MultiTrack Reording

I am using 3.0.2 on a macbookpro runningOSX 10.10.5. I have a Focusrite 18i8 connected with a USB. I would like to record 4 tracks from the Focusrite simultaneously. I am doing accoustic experiments and need the phase info. From the Audacity info I have read, I thought I could do this on a mac, but not a PC. While Audacity recognizes that the Focusrite box is attached, it doesn’t seem to recognize the tracks. I can only seem to get 2. Is there a way to do this? Thanks.

I would like to record 4 tracks from the Focusrite simultaneously.

You were going great until right about there.

Does Focusrite have drivers or other software? Many multi-channel device makers provide a stereo default sound service so the customer doesn’t send the unit back. Actual multi-channel is much harder because you can’t use the computer’s default stereo sound pathways.

That’s all I got. So far, what you’re doing is absolutely normal.

Koz

The forum has a multi-channel section.

https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/multi-channel-recording-in-audacity/15644/1

Koz

Your Focusrite interface should have come with Ableton LIve Lite, and I assume it supports multi-track recording. (Commercial versions of Ableton Live do support multitrack.)

On page 6 of the 18i8 user guide, it says (for MAC users):

Once you have installed the Focusrite Control software to setup and configure your interface, the Scarlett will be switched out of MSD mode so that it no longer appears as a Mass Storage Device when connected to your computer.

So you may not have full functionality until do this. Have you downloaded and installed this Focusrite software as koz has suggested?

Also, after you setup the software, restart Audacity or do Transport > Rescan Audio Devices.

Thanks for the help, I did figure it out. In Audacity preferences, I set the channels for the 18i8 to 4, and then deleted all the tracks on the screen and set the channels to 4 in the recording channels box. When I start to record, audacity created 4 mono channels from the 4 inputs from the 18i8 and voila, done.