sound’s own fade-in and the global fade-in — see Set per-sound fade in/out and Set global fade in/out.
- You’re listening on Bluetooth headphones: Bluetooth adds its own delay, so switch to wired headphones; the PC audio your streaming app captures is usually unaffected.
- The audio file starts with silence: right-click the sound, choose Trim and cut the silent start — see Trim a sound.
