How to Record a Song in Audacity | Overdubbing Basics
In this tutorial I'll teach you the basics of overdubbing, recording, and exporting in Audacity. I'll first show you how to make a click track, then how to make a grid to sync audio to. After that I show you the basics of recording a track, then overdubbing a second track, then finally how to export your mix. First thing's first, setup your latency compensation in Audacity • Correcting Audio Laten...
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Here's the answer the the question you're going to ask me next demonicsweaters.com/2020/04/hearing-yourself-without-delay-while-recording/
When I record a multi track and I try to overdub vocals over a guitar how do I avoid the Guitar being recorded again along with vocals this create extra noise
@@antonysajij I'm running into the same problem. Anyone have an answer?
@@Notarubi All mixers have one key difference to audio interfaces: They do not have input monitoring function and all sources (including USB or any other digital source) is routed to main mix, now depending on what mixer you have, it might have fancy feature which allows you to route USB playback and / or different inputs to different outputs So to hear playback sound only on headphones and prevent it being recorded, your mixer must have button which removes or includes USB playback to main mix (you can't listen anything thru main outputs, without it being recorded as well) or you need to select other than mixers main output as playback source either by switching to mixers different output, using virtual sound mixer or using entirely different device to playback the recording. Read the manual of your mixer, since function in question has many different labels and also differs hugely. Some mixers have a button which includes USB playback to main mix. Some have button which includes playback to main mix and also a button which mutes playback on headphones or monitors but won't mute recording of it. Some mixers only record whatever is played to main outs and you just need to select different outputs Plain mixer won't be able to route playback at all or it's done by connecting physical input and it's dedicated output channel directly to your computers sound card and you need to use computers sound card as recording device.
Do you have a video on how to track a mix made on Serato DJ Pro so I can put it on a CD ?
Use closed back headphones to listen to whatever you are recording, that should minimise guitar bleeding through to your vocal.
In 2020, the Click Track is now called the Rhythm Track (in case others in 2020 are watching this video) :D
Thanks!
thanks
Thank u
When I record a multi track and I try to overdub vocals over a guitar how do I avoid the Guitar being recorded again along with vocals this create extra noise
where is it im running 2.4.2
Great tutorial its exactly what I needed! I just started using Audacity and I love it!
Great tutorial. Even the screw ups (shrinking the bass loop and not being able to lose the click track) were useful to help know the nuts and bolts of the program. This will really help get me started. I'm gonna have to look at that latency video, though.
Thanks, man. Great tutorial. I used to record metronome with microphone, but I´ll be able to record in a much more efficient way now.
I am new to recording. Been a musician a long time but this is so enlightening. Thanks
Me too!!
Thanks! If I would've know this before recording tracks I would have saved myself a load of time trying to line up vocals.
Most helpful, thank you. This free software is getting more valuable all the time
5:00 helped me greatly, wish you the best, thanks'
Well done video...really helped me get a beginning level of understanding of Audacity!
Just new to Audacity so this was a BIG help. Thanks a bunch!
Thanks so much for this great tutorial, this is helping immensely.
Thanks for great tutorial , it's been such a help , many thanks again , take care
Thanks so much. This has been really helpful
Thanks. The beat finder is very useful.
Thanks man great job very helpful and easy!
Youve been helping me learn.
Excellent! Very helpful, thank you
Sick bass line bro! Stealing that one LOL
As a near complete newb at this stuff, this was helpful. Thanks!
Very helpful, many thanks
A good tutorial you did.
Thanks for making this.
Channel name clever AF...anyways let me get back to listening to this video.
Very helpful video 😁
Very cool
I would like for you to use a highlight on your mouse pointer, cause I got lost several times, since I'm not familiar with Audacity. However, your tutorial is very helpful at showing the how-to of the process. Thank you!
Nice info bro👍👍👍
Thanks for this. I may have misunderstood but if you play off the beat how do you align the track to the click track?
Thanks for the tutorial homie, love the name lmfao
Did you not notice that the click track is being recorded with your bass tack? Look at the first 4 beats before you start playing your bass.
To avoid re-recording any previous tracks onto the new tracks, use some headphones so you can hear the existing click and other tracks, and you only record what you are playing - not what you are hearing.
