Recording and Playing Instrumental Simultaneously

[meseleto]

Hello everyone,

This is my first post here and I'm excited to join the community!

I have tried asking questions through Yahoo answers and by searching through Google but I think I will get much more knowledgeable people on this forum.

I am trying to get instrumentals to play through my headphones when I record vocals but I can't figure it out. I can hear my voice when I speak through the headphones but none of the music. Here is my starter equipment (started a few weeks ago and I got this package pretty cheap):

Behringer Mixer 1202fx
Mxl 990 Microphone
Basic Desktop w/ Windows 7 (microphone, line-in, line-out)
Audio Technica Headphones
Decent Computer Speakers (Purchasing studio monitors in the future)
Mixcraft 6.0

Thanks,
Tolcha Mesele

 

[mjbphotos]

You need an audio interface. Read the sticky-ed threads at the top of this section of the forum.

 

[meseleto]

I thought that the behringer mixer was the interface since it is connected to my computer. I can record the vocals fine from my microphone and play them back later and sound o.k.

 

[meseleto]

If the Behringer Mixer is not an audio interface, would I be okay with something like this: Focusrite Saffire 6 USB Audio Interface. I planned on upgrading the mixer ASAP because some of the reviews/user comments I have read suggest that it can be a little "buzzy."

 

[Justsomeguy]

just had a look to double check which behringer mixer it was and yeah, it's just a mixer rather than an interface. the difference being an interface will have either usb or firewire outputs and will do all the analogue to digital conversion in the box rather than the computers built in sound card.

the focusrite saffire 6 is a great little interface and would get you up and running quickly

 

[meseleto]

Ok thanks justsomeguy!

Do you have anything else to add about my original question? Could it possibly be a software trick that I don't know how to use? Has anyone used Mixcraft 6.0 before? I feel like it should be a button to turn on because sometimes people just want to hear their own voice and not the beat playing in the background.

 

[Justsomeguy]

i've not used mix craft but with an interface you can listen to two things at once quite easily; what you're recording and what's playing out from your DAW.

if you can only hear your voice when you're recording where are you headphones plugged into? i.e if they're plugged into the mixer is the output of your computer line out also plugged into the desk. this is just an assumption so please correct me if i'm wrong but to record are you plugging your mic into the mixer, then your mixer into the "line in" on your pc? when you listen back to the tracks are they playing through your pc speakers?

 

[meseleto]

Ok that's another good argument for an interface, I will upgrade ASAP.

My headphones are plugged into the mixer in the "phones" hole. The microphone is also plugged into the mixer. The mixer is plugged into both the line in and line out holes on my desktop. I have a set of computer speakers right now that play back all the vocals that I have recorded. So I would say that all of your assumptions are 100% right.

 

[Justsomeguy]

right, so when you record you can only hear your vocals in your headphones, but i'm guessing that the backing track is coming out of the speakers if you turn them up?

having a quick look at the front of the Behringer 1202fx there's two suggestions that may work.

firstly, plug your headphones into the headphone out on your PC and monitor your vocals directly from mix craft along with the backing track. the big problem with this is that it will probably introduce some latency and so your vocals in you headphones will sound like they have a delay on them.

the other is a bit more confusing as i'm not 100% that my understanding of the mixer is correct. is the mixer going into the line input of your computer via the main output or the tape output on the mixer? if my thinking is right, if you plug the line out on your computer into the tape in on the mixer, and the click in the "cd/tape to control", when you hit play in mix craft you should be able to hear the play back in your headphones. now, in theory, when you set your mic up to record you should also be able to hear your vocals as well. if you plug the tape out from the mixer into the line in on your PC then when you hit record the vocals should be sent to mix craft without the backing track, which is what you want.

however, all this aside, an interface would make life much easier

the focusrite scarlett 8i6, focusrite saffire 6, and presonus audiobox are all great little interfaces and all pretty cheap

 

[meseleto]

right, so when you record you can only hear your vocals in your headphones, but i'm guessing that the backing track is coming out of the speakers if you turn them up?

Yes that's exactly right!

The second setup is what I have right now because my studio headphones will not fit in the back of the headphone jack on my computer. The mixer is going into the line input of my computer via the tape output on the mixer.

I'm not sure where the "cd/tape to control" is on the Mixcraft software. I think there is a physical button on the mixer but I have clicked that before and I still couldn't hear the instrumental play in my headphones.

I'll double check how everything is connected when I get back home.

 

[Justsomeguy]

I'm not sure where the "cd/tape to control" is on the Mixcraft software. I think there is a physical button on the mixer but I have clicked that before and I still couldn't hear the instrumental play in my headphones.

yeah, it's the physical button. now, as i said, this is where i may confuse myself. if you're plugin the computer line out into the "tape input" on the mixer, then when you hit play in mixcraft the sound from mix craft should go to the mixer. pressing the physical cd/tape to control should then route that signal to the little "control room volume" knob (on the left of the master fader) which should also adjust the headphone volume. just make sure the cd/tape to mix isn't pressed in as this will send the playback track back to the computer

if that doesn't work, it may be worth unplugging your speakers from your pc and going from you speaker out on the computer to the tape input and follow the same process.

i hope this works. let us know when you've had a go.

and save up and get an interface asap

 

[ollie99]

as a short term solution then plugging your headphones into your pc will be the best option, you can buy adapters to the correct input dead cheap, and yes, get an interface when you can but post a question on here about it though so you can make sure you make the right buy for your needs

 

[meseleto]

I got it to work by checking through what you told me!! Thank you so much for your help!

