Podcast setup with 4 microphones and Skype

[mitchhi]

I cant believe its been so hard to get this figured out but any help would really be appreciated.

I have an M-Audio M-Track Quad. This is it right here
http://www.m-audio.com/products/view/m-track-quad

I have 4 microphones connected to it and into my computer running Windows 7.

I want to record all 4 microphones with 4 people, and one or multiple Skype audio from voices over the desktop. Or Skype through laptop, I can try to connect into the interface. Id like all those tracks in one file, able to edit independently if needed, and export altogether as one file.

Can anyone help? PLEASE

[kozikowski]

I cant believe its been so hard to get this figured out

Because it's impossible?

Audacity is not recommended for recording Skype, Chat, Conferencing or Game Commentary.

I can probably force that show to work, but I'd be using a talented sound mixing console rather than a handy mixing device.



I think he could fit four people into that sound mixer. Everybody needs to be on headphones and on their own headphone volume control.

Of the four computers in that picture, two are required, one to mess with Skype and the other to manage the "studio" audio and recording. The other two are playing Angry Birds and making a reservation for lunch.

If you want each of the performers in their own feed and recording, you're talking about a multi-channel recorder with good sound isolation in a studio.

Oddly, if everybody was home, this would actually be easier. Everybody, including you, records their own voice and sends the sound files to you for mixing into a final show. No mixer or craziness at all. One DropBox account, badda bing, badda boom.

The only slime in the game is if you have a guest. In that case you will have to mess with a dedicated Skype computer and separate recorder just for them.


I'm not making that up. We had a recent poster who was doing that successfully until one of the people in the roundtable had messed up their local microphone. That's the downside of this process. It is a bit like marching cats.

In my opinion, you will never get this to work reliably with one computer.

Let us know.

Koz

[mitchhi]

OK, forget Skype altogether. Lets say I get all four people in studio, I still cant get the 4 channels I need. Audacity only gives me

1 Mono
2 Stereo

But this interface should allow 4 or allow me to select 4 channels. I cant figure that out. Thatd be step one.

[kozikowski]

There is a desperation method I bet you didn't think of. Everybody is always on Skype. You have one computer recording Skype at all times but has no microphone. It's a silent sixth partner. Guests can call in if they want and Skype takes care of all the sound management.

I did that at work for a while.

The down side there is one single feed and you can't stop it. And you have to remember to start the recorder at the top of the show.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Dueling posts. You should occasionally wait for the time zones to catch up.

Koz

[kozikowski]

Audacity will record multi-channel. You should know Audacity gets its sound from Windows, not the device, so you should have a multi-channel device driver in and working before you even launch Audacity.

There's a posting collection for multi-track recording. Not all the devices work right.

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=38626

A very common problem is to have a Multi Channel Device!!!!!, but its channels are arranged in stereo pairs, so your choices are 1-2, or 3-4, or 5-6.

Before you get all excited about multi-channel recording, please note your performers need to be in separate areas or rooms. If you don't do that, each performer is going to leak into the others even with good microphones and drive you nuts trying to do post production.

You can do it this way.



That will give you good quality sound and also good isolation. Depending on the maker, he's holding about $800.

Koz

[mitchhi]

Hmm, so how can i setup 4 mono channels for all 4 mics to record? My interface is a M audio M track QUAD.

Is there a certain driver to use? Some preferences to adjust?

[mitchhi]

Do you have a recommendation for a multi-channel device driver?

And how would i setup 4 mono channels? That way I can record all 4 mic's.

Then Ill have those 4 channels and if I need to mix a recording from another person we can listen via skype then mix the file with what he records on his own lap top. I think that will all work

[steve]

Have a look in Audacity "Help > Diagnostics > Audio Device Info".
Do any of the options say that 4 or more recording channels are available?

If you are unsure, click the Save button and save the information somewhere convenient, then attach the text file to your reply (using the "Upload attachment" option below the message composing box).

[kozikowski]

we can listen via skype

Skype takes over the sound services of the computer running it—and it doesn't ask. That's what's so darn much fun with throwing Skype in the mix.

It's not entirely evil. That's why Skype always works no matter how messed up your computer is. It's not using your sound adjustments.

Even if you do get it all to work on one machine, that will last until the next time Skype does one of their famous updates. Then you have "This Worked Last Week" syndrome.

And that's why having a Skype computer is a good idea. You let Skype have its way with one machine and you let it think it's the King of the World. Meanwhile, you use the speaker and microphone feeds and just don't tell it what you're doing. It doesn't have to be massive. Any cheap laptop and a UCA-202 will do it. If you can find one of the older Macs, you don't need the UCA-202.

How were you planning on giving everybody their own headphones? You can't put Skype out there on a speaker in the room. Each person's microphone then becomes Performer One Plus Skype, Performer Two Plus Skype, etc. There's goes the channel isolation.

That also means you will never integrate the far side voice with the other voices. Skype delays will just kill you.

You are designing NPR-West down the street from me in Culver City, California. Live microphones in California, Washington and New York and a Skype feed from Beirut.



Thank you David Greene.

I need to make an appointment to visit over there and see how they're doing it. It's possible somebody is making a console with all that built in.

Koz