I need help like a man with no hands trying to wipe.

Randy0Marsh

Randy0Marsh

New member
:facepalm:Hi guys I have a few questions- This might be a lot to read but please bear with me if you have time?

I recently inherited some gear and over the last year few months or so I've been putting together a bare-bones home studio, finally culminating with getting a new PC. Theoretically I should be ready to go. Let me give you a little background so I don't sound like a complete idiot lol

Skill level? I'd say medium nublet?
Pretty sure that I'm ok at recording/mixing/pro in general. I have an older AA in Audio Pro from the Seattle AI from like 10 years ago. I learned standards and junk on original Protools and really nice Mackie consoles behind the glass, however it's been a really long time, and I've forgotten most of the important details unfortunately. I know my mic placement, I know what mics are for what, and I'm a long term guitar player with good pitch so i know how to use cables and most regular musician stuff from like running live sound, tuning everything together, and other easy stuff like that. Here's the only track to survive my old housefire :(

01 Tearfull(this was made with a ton of cocaine, a 1/4 to 1/8 patch cable into my laptops Mic in slot. Two tracks, changed strings on guitar for the lead track.)

Anyway that's a little background on me specifically, here's the issue that brought me here:

-"inherited" a Behringer XENYX 1202 because my friend owed me money and i had no Audio Interface, so i took it to use for a soundcard/open mic mixer
-2x Behringers cardiod dynamic SM54 knockoffs
-several electric and acoustic guitars with hole-pickups
-I also have a Roland KR5 Digital Piano. Older one. Pre-USB everything, but has a TON of usefull things on it. The ultimate electric piano, weighted keys and everything, just circa like 2001 or something lol.
-"ok" pair of Behringer MS20 field monitors. They're not great but I can run monitors and control room/headphones at different volumes and locations ect.
-Decent pair of phones. Not very good actually, just a nice Razer gaming headset also with a mic
-Due to the overwhelming presence of Behringer products around me I'm kind of running a theme now, which wasn't my plan, but it's a cheap solution until i can afford to get some really nice gear.

So I like the mixer, but the preamps seem really low, like if i could turn them about 15% higher it would save me using a lot of gain which is killing my noise ceiling. I can mix sound and run through both monitors and through control room easily. My computer recognizes the XENYX and runs in/out through it no problem controlling all computer volume through the main mix slider. I run stereo cables on my piano, and mono for the guitars and mics are on good XLRs

I've been going a little crazy though, because no matter what I do I can't get my DaW monitors to register any sound from my line in. I'm only trying to record one channel at a time, not multitrack so i should be able to record two things(tops) at once, at this point i'd just be happy registering on the DaW monitors. I am like 100% sure this is a stupid user error issue. I know it's bad, and yes i feel bad lol.
I've been using a mix of programs to try and get a line signal on and i haven't gotten one off of anything but soundforge when i plugged in through a direct box, and that didn't work with anything else. Tried:
-Adobe Audition,Studio One, FL11, cUBASE, Amplitube, Soundforge, Acid, Sonar, Audacity and Ignite. That's how i know its my bad, because one of those should have worked right?

Decided to focus on Audacity because of all the VSTs and junk free. That's what lead me here. I read a lot of threads, and it seems like Behringer has a lot of problems with their mixers like this, but i can never find anyone with a 1202, only a 1204 and mine is missing certain buttons that seem to fix the problem with that model? I don't have any obvious stuff like no channel is muted or solo'd, the main mix and control mix are divided and both being used. The only real weakness in my game at this point is that I don't know Audacity very well, so I'm like 75% sure that's the reason I can't get my line in to register despite doing everything from watching youtube to randomly pushing buttons and reinstalling repeatedly lol; i think i might have a blind spot where this problem is concerned or something? Or i just suck and haven't found a good enough Audacity tutorial to show me what's up with my problemo :(

I implore you, please, please, please, please help me figure out what i'm doing wrong oh great AV masters!!! If you're like me you know how frustrating it is to not be able to lay down any tracks :( I only hope to at least be pointed in the right direction please :facepalm:
 
Welcome. Get a soundcard for your computer. That will solve a lot of your problems. Read the sticky notes about various things. Those Behringer mixers aren't that bad, though if you're missing buttons, that is bad. The main weakness in your game right now is the bogus way you're inputting things. The phone and mics you have are crap, but you still should be able to get things into the computer. What is the room you're doing these things in like? That's massively important. So, here's what you need, right away: (1) A soundcard for the computer (2) read the notes.
 
I'm not sure what the actual problem is.

You have a whole bunch of stuff going into the Xenyx, and from there into the computer ok.

I presume you have the MS20 monitors hooked up to Xenyx as well, because you can hear stuff through them (via control room, which is where I think you have the connected and where they should be connected).

So what is this DAW monitor that is causing grief? Have you got PC speakers or something through which you can't hear?
 
TimN said:
Welcome. Get a soundcard for your computer. That will solve a lot of your problems. Read the sticky notes about various things. Those Behringer mixers aren't that bad, though if you're missing buttons, that is bad. The main weakness in your game right now is the bogus way you're inputting things. The phone and mics you have are crap, but you still should be able to get things into the computer. What is the room you're doing these things in like? That's massively important. So, here's what you need, right away: (1) A soundcard for the computer (2) read the notes.
Click to expand...

