Recording- Settings Are Messed Up- NEED HELP!

[snaredmoose]

Whats up. I'm new to Audacity. I've been on for about a week tinkering around. I have some previous experience with recording programs, but even that hasn't helped me. I have my mic set up, and everything works. The one track I have sounds great. The only issue is that when I try to record a new track while listening to the old one through my Bose headphones, it automatically re-records the old track into the new one. It is taking the output audio and using it as an input source for the new track on top of whatever I record through the mic. Tracks keep getting louder and more distorted. I need to know how to set up the system so it records only the input audio from my mic and lets me listen to it so I can play along.

Please don't be afraid to go all out in helping. I've literally been at it for hours tinkering with settings. I need someone to walk me through what settings to have on, and even how I should have my equipment set up. It could just be that my mic is plugged into the wrong place.

I am really stumped. I don't have a clue of what I should do.

Thanks,

Snaredmoose

[kozikowski]

<<<I don't have a clue of what I should do.>>>

You can start with telling us the kind and type of microphone and the way you have it connected. And then go on to this brief list...

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/question.html

Koz

[snaredmoose]

oh, sorry. I have radio shack mic with a converter on the end so it fits into the pink slot on the back of my Compaq PC. I'm running Audacity 1.3 Beta. I have Windows XP. Anything else you need to know?