-i run all my equipment thru a mixer and the run out of the mixer into audacity. -i have to record with headphones on cuz my roomates sleep in the daytime -i could record one track, and listen to it thru the headphone out on my laptop, but i wouldnt be able to hear myself playing the new track. -or i could listen to what im playing but i wouldnt be able to monitor the old track -when i record a second track thru my mixer, it of course records the previous tracks onto the new track and gets muddy and gains out - what do i do?!?! (besides move out)
If it’s one of those mixers with USB, it could be a limitation of the mixer. I have one like that was well which makes it impossible to overdub. I have to use my behringer interface.
@@demonicsweaters yes its USB out--- behringer interface eh? ill check it out thank you very much >:)
🧐🥳
Thank You !!!!
Thank you, very helpful! Do you have any tips on how to use multi-track audio like this in a video? For example if I wanted to make a music video, should i record the audio first on Audacity and then try and film?
It's up to you. I mean if you mean a video to a song, usually the song is completed first before the video, yes.
Question please folks. I bought a behringer UMC 8 channel interface. Where on the latest version of audacity do I set it up to record 8 channels simultaneously? Thanks in advance 🇮🇪
Thank you for this video! I have a question. I am trying to record a voice and a guitar at the same time is it possible to have them in two separate tracks while recording them at the same time? Thank you.
yes you can! But this depends on what kind and how your audio interface is setup. For example if you are using the internal sound card, the L channel will be track 1 and the R channel will be track 2. You need to go into settings, then the interface options and make sure recording is set to stereo.
I would assume the different clicks are so they aren't hurried under certain freq if music/instruments.
Thanks! Gonna give Audacity a try. Have used G Band and Sound Trap; Not sure yet, butI think I"ll like Audacity better!
If you have Garageband, I would stick with that. It is much better for recording music.
Help...I'm recording using line input of my laptop from my edrums' output. When I record I see the wave file created and when played back it sounds great. My problem is using the laptop's headphone jack I don't hear the drums. I can do the Show Input Monitor and see that it is picking up the input, just can't hear it.
When I try to overdub using a Zoom H6 as an audio interface, the second track records on time but dropped in frequency--like I'll record a note with my voice, then overdub singing the same note but it comes out several steps down. What setting am I missing? Is this another effect of latency? I set Audacity to record into Windows Direct Sound, and when I just record directly into the computer without the interface I don't have this problem. Any ideas?
Thank you for an excellent tutorial. Say I have a recording of counting from zero to hundred without breaks (or with very short breaks) between the numbers and I would like to make from it a file which would teach somebody how to count from zero to hundred. I would insert between each number a slot of silence which would be of the same length as the recording of respective number. I would do it by selecting zero, generating the silence in its duration by cmd+L, copying that slot of silence (cmd+c), undoing the zero (cmd+z), moving the cursor to the right end of the zero selection by the right arrow, pasting the silence (cmd+v) and moving the cursor to the right end of the silence by the right arrow. Then, repeat the same 100x. Is there a faster and simpler way to do such a recording?
I record 1 main track with acmp on keyboard and use it as a cue to record other tracks but the pain is that all the other tracks are being overdubbed and for ex if I record guitar that is being played with keyboard even if I click solo little bit of noise of the other track is coming into other tracks .. I want other tracks to be recorded separately though I play other tracks while recording is there any way
What am I doing wrong? I've turned "overdub" on and the second record is still being shown at the end of the first
when I try to shift the tracks all tracks move together how do you move the tracks independently?
Thanks for your time, mate, this was so helpful. As a beginner I have one question: How can I record a guitar solo at the middle of the song without going back all over and waiting for the right time in case of mistakes?
create a new track from 'tracks/add new' in the menu, then place the cursor in the track where you want to start recording.
@@demonicsweaters Thank you very much. You have a new subscriber.
Glad to help! Happy recording!
Good
Ok, good video... So is it possible to record separate tracks (as you did) but playback those tracks individually? For ex: I record rhythm guitar on one track, bass on track 2 and lead on track three...but I want to hear them individually and not "overdubbed" during playback, so I can go back and hear ,say, only the lead without the other instruments playing in the background so that I may lay down a different lead track. I'm beginning to think Audacity can't do this. I end up with the problem you had trying to mute the click track, you couldn't because it recorded onto the other tracks as well. Any information is welcome, thank you.
sure, just mute what you don't want to hear!
I have a problem where I can't hear the beat while im recording.