Now the problem I have is that the instrumental plays very faintly and only on the right ear of my headphones.

 

[Justsomeguy]

ah, i feared something like this may happen (the quiet bit, not the one ear bit).

i've not used a windows pc for ages to do audio stuff, so i apologise in advance if this makes no sense, but are you going from the line out of the pc or the speaker out or have you tried both and had the same problem? in short, the RCA in's on the little mixer don't have a separate volume control for the input, only for the output (being either the control room knob or main fader if sent to the mix). if you can turn the signal up volume of either the line out or speaker out on your computer you should be able to more volume out of the headphones.

if you're using the line out it may only be in mono (i doubt but may be) whereas the speaker out will definitely be in stereo (i'm guessing both speakers work when plugged in right?)

so, unplug your speakers, plug the computer from the Speaker out to the tape in's on the mixer (make sure you plug in to both sides as this may be why it's only coming out of 1 side in the headphones), and turn the volume of the Speaker out on your computer up.

As ollie said, and i said earlier, the quickest and easiest way would be just to plug the headphones in to the computer rather than the mixer and monitor everything from mix craft, although as i said, you may get some latency in your headphones on your voice when you're recording

 

[meseleto]

Ok I plugged the line out of my computer into the cd/tape in of my mixer. I have the CD/Tape button on in the mixer and everything is off (alt 3-4, main mix). I can finally hear the headphones loudly now (I had the "Sold" button pressed before when it did not work). Pressing the sold button lets me hear my voice/microphone but it makes it so that I barely hear the instrumental in my headphone.

But now when I hit the record button in Mixcraft it keeps recording the instrumental and I can't get my microphone to pick up my voice. Any ideas?

Man I can't wait until I can afford an audio interface so things would be easier for me! But I'm currently broke right now

 

[meseleto]

Ok just to clarify, should I have 2 different sets of RCA cables plugged in? Right now I just have "line out" plugged into "cd/tape" in but I don't have a "line in" going to "cd/tape out." I'm going to feel like a complete idiot if that was the issue the entire time. I bought the mixer/cables/mic from the same guy so I assumed I just needed one set.

 

[Justsomeguy]

right, i'll try and break it down;

to record the vocals in to mix craft;

Mic ----> mic in on the mixer ----> adjust the gain until the loudest parts reach 0dB on the LED meter ---> Tape out on mixer ----> Line in on computer

to play it back to the mixer/play back for headphones;

Line/speaker out from computer ----> tape in on mixer ----> "CD/tape to control" button pressed in -----> adjust the control room knob to adjust the level in the headphones.

So yes, there should be at least two cables from the the mixer to the computer: one cable from the tape out on the the mixer to the line in on the computer, and one from the line/speaker out on the computer to the tape in on the mixer.

the "CD/tape to control" button should not send the playback to the tape out, only to the control room volume which goes straight to the headphones or speakers (if you have speakers plugged in to the mixer). when you're recording the vocals should be going out of the main mix on the mixer to "cd/tape out"

 

[meseleto]

Wow I feel like a dummy I just assumed that since I bought those items as a packaged deal that one set of wires would be enough. Now that I think about it, the setup you described below is pretty logical. As soon as I get home tonight I will check it out and post my results. Thanks again!

 

[Justsomeguy]

Wow I feel like a dummy I just assumed that since I bought those items as a packaged deal that one set of wires would be enough

don't feel like a dummy man, we all start somewhere. good knows i've made my share of n00b mistakes

tbf, the leads you already have with the package will let you record your vocals into mix craft but i'm guessing they assumed you were plugging your headphones straight in your pc and monitoring from your computer. as ollie and i said, this does work, but depends on a lot of factors as to how much latency you get.

the charm of audio interfaces (and to an extent the setup i suggested) is that you can monitor your vocals with zero latency because you are listening to your voice before it's gets to you computer. hence why nearly all interfaces have headphone sockets on the front.

at the moment, the worst case scenarios are;

1) for what i suggest you may need to buy another cable (RCA to mini jack, doesn't cost much)
2) this may still record the music back to the computer (if my thinking is wrong and the "CD/Tape to control" still sends the playback to the mix, which i'm 90% sure it won't)
3) you have settle and buy an adaptor for your headphones and plug them straight into your pc and make do with a bit of delay whilst recording (again, it may be nothing, it may be very noticeable. this happens because you are hearing your voice after it has been recorded and then kicked back out so the physical time it takes to do this is enough to create a delay in what you're hearing. the recordings will be fine, just the monitoring whilst recording that is often very off putting)

 

[meseleto]

don't feel like a dummy man, we all start somewhere. good knows i've made my share of n00b mistakes

Ok that makes me feel better.

I'm sending a friend out right now to buy that cable I need. I think right now though for my "tape in" I have a 3.5mm to 2 RCA cables. So as long as I connect these correctly it sounds like I should be okay right? Will I be able to hear the instrumental through the headphones and the microphone will record right? If I plug in my computer speakers should it only playback my recording?