Recording and playback...

[ninsptlmm]

Hello everybody, just a couple quick questions here. (I did try the search option to no avail.)
Just so you know, I am running Windows XP, with an NVidia NForce(?) integrated 6.1 channel sound card.

1.) I was wondering if anybody knows of any decent multitrack recording programs than can be ran using Windows XP. All of them that I have found (excluding Acid and Sound Forge) are only compatible with other versions of Windows.

2.) Also, what is the best program for recording a track (for instance vocals), while listening to another track (drums or guitar, etc.) I just want to be able to hear the track that has already been recorded through my headphones while recording the second track. I would prefer a program that has a downloadable demo or is free.

3.) Lastly, if I am playing a track while recording, will my pre-recorded track that is playing be picked up in the background of my new track? If so, how do I solve this problem?

I would truly appreciate any feedback.
Thank you!

 

[Massive Master]

(1) I really can't think of too many decent programs that aren't compatible with XP.

(2) That's the most basic part of multitracking - ANY multitracking program is capable of that.

(3) That's what control rooms are for. Headphones if you have no other choice will work in a pinch.

 

[ninsptlmm]

Thanks

Thanks for the answers to my dumb questions. The website that I was on said that most of the software was mostly only Win95/98/NT compatible and I downloaded a demo of nTrack Studio and it wouldn't work, so thats how I came to the assumption that a lot of software wasn't compatible, but I'm thinking that maybe it was just a really old site...anyway, thanks.

 

[crankz1]

Kristal Audio Engine is a decent little free program that will work well to get your feet wet in computer based multi-tracking.

3.) Lastly, if I am playing a track while recording, will my pre-recorded track that is playing be picked up in the background of my new track? If so, how do I solve this problem?

This is strictly a setting of your soundcard. You just need to be certain that the recording control mixer is set to record from the physical input you are using. Not stereo wave or stereo mix or whatever. You must select the actual input (i.e. Line In or Mic in ... preferably Line In).

 

[manning1]

nin. you must set up your windows volume control correctly to use your on board sound for recording. enabling line input, and ensuring wave out is enabled as well. DONT USE MIC IN. thats a very poor quality circuit.
heres the signal chain
mic>>>>a mixer mic input>>>>sound line input.
ideally at some point you might consider a decent sound card like an audiophile 2496 for a hundred bucks.
posting your pc specs would help as well.
if you want a nice inexpensive multitracking software i use powertracks from pgmusic.com. for quite a time in the past i used ntrack but found the midi features in powertracks and the built in audio effects and drum machine and many other features like music notation were excellent in powertracks.
also talk to users on the forum at pg who have arrived at powertracks
as their main go to software after using many other products, because of its ease of use and day in/out stability.peace.