Hey, I just purchased a Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD and downloaded Audacity to record music stuff. I'm running into a problem when I try to record over another track with the speaker option as the Behringer unit (so I can listen through the unit headphone output). I keep receiving the latency error message (latency correction setting has caused the recorded audio to be hidden before zero....) when I hit the record button. This doesn't happen when I set the speaker output on Audacity to my laptop speakers. I am also receiving the same error message when I try to record to a click track, while using the Behringer headphone jack. Any thoughts on why this is occurring?
I'm so sorry, youtube marked this comment as spam and I never saw it until now. This means that because of your latency compensation settings it is shifting the audio to the left which could cut off some of the recording in the beginning. If you are recording with a click first and a count off, there's really nothing to be concerned about. If your song start immediately at the beginning of the file, just shift it to the right a bit before recording. Hope that helps!
I've got the rhythm track down and saved. When I go to RECORD - it is not starting a new track recording. It advances to the end of my rhythm track...? Help please ! How is a new track started ? - not a continued recording on existing track.
Can you import a recorded song as the first track, then add tracks that follow its beat and chord changes, then go back and delete the original imported track so that you're left just with the stuff you added?
Stephen Rothman yes
I need quick assistance, I Have audacity for my powermac G3 i have recorded drums and want to listen to the drumw while I play a keyboard track on top of it, I can create several tracks but it is not working the way I hoped, am I doing something wrong?
Well it sounds like you're probably using a pretty old version but it should still work. Go into settings, then click on the recording tab, check "software playthrough"
my audacity is only recording the beat that I'm using?not the piano I'm plugged into. can you help?
16:44 How do you eliminate it recording previous tracks? I am having that problem with my Behringer Q802USB and it's creating an echo. Drums blend over into other tracks and it's not great sounding.
doing a quick search on this, it's a problem with the mixer. It's not really designed for overdubbing.
I have followed your directions and when I go to record the first track it jumps to the end and starts recording. I do not hear any of the beat track. It does let me play it back. Help please?
Earl Wilfong see this video kzhead.info/sun/jLiPdM1lmpt6i68/bejne.html
Got as far as the click track..what you do at 8:10 doesn't happen for me. When I click play it disables the record button.
He did not click on the play button, only the record.
Thanks. I'm only trying to record some demos. Given up on using a click track on them anyway.
Why did you give up on using a click track? The problem you were experiencing was due to misinterpretation of what happened in the video, he just happened to hover the cursor on the play button before clicking record. And to Carl McLean, please do not advertise your commercial software, especially on a video that specifically instructs people to use a specific non-commercial alternative.
shift + record helps
I have some public speech recording that I have no control. I want to edit them a little bit by taking of unnecessary noices and silences etc. I cannot do anything to edit. Can I call you
Hey Demonic Sweaters... thankyou for this tutorial - great so far except I really need the tut on how to do latency compensation but I couldn't see where you said I need to click to get it.. Help please ! :)
here you go! kzhead.info/sun/idRsc9x8mnOco68/bejne.html
Ive Audacity and reaper. But im just learning daw on audacity right now.
hi i want to know how to change a mono track to stereo in the recording i have voices and cars going by i want to get the car sound to go from left to right and get the voices in a right and left but dont know how to do it can you help me pls thanks very much
kzhead.info/sun/ZdCyhauDoWmAaHA/bejne.html
I tried to record a piece of music using a MIDI controller, it was either very quiet or not at all. When recording with a metronome, do you also hear the metronome in a recorded piece of music?
Unfortunately Audacity doesn’t support MIDI
When i try to record on a beat it also records beat again with vocal
Okay I added the click track now called a rhythm track and a grid/beat anlzyr, but when I press record it starts at the end of the tracks! Not at the beginning. I can't layer! Help me please.
Found it. Edit - Pref - Recording - Select "record on a new track" That would have been helpful to know!!!
How do I stop the click recording on other tracks please
Every time I record and go back to play it, its delayed and I can't figure out why.
sounds like a latency adjustment problem
If you plugged your bass directly into the line-in on your interface, and you set the mic to record from your interface, why is the click track also recorded on your bass track?
He's using screen recording software which records his voice and what he's doing on the computer sound and all
I have a Zoom 8-track recorder. Someone told me I could use Audacity to transfer my recorded songs on the Zoom to my laptop. I have a double-ended mic/headphone cable to attach the Zoom to my laptop. Can music be transferred this way?
yes, but I'm sure there's a better way via USB or just plugging the memory card into your computer.
