Windows XP, Audacity 2.0.3, I think I used the .exe installer
Suddenly when I record a new track, the existing tracks are being recorded onto the new track as well. This has never happened to me before. I checked the Recording Preferences under the Edit menu and saw that the “Overdub: Play other tracks while recording new one” was checked. I assumed that must be the reason, so I unchecked it. However, that prevents me from hearing the existing tracks as I record.
I rebooted, but that didn’t help.
I want to hear my existing tracks as i record but I don’t want them to record onto the new track. How do I accomplish that?
If you are overdubbing, then play existing tracks should be selected.
Make sure Software Playthrough is not selected in that same panel.
If the last thing you did was record something from YouTube or other on-line service, you may be recording “everything on the computer” instead of just your microphone. Since Audacity playback is Something On The Computer, that gets recorded in addition to your microphone.
That can be a Windows setting. This is the manual for recording YouTube. Follow the instructions backwards.
I know WinXP is comfortable as an old shoe, but unless you have the Commercial Bank version, it’s leaky and prone to attacks and foreign invasion. It’s fine as long as it never goes on-line. I have several machines on an isolated network like that—air gap firewall. But don’t hook it to the internet.
You were right, Koz. I had my Audacity Input Device set to “What U Hear,” so Audacity was recording everything it heard. My normal Input Device for Audacity is “Line-In 2/Mic 2.” As soon as I switched to the Line-In input, my existing Audacity tracks were no longer recording to my new track.