Help a confounded newb

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SnoboarderX27

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I feel really stupid... I just bought a new soundcard over the internet because I wanted to be able to record drums, two guitars, and a bass simultaneously with each instrument going to a separate track on the computer. I knew I needed a soundcard with multiple inputs, but I didn't have a lot of money, so I was shopping for an inexpensive one. I finally found one that looked perfect. It was only 110 bucks and, according to the site, "is a great new Multi-track recording sound card that will record 4 simultaneous tracks." Perfect. So I went ahead and got the okay from my band to spend some of our hard-earned "band fund" on it. It arrived today. The problem is that it only has two inputs, yet still claims to have four (under the list of its features it says "Plug In with Analog Inputs (4) and Outputs (4)"). The first input is labeled as line in 1/2, and the other says line in 3/4. Did the site just lie to me, or is it actually possible to record to four tracks with only two inputs?
 
SnoboarderX27 said:
I feel really stupid... I just bought a new soundcard over the internet because I wanted to be able to record drums, two guitars, and a bass simultaneously with each instrument going to a separate track on the computer. I knew I needed a soundcard with multiple inputs, but I didn't have a lot of money, so I was shopping for an inexpensive one. I finally found one that looked perfect. It was only 110 bucks and, according to the site, "is a great new Multi-track recording sound card that will record 4 simultaneous tracks." Perfect. So I went ahead and got the okay from my band to spend some of our hard-earned "band fund" on it. It arrived today. The problem is that it only has two inputs, yet still claims to have four (under the list of its features it says "Plug In with Analog Inputs (4) and Outputs (4)"). The first input is labeled as line in 1/2, and the other says line in 3/4. Did the site just lie to me, or is it actually possible to record to four tracks with only two inputs?
Click to expand...

Well it's helpful if you tell us the card you bought, but from your description, you have two stereo inputs, so you need a TRS- 2 TS splitter cable to get four inputs to the card.

Something like this:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=42/g=home/search/detail/base_id/39047
 
Yeah, I thought of that, but that still won't get all four instruments on their own tracks. It'll just put them on two different tracks, right? Maybe I'll just have to live with that.

By the way, it's an Audiotrak Maya 44 MKII Sound Card.
 
Doesn't seem possible to me. What does it say to do in the manual to connect up four inputs? Maybe they're setup like something in reverse to a TRS channgle insert cable (a single TRS 1/4-inch connector on one end and split mono 1/4-inch connectors at the other ends with one for the "tip" and one for the "ring"). I guess it might work (sounds like you'll need external pre-amps of some sort in any case); but it's definitely unconventional. Can you get a refund?
 
the picture of the sound card you posted has 4 inputs on it... at least that what it looks like to me... maybe the shipped you the wrong one.
i dunno.
 
borntoplease said:
the picture of the sound card you posted has 4 inputs on it... at least that what it looks like to me... maybe the shipped you the wrong one.
i dunno.
Click to expand...

At first I thought those were 4 inputs, too (that's why I bought it) but two of them are outputs.
 
About the only way I could see it working is if you had a four channel preamp or mixer with direct outs on each channel. You could then presumably use two TRS-TS,TS cables if the software you're using with the card is really setup to record each input channel as two separate tracks. But you're kind of out of your budget realm at that point.
 
I think I can try that because I have access to two mixers and a two-channel preamp. All I need is the cords. I'm not sure if the software is able to record each input channel as two separate tracks, though... I'll email the company and see what they say.
 
Looks like the card has 2 stereo tracks per input, so they are call ing that your 4 channels. I went to the Audiotrak website, and that's how they "kind of" describe it. They actually don't give much info.
 
Yep, I know with Protools LE that you can split a stereo track into two separate mono tracks once it's been recorded.
 
This is no different than most stock soundcards, except the stock cards
1)Only have one stereo input
2)the input is usually 1/8" instead of 1/4"

Also, every discman/walkman/radio-man has 1/8" STEREO output to Left and Right (which is magically 2 outputs) for headphones.

Not sure why the long discussion here, just get 2 cables, which each have a single 1/4" TRS on one end (to plug into the card) and two 1/4" TS on the other end. Voila - 4 inputs! :)
If you can't get the software to record 4 mono tracks, you'll need to tell us what software you are using and someone who has that software can tell you what you need to do.
 
Umm wtf is a TS (Tip, Shield)? I thought it was TR (Tip, Ring).



Should just be a Stereo 1/4 to mono 1/4 left/right.
 
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