@@demonicsweaters Thanks, but my Zoom unit is an old model and doesn't have a memory card -- it does have a CD burner, however. I know I can buy an external CD drive to effect the transfer, but I thought just the cable that I have would do it.
Hey DS new subscriber here. I followed your instructions exactly, but when I pressed record, it recorded after the click track instead of over it. Can you help?
What kind of audio interface are you using? What Operating System?
thanks. but when I hit record it records from the end of my piece!. I want to play back and record my new track while the 1st track is playing. Maybe my pc sound card cant do that because its trying to handle playback and mic at the same time?
Check to see if there is a marker along the top of the tracks where the time is displayed. Clicking here selects where playback begins?
JingTheChickenWing I will check it out, thanks !!!
press shif+R
Just dl'd audacity, and don't have an option for Click Track under generate. Closest to would be Click Removal andClip Fix. Other options?
In the latest version of Audacity it's now called "rhythm track" so go to generate/rhythm track, then you'll have options to keep it as metronome click, or even change it to other sounds if you wish.
Thank you!
My laptop does not have a Microphone or audio in jack. How can I transfer cassettes to my laptop? Thanks, Mike
You'll need a USB audio interface, like this one amzn.to/31bHQkd
What about the problem.of live latency..doesn't help when trying to multi track on audacity
When I record a multi track and I try to overdub vocals over a guitar how do I avoid the Guitar being recorded again along with vocals this create extra noise
What kind of audio interface are you using?
I've used Audacity for ages but lately a couple of times when I go to record the pause button immediately indents so I cant record?
sounds like an audio device issue
i turned overdub on, then also i am not able to record my vocals on a karaoke....please help!!
HOW DO U DOWNLOADED CAN U PUT THE LINK.?
Hi Justin, I have just sent you an email with this same message. I hope you might be able to help me out. Thanks a lot. My name is John. I a English from London but I live in Japan as I am an English Teacher here. I am sorry to bother you with my query but after watching your youtube channel about using Audacity which was very interested and I immediately thought that you would be the ideal person to ask some advice about what I am trying to do using Audacity. I am trying to record music from my home HiFi into my iMac Desktop computer and convert lots of Minidiscs and Cassette tapes into mp3 or other Audio types for which I have other software to do that. But my main question and problems are relating to the recoding levels and volumes to be use with Audacity to convert the music to digital. I did hear from someone that I would need to increase the volume on my HiFi in order for Audacity to pick up the sound. But I am very confused as to what volume level I should be using on my HiFi and what Input levels I should be using in Audacity. I have tried to make some recordings and they are not so bad but I have noticed that after the recordings have been done I can hear a kind of humming noise on the recordings just before the music starts. I think it could be because I am not using the correct levels of volumes on either Audacity or my HiFi. I am sending you a couple of screenshots so that you can see what I am confused about. I would be truly grateful if you could please put me in the right direction with your expertise and knowledge on the use of Audacity. I look forward to hear from you. Many thanks and my best regards. John
I'll get back to you there
My recording is done on my iPhone with Voice Pro Recording
My friend was telling me to use the play line moving across the screen for the metronome.
In a way its kinda better than the focus on sync with the tics. Plus Ive spent years in the past with a seth thomas. And I still need more.
In a way its kinda better than the focus on sync with the tics. Plus Ive spent years in the past with a seth thomas. And I still need more.
nice desktop
everytime i start to record, it starts my recording on the end of the audio track and not a new track
Go to transport then record then record new track and it will start recording from the beginning
same
same bhai
Ctrl + P for preferences... Click on "Recording" in the menu on the left. Check the box that says "Always record on a new track" Hope that helps!
Me too, when I upgraded to the most recent version. You can add a track first. Then when you select record it records on the new track you added
How can you record without metronome include in the track?
When I get to recording the bass audio my recording begins from the end of the track on the top line. Which doesnt happen in your demo. Its meant to record a new audio track. Why? How to alter this?
open preferences, go to 'recording' and check 'record on new track'
Every time I hit record it goes and records on the first track I posted, despite having selected a different track. How do I record on a new track?
press shift+R
I’m having a problem trying to record vocals and already fixed the latency but now the voice is distorted and keep clipping do you have any idea why?please help me 😞
Your level must be too high
how can you remove the metronome tick sound after recording the track?
just mute the click track or delete it, though I'd keep it there in case you want it later.
