Hi, Everyone
First post so please bear with me on this one!
Audacity 2.0.5 - Windows XP Pro - HP 2510p laptop - Citronic CM4 studio USB mixer - Behringer C4 Condenser Mic, XLR lead -Phantom power, DT100 headphones
USB Mixer appears in Devices as Samsung UC
I have imported a instrumental track into Audacity and want to play it back so I can listen through headphones while singing and recording a vocal track.
If I select Overdub under Transport, I can hear the instrumental track playing back through headphones by opening channels 3 & 4 on the USB mixer and the instrumental track is recorded along with the vocals.
What I would like to do if possible is to record the vocals without the instrumental music being recorded at the same time.
Is this possible??
I have watched YouTube tutorials where it shows a track being imported, Overdub is then selected, when the record button is pressed it seem like they are able to hear the 1st track and record a 2nd track without picking up the sound from track 1 or is that my imagination??
If it is possible, please could you let me have some advice on the correct settings to achieve this??
Hope it makes sense but please let me know if you need any further information
Many thanks
Rich
Many USB mixers have a “mix” button you can release to stop sending playback to the computer, but as your mixer doesn’t have that, I am not sure. You could see what is on the Record or AUX outputs which can be connected to a line-in on your computer.
Write back if you are stuck then the mixer experts here can help you.
Hi Gale
I connected a 3.5mm to 2 RCA Audio cable between the laptop and the Record outputs on the mixer as you advised and I’m delighted to report it’s done the trick!!
Many thanks for your help and advice,
best regards
Rich
I marked this “[SOLVED]” but did not lock the topic yet. This may not be an ideal solution. According to http://www.cnet.com/uk/products/hp-compaq-2510p/specs/ you only have a microphone input which might be mono or poor quality stereo, and may distort with excessive volume unless you keep the input level well down. The only exception to that is if the input has a switch or software control to change it between microphone and stereo line level. If it does, the computer manual might say.
What I suggested is really only a good solution for computers that have a blue line-in port for audio that is already amplified, as all the mixer analogue outputs will be.
Gale
Not so sure that I did solve the problem as thought, but it all seemed fine last night, I have been recording again today and realised I am still picking up sound from the backing track with the vocals although it is hardly audible.
I do have a HP Probook 6570b laptop so I will see if I get a better result with that, meanwhile any other suggestions would be welcome,
regards
Rich
This isn’t really an Audacity problem, but if you don’t have your headphones fitted flush, the mic could pick up the backing track.
As far as I can see there is no way to control mix proportions to the REC output but you could always ask Citronic directly: http://citronic.avsl.com/contact .
This seems to be a routing or leakage issue, so apart from the suitability of the computer input, a different computer is not likely to help.