No sound when recording!?!?

[Bruise]

Hey everyone, first post here so I hope someone can help me. I'm trying to record my acoustic guitar on my laptop using my Behringer Xenyx 1202 and Cool Edit 2.0. I have my guitar plugged into the 1202 input and it is showing a level on the mixer when I play. The problem is nothing is recording on Cool Edit. I have the mixer connected to my laptop. I've tried plugging the cable into the Main out on the mixer and in my laptop's mic input on the other, but the audio is not getting from the mixer to the computer. Do I have to run my guitar through my amp, then the mixer, to the computer? I thought I could go straight from the mixer to the computer? Anyone have any ideas?

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Hey everyone, first post here so I hope someone can help me. I'm trying to record my acoustic guitar on my laptop using my Behringer Xenyx 1202 and Cool Edit 2.0. I have my guitar plugged into the 1202 input and it is showing a level on the mixer when I play. The problem is nothing is recording on Cool Edit. I have the mixer connected to my laptop. I've tried plugging the cable into the Main out on the mixer and in my laptop's mic input on the other, but the audio is not getting from the mixer to the computer. Do I have to run my guitar through my amp, then the mixer, to the computer? I thought I could go straight from the mixer to the computer? Anyone have any ideas?

Welcome, Bruise.

Two things. First you should be plugging your mixer into the Line In instead of the Mic In on your sound card. This is not your direct problem, but it will help ensure the right levels and sound quality when you do get it working.

Second, go into Cool Edit and select the multitrack screen. On the header board (the left side) of the track(s) on which you're trying to record,amongst other gizmos there should be two buttons, one labeled "Out1" and one labeled "Rec1". Click the "Rec1" button to pop up a dialog box where you select the proper soundcard and soundcard channel(s) that you want to record onto that particular track. Your laptop's soundcard should be listed. Make sure you select that, and pick whether you want to capture the Left or Right channel to that track (usually it's the left channel). Repeat on track 2 for the right channel.

The "Out1" button on each track works similarly except it assigns the channel to the speaker/monitor out on the soundcard for monitoring purposes.

Unless there are further problems, that should take care of it.

G.

 

[Bruise]

Glen, thanks for responding so quick. I finally got it to record but I had to send it through my mic input. I couldn't send it the way you said. I'm guessing what you were talking about would send the line into my headphone input??? I only have a mic input and an input for my headphones.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

I couldn't send it the way you said. I'm guessing what you were talking about would send the line into my headphone input??? I only have a mic input and an input for my headphones.

Ok, I assumed your laptop has a stereo soundcard with three jacks. These jacks are usually color-coded:

Red or Pink for Mic In
Blue for Line In
Green for Headphone or Speakers Out

If you only have the red and green jacks, then yeah, you have to use the red Mic In. The sound quality will probably not be superb through that card, as that jack is expecting for a PC-style microphone voltage/impedance level, which is nowhere near what the mixer puts out.

It all depends on your needs and expectations. If you're happy with the sound you're getting, then it's all good. But if you seem to be getting excess noise, you might want to try using the "tape" outs instead of the main outs on the 1202; these are lower voltage outputs which might come closer to what the sound card wants.

G.