How do I record a guitar in mono on FastTrack

[jeff12481]

Hello,

I just got an M-audio FastTrack. I really like Audacity so I'm not using Pro Tools. I have Version 1.3.13 beta and I'm on a mac mini. My issue is getting Audacity to record the sounds from my guitar line on the fastTrack. It has no problem recording in mono when using a mic on the fastTrack. But I can only get it to record the guitar when I select the input to stereo. But then I get one track that is split into two. Im guessing that this is a left and right. When I do that the top half of the track records a flat line, and the bottom half records my guitar. It sounds really great when played back, but can I record my guitar in mono so that I don't have this split track? Also I'm playing back through bose speakers. One sounds really great playing back my guitar but the other plays back just the deep bass tones from the recording. How can I get mono to work?

Thanks in advance. -Jeff

[kozikowski]

I haven't looked up the specifications of the Fast Track, but it's almost a certainty that the Line-In is stereo. You can't change it. Only the guitar people have a default mono device, so you're in the minority, there.

You can set Audacity to record in mono, but you might get nothing as the default mono device is Left.

You don't need the FastTrack for your guitar. You can plug that direct into the stereo Line-In of your mini (with appropriate adapters). Set in Apple > System Preferences > Hardware > Sound > Input > Built-In Input. Look for the bouncing blue balls when you strum loudly.

Select Built-In Line-In in Audacity Preferences. Click once inside the red record meters and they should wake up and show you strumming. Press Record.

You can easily manage the number and composition of channels later.

Koz

[kozikowski]

If you get something other than zero on the "dead" channel, that can be caused by the sound cable not being plugged all the way in.
Koz

[jeff12481]

Thanks for the help! I was plugging directly in to my computer to begin with and I had descent quality. But I heard that an interface like the fast track will get you a better sound. And from what i can see (even in that stereo recording) that it's true. The new quality is really nice. I think what I'll do is pick up a 1/4" to male mic cable, which will allow me to plug my guitar into the mic/mono side of the fastTrack. I just hope it will give me the same sound. Any thoughts? Again, thanks a lot for the advice!

Jeff

[steve]

I think what I'll do is pick up a 1/4" to male mic cable, which will allow me to plug my guitar into the mic/mono side of the fastTrack.

Probably a bad idea. Instruments (such as guitars) typically produce signal level several hundred times bigger than a microphone signal. Instrument signals are also expecting a higher input impedance than a typical microphone. Although it may be possible to adjust the gain control on the pre-amp, there will still be a substantial mismatch between the instrument output and the pre-amp input. (You may also find that a 1/4" jack to XLR converter is not wired correctly for your needs).

I'd recommend that you use the 1/4" jack socket, record in stereo and split the track after recording.
When splitting the track, select "Split Stereo to Mono" from the track drop-down menu, then click on the [X] in the top left corner of the unwanted track to delete it.

In future versions of Audacity it may be possible to "map" input channels to recorded tracks, which would be more convenient, but we currently don't have that feature.

[jeff12481]

Good deal. That seems to be the answer I was looking for. Thanks again!