Audacity re-recording backing track

[Dollface]

Hi everyone,

I've been trying to use audacity to record vocals over a backing track but I'm having some trouble with audacity re-recording the backing track and I need your help! I'm using a Behringer podcast studio (F-control audio interface, xenyx 802 desk, c-1 condenser mic) and Mac OS X 10.5.8. The last time I used the mic and everything was with a windows laptop a few years ago and audacity recorded everything fine. I've changed the input/output in the mac audio and MIDI setup menu, in audacity preferences as well, used various combinations of overdub and hardware/software playthrough to try and solve my problem but to no avail. It's definitely not bleed from the headphones either - I made sure to check that. I found out that if I plug my headphones into my laptop and select my built in output as the sound output and select overdub in the transport menu I can hear the track and record the vocals without the backing being re-recorded but I can't hear myself in the headphones the way I'd like to be able to (and am sure I was able to before). Is there some way I can hear myself in the headphones and hear the backing track while recording only the vocals?

Thank you!

[kozikowski]

Which Mac and how is the equipment connected? You missed a really important piece of this.

My MacBook Pro has provision for all three services at the same time: USB, Stereo In, and Stereo Out. Some Macs don't.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/MacLineIn.jpg

Koz

[Dollface]

Which Mac and how is the equipment connected? You missed a really important piece of this.

My MacBook Pro has provision for all three services at the same time: USB, Stereo In, and Stereo Out. Some Macs don't.

http://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/pix/MacLineIn.jpg

Koz

I've got a MacBook Pro and it's got everything pictured in that link but I'm not currently using any of that to connect. My friend set everything up for me years ago and I haven't touched any of the wiring since, other than the one wire coming out the back of my Behringer F-control audio interface that connects everything to the firewire port on my computer. There are lots of wires going between the mixing desk and the F-control and I assume they're fine just because I haven't touched them since they worked perfectly with my old pc but if it's useful I can upload a photo or give a more detailed description.

[kozikowski]

No, I got it. I keep forgetting they actually make sound equipment that uses FireWire. I need to take time to dredge through all those part numbers. I've actually done this before, but it's not straightforward.

Koz

[kozikowski]

What's the model number of your F-Audio device and where do you normally plug in your headphones -- back when it was all working?

There is a series of settings you need to make, but I need to dig a little more.

Koz

[Dollface]

The f-control is model FCA202 and I'm pretty sure I used to plug my headphones into the desk where it said phones but I could be wrong! Thanks so much for helping me!

[kozikowski]

There should be a set of cables that goes from the FCA202 BAL/UNBAL OUT to the mixer Stereo Aux Return. If not, correct me.

Back at the Mac, Apple > System Preferences > Hardware > Sound > Output. Select the FireWire Device, not Built-In Speakers or anything like that.

Audacity > Preferences > Recording > [X] Overdub. Deselect everything else. Restart Audacity.

I got the wiring diagrams and I still can't quite get it. Let me know where those two FCA202 cables go.

I'm working on the assumption that the Mac has to send the backing track to the mixer and that can only happen at the FireWire connection. Somehow, the outgoing voice and the incoming backing track have to mix to your headphones. The Headphone and Control-Room system will do a mix according to the instructions, but I read it three times and I still can't quite nail it. It doesn't help at the instructions are for four different mixers and I have yet to find a good picture of the front of your mixer that I can read. You don't want artful composition when you're trying to read the [email protected]#$% knobs.

Koz

[kozikowski]

I got the picture. The four illustrations at the top of the instruction book can be greatly magnified in the viewer and that will show the knob labels.

I was able to do this once with my small mixer and MacBook Pro, but I remember it was a struggle and I could only listen to either Left or Mono-Mix, not stereo.

Koz

[Dollface]

I got the picture. The four illustrations at the top of the instruction book can be greatly magnified in the viewer and that will show the knob labels.

I was able to do this once with my small mixer and MacBook Pro, but I remember it was a struggle and I could only listen to either Left or Mono-Mix, not stereo.

Koz

Well I might have found part of my problem - the cables that go from BAL/UNBAL OUT go to the CD/tape input on the desk. My friend did explain how he was setting things up when he did it for me years ago but it did go straight over my head. I focussed on learning how to record and set levels and all that kind of thing and just didn't ever touch the wiring! Oh dear! (The CD/tape output goes back to the UNBAL IN on the F-control)

So is this essentially wrong? I'm happy enough to move cables/set things up differently to fix my problem I've just never had the confidence to move anything before when I don't really know enough about how it all works!

thanks so much for your help

[kozikowski]

Don't Change Anything.

There are a couple of different ways to get the mixer to do two different things at once. If you didn't move any cables, then it's up to me to figure out how he did it.

The short version:

Everybody knows a mixer can be used to combine several different sources of sound into one complete show. Many people never get any further than that. You need your mixer to produce two different shows at once. The show that goes out to your computer for recording must contain your voice. Full stop. The second show goes to your headphones and consists of your voice mixed with the computer playback of the guide or backing track.

This is me looking at the diagrams again.

Koz