Noob asking a question about recording

T

Toni1580

New member
Hey there,

I am very new to recording at home and need some help as this is driving me mad. I have a LD LAX 6D Mixer (nothing special I know) anyway I recently started recording at home and everything is fine apart from being able to hear what I am recording. I cant listen to the music and hear my vocals through the same headsets. I have to listen to the backing track through my pc and my vocals through my mixer. I have an audio interface that transfers the vocals to usb to the pc. When I have the backing track from the PC go through to the mixer so that I can listen to vocals and music through the same headphones, the audio interface also sends the backing track back into the PC through the Microphone recording. My questions is, is there anything I can do about that? Please help (I have tried to explain the best I can, I hope people understand what I mean)

Thank you
 
I can't find the LD LAX 6D on their site...the nearest seems to be the VIBZ 6D and if yours is anything like that you may be out of luck.

Using a mixer, the normal way to set up monitoring is to use a facility called "Auxiliary Sends". These are extra knobs on each input channel (generally between the EQ controls and the Pan control) which allow you to send the signal to other outputs. Typically you'd use a "Pre Fade" Aux on both your mic channel and the computer return channel to create your headphone mix. The main control on the mic would be turned up (to record) and the main control on the computer would be turned right down so as not to feed back into the computer. I suspect your mixer doesn't have this facility.

You don't mention how you get from the mixer into your computer. Do you have a USB audio interface or are you relying on the basic sound card on your computer? If you have a USB interface, look and see if it has "Direct Hardware Monitoring" or some similar title. If so, this will let you create a mix without going back to the mixer.

If you don't have a USB interface, my suggestion would be to dump the mixer and buy one. There are lots of ones to choose from at prices in the $100-200 range--if you go this route we can recommend one. This will both greatly improve your quality (the built in sound cards on computers are not designed for serious recording) and solve your monitoring issue.
 
Thanks Bobby,

It does have Aux sends and returns on it, here is the link to the mixer here https://www.soundbasemegastore.com/29862-ld-systems-lax-6-d.html

I think maybe I just dont know how to set it up correctly. I have an audio interface to USB that I plug directly into the mixer and connects to the pc through USB.

God I hope I dont have to buy even more stuff! haha

---------- Update ----------

Thanks Bobby,

It does have Aux sends and returns on it, here is the link to the mixer here https://www.soundbasemegastore.com/2...s-lax-6-d.html

I think maybe I just dont know how to set it up correctly. I have an audio interface to USB that I plug directly into the mixer and connects to the pc through USB.

God I hope I dont have to buy even more stuff! haha
 
Okay. Looking at the picture it does indeed the labelling indicates it does have an aux feed and it suggest that it can somehow be set to "Pre". You'll have to check that part in the manual because you need pre which is short for "Pre Fade". This means it will send a signal to the Aux even if you turn the level down as far as it will go.

On the assumption that your USB interface has both ins and outs, bring the output of your interface to a line level input on your mixer--say 3/4.

When you're recording set your DAW to output the pre recorded tracks but not the new one you're recording. Depending on what DAW you have, this may well be the default state. Then to record, turn the level on your mic up as required and the line return from your computer down as far as possible. Turn the Aux sends (in Pre mode) up on both channels. A mix of your voice and the recorded music will be appearing on the Aux send socket of the mixer. You can adjust the balance between the two by fiddling with the Aux send knobs on each channel.

Now...here's well you may need to buy something else. Try plugging your headphones directly into the Aux send and if you're super lucky there may be enough signal for you to hear. However, if it's too quiet or in only one ear (likely) you may need to buy some kind of headphone amp. If you have an old hifi amp with a headphone out this will work, otherwise Behringer make one that works fine and sells from Thomann for about 25 Euro.

I realise I'm being a bit vague but I only have a photo of your mixer, not the full spec or manual and don't know the make and model of your USB interface.
 
Happy recording! I'm amazed you worked out what I was saying through all the typos! (I hate touch screen keyboards...)
 
Hey Bobbsy,

Sorry to bother you again. I gave up with the mixer and bought the M-TRACK AUDIO PLUS interface. Now I have a different problem :-/ I have downloaded the driver and installed it, I am working with Audacity at the moment. Anyway my problem is I can only hear my voice through it and not the music from the laptop. I have tried turning it from direct to usb and still nothing, I am at a loss now. I changed the settings in Audacity to primary driver as well. Is there a setting I have to change in my laptop at all please? I am going crazy here :-(
 
Sorry you're having problems.

I'm going to have to guess it's an Audacity issue. Normally, simply turning the Direct/USB knob is all that's required--it's a knob so you can set a balance between playback and your voice in your headphones when recording.

Do you hear recorded audio when simply playing back and not recording? Obviously you'd want the M Track in USB mode for that. If so that shows the M Track is working properly and for some reason Audacity isn't set to send audio when recording.

Edited to add: I did some Googling and found this page which may solve your problem: Audacity Listen While Recording - Can't Hear Tracks as You Record
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top