I have an onboard soundcard of course but it's just Realtek HD Audio manager? I think you misunderstand me-
1st. I'm not missing buttons on my mixer. the 1202 XENYX has less buttons than the 1204 and the problem is easily solved on the 1204 by using a button exclusive to that? I'm not inputting anything in bogus, generally i have no more than one thing at a time for single track recording?
2. Monitors are going out through the main line out, long chord headphones for my control room.
3. i agree with the room being somewhat important but at this time it's really NOT important. I have it about as quiet as I can get it in my bedroom with home-made baffles making a vocal spot.

Everything plays just fine when mixing just nothing line INs? Could you link me to some specific notes or is it just a bunch of stickies on here i need to keep reading. I've been lurking and reading tonight but Idk how to figure out what i need and a lot more people are using a higher model mixer then me so i can't really use that exact solution sometimes?
 
gecko zzed said:
I'm not sure what the actual problem is.

You have a whole bunch of stuff going into the Xenyx, and from there into the computer ok. 1*

2*I presume you have the MS20 monitors hooked up to Xenyx as well, because you can hear stuff through them (via control room, which is where I think you have the connected and where they should be connected).

3* So what is this DAW monitor that is causing grief? Have you got PC speakers or something through which you can't hear?
Click to expand...

1*Yes and no. I have usually one or two things only going into the mixer.
2. Yes and no again. I have monitors playing back in the main mix fader and my control room goes through my headphones at the moment because it has a long chord which works well for my "vocal corner"
Am i doing it ass backward? I wouldn't be surprised, i'm sure it's something silly like that grr
3. I am trying to use Audactiy but i'm not very familiar with the program yet and no matter what i do when i try to record i get no signal at all. Again if this is fixed by *2 my bad and thanks for pointing it out to me lol!!
Here's what I have for my Audacity settings:
1. Line in (Behringer USB WDM Audio)
2. Line out is Speakers(Behringer USB WDM Adio)
3. The Audio host thing kinda confuses me i'm not sure what do put it on so that might be my problem too i guess>? Like i just used the wrong one too much or something?
4. In my Line in options i have: Realtek digital Output, Speakers(Behringer USB WDM Adio), and Speakers (XSplit Stream Audio Renderer), and my smart TV out my HDMI port.
5. Basically i have the same thing for my output device, but i've never been sure which to set it on for sure?

Anyway i can't get a monitor inside Audacity to show that anythiing is playing through the mixer and it just records a flat annoying line. I hope i have explained well enough, anymore questions ask me, i'll try about anything
 
I just want to check . . . you do have the xenyx QX1202usb right?

And you have connected the xenyx to pc via USB, right?

From there we can do some tests.
 
I don't have that mixer but plugging my Behringer UCA 202 (essentially the same thing) into this HP i3 laptop I set it as default audio device in W7 as " Microphone USB Audio Device. Then set in Audacity (Edit>Preferences>Device) ass "USB Audio Codec".

Click the wee arrow beneath the input meter, "start monitoring" Select a stereo track, wet finger test and the thing records hum and ***t! Lot of steps to work thru' but once you know, you know. You Know? There is also an input meter atop Audacity and a level meter in the W7 sound menu tho' that is usually slammed to 100% and might need tweaking back, sometimes quite a lot!

You COULD buy a UCA 202(222). For some reason they are better converters than the ones in most USB mixer, certainly much quieter output. Still, only 16bits so basic noise floor will at best be -85dBFS (tho' that is good enough for most "rock" recording, certainly in any pub!) whereas a good AI will touch -100dBFS using 24 bits.

Another very good solution is a decent PCI sound card. The M-Audio 2496 is excellent if you can find one but do not buy ANYTHING called "sound blaster" or that uses 1/8"th jacks!

All round best solution tho' is a good Audio Interface. Pick one with extra line inputs if the budget will stretch but whatever you get you will still be able to use the mixer (just not as USB).

Dave.
 
Just played Tearful and used it as a backing track to my Native American Flute. Nice Have you tried connecting a usb mic into the usb on your computer to see if you are getting an audio wave form into audacity That would be a simple first test
 
gecko zzed said:
I just want to check . . . you do have the xenyx QX1202usb right?

And you have connected the xenyx to pc via USB, right?

From there we can do some tests.
Click to expand...

What i have is the XENYX Q1202USB, not a QX1202. I have the XENYX connected to PC and the drivers for it are updated.
It's this one specifically right here. Amazon.com: Behringer Q1202USB 12-Channel Mixer: Musical Instruments

Crow Feather said:
Just played Tearful and used it as a backing track to my Native American Flute. Nice Have you tried connecting a usb mic into the usb on your computer to see if you are getting an audio wave form into audacity That would be a simple first test
Click to expand...

Wow that's awesome! I'd love to hear what you came up with if you're willing to share.
I don't have a USB mic just XLR ones. You have a point though and i overlooked this option. Gonna check that out. I'll check back on my post later.

Thanks for all the replies everyone. Ecc, i'll try your angle too and see if it missed something on that one too!

PS: I'm using Win 8.1 if that makes a difference
 
Last edited:
just wanted to say thanks to everyone. The above tips helped me fix it. There was a number of issues but the above advice was the string that unraveled it and now I'm recording and having fun so thanks everyone!!
Love to hear that flute you put on my track too Crow :)
 
Randy glad to hear things worked out for you.Some time in the future i will do that.Right now as a newbie i have a ways to go as my right hand is just beginning to understand my left hand.As a newbie right now i am just reading lots of threads
 
bouldersoundguy said:
I have nothing to add but this: "Real guitars are for old people."
Click to expand...

*brightly* I can actually play a lot of these songs on a real guitar. You want me to teach you boys how?



@crow- maybe we can put something else together sometime I like the idea of my style with some NA styling.
 
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