This post was last modified 7 March 2022.
The Audio Settings Menu is used to configure the specific devices that FATpick listens to and plays on.
Click to open full-size image in a new browser window.
(Screenshot from FATpick v2.5.2)
Each of the controls that appear in the screenshot above are described in detail below.
To access the Audio Settings menu, click on the "gear" (or "cog") icon in the header navigation bar to open the main Settings menu, then select Audio Settings.
Input Settings
Input Device
Choose among the audio input devices (microphones and other audio inputs) currently connected to the system. This is the device FATpick will listen to in order to evaluate your playing.
This drop-down should contain the same list of audio devices found in your operating system's Sounds preferences or control panel, with one notable addition: the "Default" option. Selecting the device labelled "Default" will cause FATpick to listen to whatever input device is currently selected at the operating system level. When "Default" is selected, changing the input device via the OS control panel will immediately change the device that FATpick is listening to.
Another blog post contains examples of typical audio input configurations used with FATpick.
Port / Channel
These controls are only visible when "Show Advanced Options" is enabled within the General Settings menu.
Use these drop-down menus to select a specific "input" and "channel" within the current audio device. See Audio Device Input and Channel Configuration for a detailed discussion of these settings.
Input Volume
This slider controls the strength of the signal being read from the input device.
Note that this volume (technically "gain") control is applied after the corresponding slider found in your operating system's Sound control panel. That is, if the input level is turned all the way down at the operating system level then FATpick will not "hear" any input signal, no matter how much you turn up this in-app volume setting.
Below the slider you'll find a volume meter that displays the current strength of the input signal. You should expect to see the meter move up and down whenever you make a noise with your guitar. For the best results, set the input volume such that a loud sound fills most of the width of the meter without filling it completely. If the input level is hitting the right-side of the meter you input volume is probably set too high.
Noise Suppression
When this option is enabled - and the selected input device supports it - the audio input signal will be filtered (prior to note detection) to reduce ambient noise.
Note that this setting may not have any effect at all for some audio devices.
Auto Gain Control
When this option is enabled - and the selected input device supports it - the input gain (volume) will be adjusted automatically in response the strength (level) of the current audio signal in order to "normalize" the strength of the signal. That is, when the input signal is too quiet, a larger gain is applied. When the input signal is too loud, a smaller gain is applied.
Note that this setting may not have any effect at all for some audio devices.
Output Settings
Music Volume
This slider controls the volume of the backing audio tracks heard on the tablature viewer during game play and some similar "core" audio generated in other contexts (like the metronome and interactive fretboard tools).
Note that this volume (gain) is applied before the corresponding slider found in your operating system's Sound control panel. That is, no matter how high you set this volume, if the input level is turned all the way down at the operating system level you will not hear the backing audio.
Effects Volume
This slider controls the volume of various fills and effects that are generated as part of the FATpick user interface but are unrelated to the core "song" content: like the fanfare that plays when you reach a high score or the sound effects that mark the transition from context to another.
You can use this independent volume control to silence (or soften) these optional sounds.