A few months ago I purchased an Alesis Multimix 8 usb to do a little home jamming/recording. With very limited knowledge of computers and no experience recording, today I finally gave up on the Cubase LE 5 (too complicated) that came with it and switched to Audacity to record with. I’m doing much better with Audacity. I was able to lay down a short guitar track today and play it back. I was ecstatic. However, after clicking on Tracks → Add New → Audio Track, when I tried to plug my electronic drum set into the same input jack (line 1) with the same cord, I got no recording levels, though the beats were audible through the monitor speakers. I get nothing at all when I try to plug into line 2. Also, under Devices, Recording, Channels, I only have 1(mono) input channel with no other options. Wondering if that has something to do with it. Anyone have an idea what I’m doing wrong? I’m using Vista Home Premium.
Oh, and under Transport, I checked overdub.
I think I got it. Forgot to turn on the meter. 
You’re nor the first, and you won’t be the jast … 
The problem is that there is no propoer visual cue to tell you whether monitoring is on or not.
There are a couple of existing feature requests that relate to this:
- provide a visual cue
- make it so monitoring is “always on”
And there is a proposal in the Wiki: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Proposal_Improvement_of_Meter_Toolbar_UI
WC
Large production tape machines (video and audio) were/are always on. They also carried the visual clue of moving reels and intense red and green lighted buttons to tell you that you were in record, play or stop. The Broadcast Standard Definition and High Definition television tape machines work this way today even though you can’t see the reels any more.
It’s worth noting that the D1 tape machines have a moving graphic of turning reels on the front.
I think I posted once before that if you defeat “Update Display” in preferences, the visual clues for Recording and Monitoring are the same – or so close that a casual and sometimes not so casual users couldn’t tell. It’s even worse if you have Playthrough selected. Many moving visuals, very little information which mode you’re in.
We designed a recording service for our large on-line production review player. The designer has experience with legacy systems and he designed the meters always on.
I didn’t argue.
Koz