Audacity Question

The problem is that you're pluggin your High impedence instrument into a low impedence line level input. There is the cheap fix and the good fix. The cheap fix is to go out and get either a cheap mixer or Direct Injection or DI box. That will work for you but you will still have to deal with using a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter and as I mentioned in a previous post, you will have a potential problem with the weight of the plug and adapter wearing out the jack.

A better solution would be to get a proper recording interface for your computer.

If i buy a Behringer Eurorack UB1002 mixer and use mics instead of direct input will i still get this problem?

That might work. All depending on whether or not the Ub1002 has instrument level inputs or not. You will then need however, a dual rca to single stereo mini TRS(tip, ring, sleave; aka mini phono) plug.

What do you mean by instrument level inputs, like what an amp has?

Of course the inputs on your amp are instrument level since they are designed for your instrument. I just looked at the UB1002 on the site. I don't think it will work for you. Why don't you try the Tube Ultragain 100. Even get two of them. They're quite affordable. They serve as mic preamps as well as a DI.

so this Tube Ultragain 100 does the same as the behringer mixer (im new to recording obviously), or will i have to buy a mixer as well.

You don't need a mixer if you get the Tube Ultragain 100. The only reason you would need a mixer is for the preamps and if it has the functionality, the instrument level inputs and of course if you had multiple sources which you would like to mix to a stereo pair. The Tube Ultragain functions both as a preamp and a DI for instrument level inputs.

A lot of people confuse the multiple channels of a mixer with the multiple channels of a multi-input audio interface. With a mixer connected to your computer, you are still confined to two tracks of actual input to your computer. Only you are mixing the 10 or twenty inputs on the mixer down to the stereo pair going to your audio card or interface. In order to add more inputs you need a multi-input interface. There are mixers which function as multi-input audio interfaces as well but they aren't cheap. If you want a good one you will need to spend at the very least $1200.00 however you can get a cheap one from Alesis for $250.00.

http://www.zzounds.com/item--ALEMULTIMIX8FW

Okay so if i buy it how do i record a band with microphones, does it have all the plugs?

Which? The Behringer? You plug direct into the Behringer. With the alesis you will need 16 mics but you can also plug directly into the first two channels I think.

yeah i want to plug in microphones with the option of jacking straight in. I would much rather just mic everything. So the Tube Ultragain 100 is what i should get?

Something that might help is reading a site like Tweakheadz: http://www.tweakheadz.com/ and http://www.tweakheadz.com/laboratory/index.html

It's geared towards electronic music, but I've seen it recommended in other forums

:? Still confused... Some people are telling me to buy a mixer and others are not. All i need it to do is record from multiple mics and go to my computer. What is the thing to buy for this around 50 bucks

Well if you are set on buying the UB1002 consider that you may still have a problem with impedance mismatch. Also whatever you record through your multiple inputs will be submixed before it gets recorded. So your 10 channels will go to two audio tracks in audacity. That also means that whatever your two tracks sound like once they are on disc is what they will sound like and anything that you do to affect these tracks will effect the entire mix.

What might be a better option would be to let the guitarist play through the song with a click track, then record the bass, then mic the drums and record them and so on. That way you will have seperate tracks for each instrument and you will be able to mess with each instrument individually. If you have a problem with the guitar fine, fix the guitar and the drums and bass will still be ok. YOu can raise the volume on JUST the guitar or JUST the bass or drums. I think that would be a more logical solution. If you plan on using more than two mics for the drums you will need a mixer. Personally when your just starting out, more than two mics is too much.

Another option would be to rent a mixer/interface and see what exactly you will be able to accomplish with them.

Yeah, well in my band right now there is three of us and we really all want to play at the same time. I need to mic the drums and an acoustic and i thought while were at that just mic the electric amp too. I can add bass on my own by jacking into my computer. Would the mixer fit my needs for that?