Hello, I tryin to do a live band audio recording using a Focusrite 18i8 + 3 or 4 microphones. I can see all of the microphones Analogue Mics ( 3 or 4 ) Focusrite control working so the settings on the USB interphase looks to be correct. The Focusrite is connect via USB to my Windows11 Notebook. When try to monitor or record as normal I see Mic 1 and 2, how do add Mic 3 and 4 to the recording session?
I tried Tracks >> Add new >> but nothing Mic 3 or 4 is no seen … I don’t see where I can assign Mic 3 or 4 to the new added track.
Personally, I’ve never tried it but a lot of people seen to have trouble And judging from the forum not very many people use Audacity for multi-tracking.
I believe the Focusrite comes with Ableton Live Lite, and I assume it can multitrack.
Once you have a multi-track recoding Audacity can mix it, but it’s missing some important features you’ll find on a full [u]DAW[/u].
[u]Cakewalk[/u] is FREE. But now that it’s free it MIGHT be online-only. (?) [u]REAPER[/u] is only $60 for personal and “small business” use (the “pro” version is the same software, just with a different license) and the upgrade policy is generous when a new version comes-out. And, there’s a fully-functional 60-day free trial. But I think it’s sort-of for “hackers”… It’s powerful and flexible/configurable but maybe not the easiest to use out-of-the box.
Promotion and Publicity usually demands that a mixer or interface do something right out of the box so you don’t send it back. Multi-track is hard, so it’s not unusual for the mixer to default to stereo groups. Record 1 and 2, full stop. Or record 3 and 4, full stop. But not record one, two, three, and four. That can take special drivers or interface software.
Dig in the Focusrite instructions for multi-track. They must have run into this with an 8 channel mixer.
Google your brains out.
But yes, as above, you may have to record the performance in Something Else and then edit in Audacity.
It’s especially important to be doing this on a clean machine. No Other Sound Applications. No Games, Chat, Skype, Zoom, Meetings, etc. Restart the machine to make sure your job is the only one running.
WINDOWS:
Audacity runs off Windows inbuilt audio driver. As the Windows inbuilt audio driver only supports a maximum of two inputs and two outputs, regardless of the input/output count of your Focusrite interface, Audacity will only ever see the first two inputs and outputs of your device.
In short, you can use your Focusrite interface with Audacity, but you will only be able to use the first two inputs and outputs.
OSX:
As OS X’s inbuilt audio driver (Core Audio) is able to support multichannel input/output, Audacity will see all inputs and outputs of any Scarlett / Saffire / Clarett interface.
Currently, Focusrite only provides multi-channel support on Windows via Steinberg’s ASIO drivers. Cakewalk, Reaper, Ableton, etc. include these ASIO drivers with their software. For licensing purposes, Audacity cannot include ASIO. However, an individual can download the ASIO drivers for free from Steinberg and compile them into Audacity for private use WITHOUT violating the license.
Other mixers and audio devices DO support multichannel on Windows without using Steinberg’s ASIO drivers. See DVDdoug’s link.
However, an individual can download the ASIO drivers for free from Steinberg and compile them into Audacity for private use WITHOUT violating the license.
The forum daddies insist I include that phrase when describing the ASIO processes. Yes, that is possible, but I would ask a couple of questions of anybody who thinks seriously about doing this: How many computer programs have you written and what’s your favorite compiler? This is the neighborhood you’re entering. It’s not just push a button and start using the ASIO software.
Further, I believe this back door approach, if you get it to work, only extends to you. You certainly can’t sell the enhanced Audacity program and I believe you can’t even give it to anybody. ASIO carefully removes the Audacity “free software” label.
And judging from the forum not very many people use Audacity for multi-tracking.