I cannot see my headphone option in playback 🤔
Demonic Sweaters, I have a crack at the very end of my audio file. How can I eliminate it?
What do you mean by a crack?
@@demonicsweaters It's ok. Thanks.
Okay How do you NOT bounce all the previous recorded sounds with each new track?
If thats happening then something weird is going on with your interface
cannot create a Click Track. That option is not available. I have tried to re-install Audacity, but still no good. Please help me.........thanks
It's now called 'Rhythm Track" under the generate menu.
Can I use this software on my i2 and 2gb ram dell e5400 computer?
Lelan Bolanio there is an i2 processor? But yeah it should run on just about anything.
@@demonicsweaters so you mean I can use my laptop for this software? Yes it's i2 processor,2 gb ram and windows 7.
@@demonicsweaters so it means audacity can run in any kinds of laptop even the cheap one?
I just got it . and windows 10 pro and a hp workstation and nothin but trouble.
Can we not have that paint options (all the 3 options are not nice) .. cos its does not sound nice... also how can we put in our own voice singing or include a song ? .... tks !
Hi Nick, I don't quite understand your question.
sorry...i mean under the quick track option, for the 3 options under the sound pull down ..you selected paint (3.08)... is it possible not to have any of these 3 options? ... tks!
2nd question, is it possible for me to sing my own song or rap n include it.. how to do that.. tks!
ahhh, you mean ping in the click track option. No, that's the only options they have for that particular click generator.
Hi Nick, you would do that the same way as recording any other instrument. You just use a microphone and sing into it on a separate track. You can use the same techniques described in this video.
Jesus Kristus. I just wanna play guitars, sing and have fun I used to make music all day long, but these new music programs are SOO difficult to understand.. I miss Ejay series :-( I'm buying that next payday
Can I email my file to my drummer if he has the same software so he can record drums and send it back to me?
Yes you can, but do by going to file/export/save compressed copy of project. Create a new empty folder and save the exported file in the new folder. Then compress that entire folder as a zip using windows. Then share that zipped file with them. Then make sure they do the same to send it back to you
@@demonicsweaters Thank you for the info, i'll give it a try.
I record track one but when I try to record track two, it stays and records on track one.
Shift R
Thank you. I bet you're an MST3K fan.
haha, well I used to enjoy it back when I still had cable years ago, why would you guess that?
@@demonicsweaters -- The name you chose for your youtube channel took me back about 20 years and got me thinking it would be interesting to know what inspired Demonic Sweaters. At first I just thought; "Oh man, that sounds so much like something Dave or I would have come up with back in the day, as we enjoyed our favorite pain relievers and endeavored to solve the world's problems... Then it occurred to me, "Demonic Sweaters" would be the perfect name for a super cheesy, no budget movie - which in turn would be perfect for MST. Even though I always enjoyed it, I found it hard to watch because one has to really focus (or miss stuff), so I never watched them all and figured there is a fairly high likelihood that DS is one of the movies that MST ripped a new hole in. With such titles as "Teenagers From Outer Space" and "The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living And Became Mixed Up Zombies", it seemed a good bet.
Se colo el clip
I dont have that click track option in my generate tab
weird, what version are you using? And on what OS?
How were you able to listen to the bass track while recording a new one, when I try to record a new track it mutes any others while recording the new one.
ah yes, good question. You need to go into Preferences, then on the left columb click "recording" then check "Overdub:Play other tracks while recording new ones" You also might need to click "Software Playthrough: Listen while recording or playing other track" Hope that helps.
So simple...much appreciated!
i turned overdub on, then also i am not able to record my vocals on a karaoke....please help!!
When I record my voice over a beat- my voice sounds like shit, chopped up If I record with the beat muted, my voice sounds ok. Why does the beat running during the recording shitten my recording?
I'm so absolutely frustrated. I get slap back, I messed with the latency still get huge slap back, I cant seem to turn down the volume of the monitor level so I keep hearing what sounds like Roger Waters Brick in the Wall (real time playing and with latency) I've muted the bass track does nothing. Messed with other DAWs still the same. I give up.
Sounds like a hardware issue. I recommend using a USB audio interface such as this amzn.to/34wKnqw This way you can monitor yourself directly through the hardware rather than trying to do it through software.