The voice over mic volume goes to zero when I switch to external mic (using the Focusrite Scarlett interface). I used the exact same set up a couple days ago and it worked fine. Checking the system sound the mic is getting a signal but iMovie won't allow me to use it. I tried deleting iMovie preference but that didn't work. What happened to change this?
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15
Zero volume can be caused by a number of things. Here are some items to check:
First, check your Mac's volume levels and make sure it is not muted. Check your iMovie volume setting and make sure that it is not muted. Next, click on the settings symbol next to the red record button and make sure that your external mic is selected as the input device and that the volume is full up. Then go to System Preferences/Sound. and make sure that your external mic is selected and that the volume is not muted. Then go to Applications/Utilities/Audio MIDI setup.app and make sure that your external mic is selected in the sidebar as an input device and that the volume is up. Make sure that you don't have earphones plugged into your external earphone jack. Make sure that the volume of the voiceover clip itself is set to full volume. Finally, make sure that your external mic is actually turned on from that device as you record.
If you still have no volume, possibly you have a defective mic jack or that your external mic is not a supported device.
-- Rich
Zero volume can be caused by a number of things. Here are some items to check:
First, check your Mac's volume levels and make sure it is not muted. Check your iMovie volume setting and make sure that it is not muted. Next, click on the settings symbol next to the red record button and make sure that your external mic is selected as the input device and that the volume is full up. Then go to System Preferences/Sound. and make sure that your external mic is selected and that the volume is not muted. Then go to Applications/Utilities/Audio MIDI setup.app and make sure that your external mic is selected in the sidebar as an input device and that the volume is up. Make sure that you don't have earphones plugged into your external earphone jack. Make sure that the volume of the voiceover clip itself is set to full volume. Finally, make sure that your external mic is actually turned on from that device as you record.
If you still have no volume, possibly you have a defective mic jack or that your external mic is not a supported device.
-- Rich
This was helpful: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250818967
"I have also had this problem. I am using Mac OS Catalina 10.15.1 with iMovie 10.1.13. No audio at all when trying to do a voice-over in iMovie, even though I had no trouble with the Voice Memos or Garage Band apps.
I finally fixed it by:
Open System Preferences
Open Security & Privacy
Click the Privacy button near the top of the window
On the left column, select Microphone
On the right column, check the box next to iMovie
This fixed the problem instantly for me."
Thanks Rick but I had previously checked all of those except the midi app. I've now checked that and its not the cause. In iMovie, if I select the internal mic the volume slider goes up to where I preset it. If I switch to the scarlet, it drops to zero and can't be raised. As mentioned, this exact set up was working fine 2 days ago. One thing that occurred to me after I posted was that my Mac OS updated itself last night. That's the only thing that is different. I've tried restarting a couple of times including clearing the PRAM. Nothing works.
Hmmmm. You might click on the loudspeaker icon in the upper right toolbar and make sure that the "lower volume of other clips" is unchecked. The only other thing I can think of is to redownload iMovie. And by all means, turn off automatic updating. It is problematic to be letting anything into your computer unless you specifically authorize it. Sometimes updates can scramble preferences or cause conflicts.
Use this procedure to redownload iMovie. To update/redownload iMovie 10, drag your iMovie 10 app from the Applications
folder into the trash, but do not empty the trash. Sign in to the app store and open your purchases folder by clicking on your name at the bottom of the app store side bar. You will see your purchases displayed, including iMovie 10. Redownload/update
iMovie from there. If not successful, drag your present iMovie app out of the trash (if you moved it there) and return it to the Applications folder.
If a redownload doesn't cure it, you might want to contact Apple Support. The techs there have the capability of remotely
accessing your computer that we cannot do here. To contact apple support click on the Get Support item in the upper
right hand corner of this forum’s screen. Navigate to a place where you can enter your phone number.
Good luck with this. It may take some effort, but likely you will be able to resolve it.
-- Rich
I had previously deleted the preferences but tried it again. No change.
I’ve check some other sources and found this has happened to quite a few people, including those like myself where it used to work fine but then stopped working. And the dates are spread apart, they didn’t all happen after the last update. I also found that none of them found a workable answer to this exact problem.
On the midi set up app I found that if I click the cog at the bottom of the device list while on the Scarlett 2i2 USB the “Use this device for sound input" is grayed out. Yet in the system preferences Sound layout it shows up and when I test it I can see the meter react to it. Above the meter it reads “The selected device has no input controls”
I opened up Logic Pro X and tested the mic out on a track and that works fine.
I followed Rich’s suggestion and re-downloaded iMovie (did a time machine back up first). Same problem.
Since I’ve already wasted many hours on this I guess the solution for now is to do my voice over in Logic Pro and paste the WAV file into iMovie. Then when I have time, contact apple support.
After hours of scrolling through forums, an hour and 12 minutes talking with support, a couple of days to let their engineers look at it ( with a call back to tell me to look for a possible Scarlett Firmware update) not finding any Scarlett updates, going through their forms and articles, randomly tossing out old extensions it appears this is unfixable. The USB interface still works fine with Zoom and Logic Pro X through the same computer so I guess my only choice is record voice overs in logic, export it, then import into iMovie. I also tried this USB interface through my son's M1 MacBook air, doesn't work in iMovie there either.
Sorry to hear that. It seems that your Focusrite Scarlett mic is not supported by iMovie. Perhaps you can record the voiceover with your Scarlett mic onto your Mac instead of directly into iMovie.
Try using the Voice Memos app in the Applications folder to create a voice recording that you can drag from the Voice Memos app sidebar to your desktop, and from there into iMovie. You can use the internal or an external external mic to make the recording. At least it worked with my Logitech external mic. It might work with your Scarlett mic.
You can also use the Voice Memos app on your iPhone, that you can then AirDrop to the Downloads folder of your Mac and drag into iMovie.
Finally, have you considered simply using the internal mic for the voiceovers?
-- Rich
Sorry... Rich
As you have done everything else try deleting the preferences. It's a long shot but will only take seconds and just might work.
That sounds like a good workaround.
-- Rich
Of course. Sorry I didn't think of that. Thanks for posting back.
-- Rich
Thanks but that didn't help in my case. It's not an app it's an external device. It worked fine in iMovie up until the last OS update.
iMovie external mic stuck at zero volume.
