[1.0.0.70/82][0.7.9]Inaudible volume levels after notification triggers audio ducking

[RRL]

Since the latest update on the Spotify app the music will no longer get interrupted by notifications. This functionality is far from useful when using other apps simultaneously.

Often I use Spotify in the car in combination with my GPS and an app which warns me (legally) for speed traps. Before the update Spotify briefly paused for a GPS instruction or an alarm for a speed trap, which made them clearly noticable.

The apps in this case are Sygic and FlitsNav (Dutch). They use respectively the media volume and alarm volume, both are giving problems.
- The media volume is briefly lowered when Sygic has an instruction. Because Sygic uses this volume too, the instruction volume is lowered as well. This makes that the instructions are pronounced on a lower volume than normally and let the music kick in hard again after the barely audible instructions.
- FlitsNav uses the alarm volume, the same as used for the alarm clock. Even though the warnings are noticable, they are far less clear than they used to be. This makes that this app becomes far less affective compared to a total interruption of the music.

Is there a possibility to have the music interrupted for notifications again?

Phone: Samsung Galaxy SIII Mini
Android version: 4.1.2 (latest)
Spotify version: Latest update (automatically installed on April 10, 2014)
Sygic version: 13.4.2
FlitsNav version: 3.0.4

EDIT: I amended the subject/title to distinguish theis thread from http://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Android/Music-interrupted-by-notification-ring/m-p/235200#U2352...

EDIT: Temporary solution here: http://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Android/1-0-0-70-0-7-9-Inaudible-volume-levels-after-notificati...

[tictac789]

Hello,

I used to use Spotify and a GPS app in the same time on my S4. Since the new update, the music don't stop when the GPS is speaking... so I can't hear the GPS infos and use both together again...
Somebody has the same problem and a solution?

Thank you

[tictac789]

The same problem for me with Waze and Coyote...
I'm really thinking to delete my Premium...

[Joe]

@tictac789 I moved your post into a thread about this. It seems that spotify "fixed" ducking on notifications and broke it. It has been reported to them and we're waiting for news.

[derfel65]

Since the latest release-note 0.7.9 from 2014-04-09 I have problems with the volume of my running app. (Looptijden).

Since 2 years I use spotify and looptijden at the same time without any problems.

Every kilometer the audio coach gives an update. But since last week, the volume from that audio message is too low to hear properly. Much lower then the music-volume at that time.

When I use the running app in combination my normal MP3-player everything is fine. I already reinstalled looptijden, but that dit not solve the problem,

I like to hear how this is possible ?

Regards,

Derfel 65 

[Joe]

@derfel65 I moved your post to the relevant thread. Spotify is aware of the issue and looking into it.

[user-removed]

The title of this thread is now "Audio ducking also reduces notification volume". To be clear, my experience is that once a notification triggers audio ducking, BOTH notifications AND audio have supressed volume.

I have also seen a mode where the audio ducking then appears to work in reverse - the next notification causes notification and audio volume to be raised for the duration of the notification! The app is truely foobared.

(FWIW Google Play Music All Access is looking ok so far [has both pluses and minuses but at least the Android client works] - I'm on the 30 day trial of that, with Spotify Premium cancelled and actually expiring in a week).

[Joe]

@user-removed I changed the title to try to make it clearer. If there is a better set of words to describe the problem, I can change it again 🙂

[user-removed]

How about just:

"Inaudible volume levels after audio ducking"

[Joe]

No mention of notifications?

[user-removed]

Audio ducking is caused by a notification, and it's the code around trying to implement audio ducking that's broken, but maybe this would be clearer and resonate better with community members unfamiliar with the audio ducking term:

"Inaudible volume levels after notification triggers audio ducking"

[Joe]

Awesome, thanks for your help - done 🙂

[jonec429]

@jwylot thanks for the quick feedback and support. I'd really love to have this feature and Spotify is great. Keep it up

[user-removed]

Actually the OP was complaining that the use of audio ducking is somewhat ineffectice anyway (even if it DID work).

I for one would be happy to be able to get music pausing during a notification (like it was before this release). Audio ducking (that works) is a 2nd best for me.

[Joe]

I suspect that the only answer which will work for everyone will be to go back to the old behaviour but provide a switch in options to duck instead. Not sure if Spotify would be keen to provide yet another option though.

I see not being able to hear notifications as far more of a problem than having music interrupted by them, particularly as there are other solutions for that ayway. Let's see what they come up with.

[kptkill]

Hello,  I've also noticed that Spotify lowers during the notification event, but the notification is also quiet. 

LG G2, stock rom, verizon, android 4.2.2

[jonec429]

Really? Audio ducking is, I think, much better. For me, if I'm driving (or anytime) and listening to music I'd rather be notified unintrusively rather than have my music stop, something else happen, then my music abruptly start again. Fade in/out is much more subtle to me.

[Richard]

Hey guys, just popping in to say thanks for reporting issues with notifications in the new app still.

We're looking into the situation, and we'll see what we can do.

In the meantime, any and all information you can provide will be welcome. Cheers!

[earlhathaway]

Hi Richard --

I'm running android 4.4.2 on a stock nexus 5, purchased directly from google, in the usa.  I'm using the latest as of 2014 0417 releases of both google maps (7.7.0) and spotify (0.7.9.1170).  I use spotify to play music while driving my car, often while using google map navigation.

Before I unfortunately updated to the latest spotify release, when google maps issued audio navigation (eg "take the exit onto i380 in 2 miles"), spotify would pause the music and google maps would speak at full volume.  This worked well.

With the latest release, spotify sets the google maps volume to 50% *EACH TIME* an audio notification occurs.  So even if you catch the notification while it's happening and increase the bluetooth volume on the phone, the bluetooth volume is reset each time a notification plays to be basically inaudible.  This may work ok on headphones (though I don't understand why you would knock 50% off the bluetooth volume of the notification), but it makes it completely inaudible while driving, particularly at any speed with road noise.  At best you hear your music pause if the audio map directions take a while to say, at worst you hear a short glitch (while maps says eg "turn right" but who knows what is said because I can't hear it).  This is completely unworkable, and as mentioned above, I need a fix or at the end of the month I'm unfortunately going to have to go to a different music service.  While playing spotify in my car is awesome, I need to be able to hear google maps audio driving directions.

Hope this helps, and please get spotify to issue a new release with this fixed.

edit: included app versions.  Also, this behavior persists after rebooting the phone.

[robo251]

Exactly the same problem as @earlhathaway but with Samsung Galaxy S4 with stock Android 4.3 and latest TomTom navigation app. With spotify 0.7.9.1170 audio volume (of both spotify and tomtom) goes down to 30% during tomtom instructions.

[Machinesamba]

Yup. Possibly the most important feature of my spotify mobile app is that I can use Google Maps navigation while playing music. You have now successfully taken that feature away.

I'm on a Galaxy S3. If Spotify is playing and a Google Maps navigation notification cuts in the volume on the notification is dropped to inaudible levels. When the notification is complete the music kicks back in at the original set volume. This is such an important feature in my daily life that I have gone to another music player for the time being and imported songs onto my phone. I am effectively no longer using the Spotify service I pay for. I would hate to have to stop giving money to this wonderful service, but it's now useless to me. I would love to hear that you guys are working on it with some sense of priority.

Cheers!