Recording vocals whilst hearing backing track

[Playsmith]

I have Windows 7 and Audacity 2.1.2. I want to record my voice on instrumental tracks I have saved as wav. files. I use a Stagg microphone and a Eurorack UB802 mixing desk. I am completely new to Audacity since changing to WIndows 7 (from XP) I used to use Cubasis and Wavelab Lite for my mixing but they don't work on Windows 7 and I can't get the microphone to register in Audacity. It's probably the way I'm making my connections on the mixing desk but it's driving me crazy. I want to record my voice without Audacity recording the backing track again. I know it's a particular issue but if anyone has any help I'd be very grateful. Thank you.

[kozikowski]

We have to get your microphone connected first. An early step in the overdubbing tutorial is the ability to make a simple recording. That's a big deal. Too many people drop right into multiple pathway overdubbing and bury themselves.

Your microphone is connected to the desk, right? You get the meters on the desk hopping when you talk?

How did you connect the desk to your computer? IN DETAIL. We can't see what you're doing and we have to build your system in our imaginations to try and fix it. If you don't recognize the types of cable and connector, read the labels where the cables are plugged in.

Take pictures.

Koz

[kozikowski]

I just found the instruction book.

I would be connecting the two TAPE-OUT sockets right above the sound meters either to one of my Macs, or to a Behringer UCA-202 USB adapter like this.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/ ... vo-650.jpg

How did you do it?

Please note that while you can overdub with an analog mixer like this, you can't hear yourself while you do it. You can only hear the backing track.

You can do Perfect Overdubbing with the UCA-202 by listening to it rather than the computer or the mixer. It supports "Zero Latency Monitoring" and you can hear both—the real mix.

Koz

[Playsmith]

Hi Koz. Thanks for your helpful replies - sorry it's taken me a while to respond. I've been trying to produce a CD for a customer (of songs I've written). In the past, with Cubasis, I could record the backing track then play it through my headphones whilst recording my voice. That way I could adjust and modulate my vocal track and use it with the piano tracks and instrumental tracks that I provide for customers. I could record my voice and instruments together with Audacity but that meant I couldn't alter my vocal part alone and I had to record it separately for the piano track. You asked for a picture so I have attached this photograph of my mixer attachments. There is a way of using the 'aux return' socket which allows me to hear the backing track without recording it, but I can't remember the set-up!! (And I don't have a Behringer UCA-202 USB adapter)