VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[Simone S]

Hi folks,

Okay, there's something simple that I'm missing - perhaps you can help me see through my self-induced newbie fog?

I record a radio show in a non-studio environment using a portable set-up. I have two microphones (XLR) running through an M-Audio FastTrack Pro audio interface, which is connected to a MacBook via USB, which is running Audacity.

Within Audacity's preferences I can choose mono or stereo channels. When I choose mono, only one of the microphones records. When I choose stereo, one mic records on the left, and one records on the right.

Is there a way to record in mono, where both microphones are recording onto the same track?

I thank you for your input.

Simone Seikaly

[D Voice]

Simone:

Not sure about the Fast Track Pro settings, as far as mixing or mono setting there. Generally in such units, Mono setting only records Line 1 (usualy Left, I believe). Any small mixer would allow you to mix down to a single track.

But why would you want to?

Unless you are doing it live, it is much better to record it in Stereo, edit out the parts you don't want, and then in Audacity, split the stereo tracks into to mono tracks. Then you can work on each track independently for any EQing, Normalizing, editing, etc. For example, you might want to reduce the levels of the person who is not speaking at the time to eliminate mic handling noises, etc.

I work on a podcast, and that"s usually how we do it.

[Simone S]

Well, one problem is that the hosts only hear themselves in either the right or left ear in their headphones.

You're right, I've been splitting the stereo channels in post and using them for final mixdowns. I guess I was just looking for a way to lose one of the steps, and to help with that "left ear / right ear" problem that the hosts experience.

Thanks, D Voice.

[D Voice]

In Audacity, to record in stereo, you have to set that in Preferences (Ctl+.

To split a stereo track, or to join two stereo tracks to make a stereo track, click on that triangle next to the track name for options. You can go back and forth.

I usually do as much of the editing in Stereo as I can. Levels and processing can be adjusted for each individually. Just be careful that after you split, if you do any more cutting, make sure that you cut from both tracks, or the lengths will be different, so they won't match up correctly.

When you are all done, you can mix down and export as a stereo or a mono track.

[D Voice]

Sorry, I took the part about being a "newbie" literally.

Can't you monitor from the computer and change the headphone settings from stereo to mono there?

If the host has to use the Fast Track headphone to monitor, maybe they can just use one ear- to hear the other party.