Two microphones, splitting input

  • Thread starter Thread starter HurdyGurdy
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HurdyGurdy

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(I've also posted this to the 'newbies' forum after this one by-passed my eyes, sorry) ...

Hi,

I'm using n-track and trying to record separate vocal and guitar (acoustic through a mic) tracks at the same time (ie me singing whilst playing guitar).

I'm using an audigy2 with the drive in the front bay.

I've put one mic in the "Line-In/Mic 2" socket on the audigy drive, and the other in the mic socket on the soundcard itself.

In the n-track preferences, I've got "MME: Wave Mapper" selected as both input and output devices and set the vu-meter setup to record the left channel to track 1 and the right channel to record to track 2.

I've got "What you hear" selected as the recording device.

At the moment when I sing into just one of the mics the sound gets recorded into both track 1 and track 2, but I want each mic to record into a separate track. How can I do this? Can it even be done with my equipment?

I'm a uber-newb so please forgive my painful stupidity, but if any one can point me in the right direction for getting me setup and on my way I'd be very grateful.
 
Ask over at the FAsoft Forum
It's possible someone there may also use the same soundcard.
I don't know that card, but I do know that you don't want "What U Hear" selected as the source. That will cause each track to be recorded into the next track.
 
Well, I don't know how that Audigy2 card is but it would seem that you should have the ability to at least get two tracks out of it. One from the right channel and one from the left.
Most consumer cards line input is a stereo input that would require a splitter cable to split the stereo input to two mono inputs. One like this from Radio Shack would plug into the 1/8" line in on the back of the card. Being as how it is a line in, it requires a signal that is at line level. Meaning ... a microphone would require some form of pre-amplification to bring it up to line level. This could be in the form of a dedicated preamp, a mixer or even a stereo cassette deck that has mic inputs and record level control.
Using a mixer such as this and the Radio Shack cable going from the Tape Out of the mixer to the Line In on the back of the card would give you two tracks. You would pan the inputs on the mixer one hard left and one hard right and set n-Track to record stereo> two mono tracks. And set the Audigy to use that Line In as the recording device.

HTH

-Ken
 
There has to be WDM or ASIO drivers for that card. If all else fails, use the drivers from www.kxproject.com. If you use WDM or ASIO driers, you will have no problems. As Crankz said, hit the FASoft forum or www.audiominds.com . Look for a guy named Maazy, I think he has an Audigy and is doing multi track just as you want to do.
 
bubbagump, the pc does have WDM dirvers installed, and possibly ASIO dirvers too, but whenever I choose ASIO as the input device it alerts me complaining about something to do with the sample frequencies not being supported...

Anyway, following crankz advice I've dug out my old tape 4-track and a bundle of wires to try as he suggested ... There are two outputs from the 4-track, a headphone jack and a line-out, and two input jacks (one for each mic). I've tried running both outputs into the "Line-In/Mic 2" input on the pc and here are the results:

Line-Out -> Line-In
I can hear mic1 clearly through the PC, but mic2 is hardly audible if at all. Both mics are setup identically (apart from mic1 aimed at left channel and mic2 at the right). If I listen directly to the 4-track through it's headphone jack then I can hear both clearly, one in the left and one in the right. So, I tried ...

Headphone -> Line-In
I can now only hear one of the mics, but if I press the "mono" button on the 4-track next to the 'phones' jack then I can hear both, but then the sound isn't split into left/right so that's no good.

Could the line-out on the 4-track be broken?

I will loko at the other sites you mention too. Thanks.
 
Ok, after opening my eyes and switching my brain to the 'on' position I have discovered the magical 'Aux In' jacks on the Audigy's front panel box! Thanks to this little marvel the mic's now get successfully split and transferred for the PC to pick up. So, thanks very much for your guidance and for anyone else who may have this same setup query my setup is as follows:

Hardware
- SB Audigy 2 Platinum with front panel extension.
- An old Tascan tape 4-track (details here)
- Two mics
- One "Twin phono->phono" cable (one of these)

Software
- n-track Studio

Setup
- Plug both mics into the 4-track, mic1 on track1 and mic2 on track2.
- Run the 4-track's line-out to the PC's Aux-In.
- On the 4-track, set Mic1's pan to full left, and Mic2's to full right.
- In windows, open the volume control (Start > Programs > Accessories > Entertainment > Volume Control), open the "Options > Properties" menu and check the 'Recording' radio button and click OK. Choose "Auxillary 2" as the input that the PC should record from.
- Open n-track and start a new project.
- Click on the little hammer icon below the recording VU-meter (settings) and make sure "Stereo -> two mono tracks" is chosen.
- Click the red icon below the VU-meter and make sure that the left and right channels are being sent to different tracks.
- Start recording!

This has pleased me no end, so thank you once again guys I really appreciate your pointers.
 
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