Monitoring while recording? How?

[dave_atx]

Hello,

I'm a brand-new user of Audacity, and I'm trying to figure out how I can hear myself in my headphones as I speak into the mike while recording. I can hear myself when I playback a recorded track, so the recording of the track works just fine, but I need to hear myself in my headphones as I'm recording...if I search for the word "monitor" in the help files, I got zero results (which seems odd, as monitoring is an essential function of recording). So, can some kind soul explain to me how one monitors while recording in Audacity?

Thanks,
Dave

[steve]

If you are using a conventional sound card (not USB) then you need to use the WINDOWS MIXER (speaker icon near the clock) to enable (not muted) the playback of your recording source.

[dave_atx]

steve, thanks for the reply - everything is enabled in the windows mixer. still no monitoring capability. i've got playback, so i know both my headphones and mike work. still can't hear myself as i record.

[jan.kolar]

You mean, there is Microphone, it is not muted, and the slider is high ?
(If there is not Microphone, it has to be added by Options>Properties, for Windows XP.)
What is your OS: XP or Vista?

[dave_atx]

Yes, I have a mic, and it is working - I can hear the sound I record when I play it back in Audacity, but I can''t hear any sound in my headphones while recording - I seem to have no monitoring capability.

Doing some more research, I downloaded Audacity to my desktop computer, and I discovered that my desktop computer's sound cared options include something called "input monitoring." I enabled "input monitoring" and VOILA! I can hear myself in my headphones now while I record in Audacity. YAY! BUT - I need Audacity to work on my laptop. Boo. Back on my laptop (Dell Precision M65 with integrated Sigmatel Audio Card, Windows XP) I can't for the life of me find anything resembling "input monitoring." Now I'm starting to wonder if the problem is the SigmaTel card itself - on my desktop (Dell Optiplex 745), it's a different card - a SoundMax. I've now checked Dell's web site to see if there is an updated SigmaTel driver, but I have the latest driver installed.

So, here's the big question - and Dell Laptop users out there with Sigmatel Sounds cards figure out how to enable "input monitoring" or some other workaround that permits monitoring while recording in Audacity? If you have, please share the info - it would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave

[steve]

It is unfortunately not uncommon for features to be disabled in the sound card driver in Laptop computers. This seems to be particularly true with Dell computers, and those using Sigmatel or Realtek on-board sound. If fully functional drivers are not available, then there is little that you can do about it.

I'm not sure why you really need to hear the microphone through the headphones. I presume that you are able to hear previously recorded tracks while you are recording a new one? To hear yourself singing / playing, try just wearing one side of the headphones and leave the other ear free (many professional musicians prefer to record like this so that they can hear themselves properly).

[dave_atx]

I'm not sure why you really need to hear the microphone through the headphones. I presume that you are able to hear previously recorded tracks while you are recording a new one? To hear yourself singing / playing, try just wearing one side of the headphones and leave the other ear free (many professional musicians prefer to record like this so that they can hear themselves properly).

Steve,

Thanks for the reply - I suppose it is a personal preference to some extent, but I absolutely need to monitor myself in my headphones - it's how I can tell my vocal and/or instrument levels are fine, the effects mixes are appropriate, etc. I suppose I could hear it on playback, but then if something isn't right, I have to go back and re-record, listen again, check to make sure the sound is what I want, and so on. If I can monitor the input before I hit the record button, I'll know in advance that what I'm gonna have at the end of the recording is what I want.

[steve]

The best way is to record everything dry, then add effects later. If you want to use outboard hardware effects, simply play a track back, with the output plugged into your effects unit, then the output from the effects unit into the input of your sound card and record. This will produce a "wet" track which you can mix with your dry track to get the desired result. This method allows you to change your mind as often as you like without having to re-record.

[OhYouSupply]

I just recently acquired audacity to do multi-track recording, and have a question related to this one!

I'm using a Logitech USB headset microphone and after lots of difficulties and searching around for answers I finally am able to record my voice on top of a track and get the music (the other track I'm recording on top of) to play into the headphones. Now my biggest problem is that I'm hearing my voice in the headphones at the same time while trying to record!!! I see now that this is called input monitoring, correct? I cannot find a way to disable this. This is a desktop PC w/Windows XP by the way, and I have Realtek HD Audio Manager.

The original poster says he found out he could look at whether input monitoring was happening or not by going to his sound card's options. Seeing that my recording device is connected via USB, am I even using a sound card at all? Or is Realtek my sound card? I am not that familiar with sound cards so excuse the noob questions.

So basically for my situation, how do I get rid of hearing my voice while recording in my headphones?

[steve]

am I even using a sound card at all?

No you're not. With a USB headset you bypass the sound card. If there is a control panel for the headset, you may be able to make the adjustments, bu I guess this headset is designed for Skype or some similar application, and may not allow you to do that.