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See How You Can Have The Audacity To Do Free Multi Track Guitar Recording On Your Computer

It's great to have the ability to record your guitar playing.
backing track, two record practice, work on songs remotely with your fellow musicians. Time was not too many years ago you got yourself a little 4 track recorder that could do multi track onto a standard cassette tape. People made their own songs, they made demos, backing tracks, a lot of possibilities. Those old machines were better than nothing but we've sure come a long way since then. And these days, while it's possible to spend thousands of dollars on software and equipment enabling you to record your guitar on your personal computer, it is also possible to to record yourself playing the guitar on your computer for virtually no money using software called Audacity. Audacity is a freely available open source software that you can download and install for free. You can set up and use Audacity to do multi-track recording on your computer. This article will tell you a little about multitrack guitar recording in general, then teach you specifically about Audacity software, and how to record some guitar tracks on your computer with it. We'll go step by step with connecting the guitar, using the software, then exporting the music files so you can do whatever you want with them. Let's get started...


Advantages Of Guitar Recording

First of all, what are the advantages of recording my guitar playing? Why would I want to do this in the first place? Then, why would I want to use multi track guitar recording software? What are some advantages of being able to multi track when I record my guitar playing? Well there are a lot of good reasons to do guitar recording. Here are a few listed below. You probably can think of a lot more. And it's one of those things, that once you have the knowledge and ability to do something, like a tool in the toolbox you never know when it will come in handy. Recording is just a great tool to have in the tool box! Here are a few examples of how you could benefit from being able to multi track record your guitar playing at home:




Audacity Computer Operating System Requirements

Audacity runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. It also runs on most of the popular versions of these operating systems. It runs on virtually any Windows machine in use, and popular versions of Mac and Linux. You can look up the exact versions of these operating systems that are supported by going to the Audacity web site. If you need more help in this area, since there is extensive support and forums for this software, you could use that for further compatibility checking for your operating system and sound card, etc.


Guitar To Computer Sound Card Connecting

A variety of questions can come up when considering connecting a guitar to a computer sound card: How do I get the guitar connected to the computer for recording? Do I need any special equipment in order to connect my guitar to my computer for recording purposes? There are a number of different methods for connecting your guitar to your personal computer so you can record your playing. Let's look at what's involved so you know what options are available to you.


The output jack on an electric guitar is a 1/4 inch, and so is the input on the guitar amplifier, so all the guitar cables have 1/4 inch plugs on each end. The inputs on computer sound cards are all 1/8 inch jacks. So obviously a guitar cable by itself isn't going to get you connected to your computer for recording. Converters that convert the 1/4 to 1/8 are available at guitar stores and most retail stores too. They look like the one in the picture here and will allow you to connect your guitar to the computer.


This is a close up photo of a 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch converter that allows you to record your guitar by using the sound card on your computer.


When you have the converter, you're ready to connect your guitar to the computer. Connect the converter to one end of your standard guitar cord. Connect the other end of the cable into your guitar. Plug the 1/8 inch converter into the sound card as shown in this picture. (The sound card will usually be close to where you plug in your computer's mouse, keyboard, and monitor.) Once this connection is made, you'll be ready to start using Audacity to record your guitar playing. My computer has 2 inputs jacks, which one should I use to connect my guitar? If your sound card has a line in (which is usually a stereo input) and also a mic, (which is usually a mono input), you will typically use the mic input to record your guitar. Whichever sound card input you decide to go with, make sure that's the input that's selected from the drop down combo box in the Audacity.


Here is the sound card connection on the back of your computer where you can connect your guitar for recording using the Audacity software.


You have some choices related to what happens between the output jack on your guitar and the input jack on the computer's sound card. The simplest connection method is to just use the cable and plug directly from the guitar jack to the sound card. If you're interested in taking advantage of the effects you use with your amplifier you have other options. You can also come out of an amplifier head, a preamp, or the remote output of a combo amp. You can also use a device like a POD which allow you to add many guitar effects to the recorded signal. You might find that you want to experiment in this connection area, and try a few different methods, and seeing which one gives you the recorded sound that you like the best. Let your ears be the judge.


Using Audacity Software

Audacity has some cool features. It can make adjustments on your system that other software requires you use operating system applets to adjust. For example, you can use Audacity to set the record levels of your sound card. In the upper right you'll see the sound levels of the recording process continuously update when you are in record mode. Also, their is a combo box for you to select the input that Audacity will record from. (mic, line in, cd audio, etc) It's a lot faster when you don't have to switch to the operating system applet for changing these settings.


You click on familiar buttons for performing the common tasks such as record, play, stop, etc. For the most part, it's all fairly intuitive. If you need to, you have the option of adding a click track to your project. Audacity gives you a sound graph of the music you are recording on it. The graph can be set to update continuously as the recording process is taking place. Here is a picture of what the recording looks like in the software.


Here is what Audacity looks like after the first track has been recorded.


Now, when you have your first track recorded, you have the option to listen to the first track while you record your second song track. In the software, go to Edit | Preferences | Audio I/O. Then check the check box next to the option called: "Play other tracks while recording new one".


This is a look at the Audacity settings dialog that allows to Play other tracks while recording a new one.


In this next picture you can see that a second audio track has been added to this Audacity sound project called shuffle: This is a lead guitar track, and it was recorded while listening to the play back of the shuffle-rhythm track. We could also have started with a drum track. Added a bass line track. Then added the rhythm and lead tracks you see in this picture. And even finish up our song by adding some vocal tracks.


Here is what the Audacity software looks like with 2 tracks recorded.


You can repeat this process to record dozens of tracks, and make the song of your dreams.


You can merge all the tracks you've recorded and export them as an mp3 file (after adding a small, free plug-in for the mp3 functionality), suitable for selling, uploading, saving, sharing, or anything else you want to do with your recordings. Here's a shot of the screen you use to export your recorded work as an mp3 file.


This is a screen show that shows you in Audacity software how you can export the guitar music you recorded as an mp3 file.


While you can export your music at any time as a wav or mp3, there is also the option to save the project as an Audacity project. This is the way to go for keeping all your tracks in order as you have previously arranged them and set them up.


Getting Audacity

Audacity is available online from sourceforge. Here is the Audacity Website. You can download the Audacity software online from there. You can also learn a lot there about how to use Audacity by reading all the extensive support documentation to help you out with using the software. You'll find out what cool features it has built in, and what ways you can use it to make great guitar music. The supporting documentation includes an extensive wiki of information on different ways you can use the software, including a lot about multitrack recording options. And if you don't find your answer on the wiki there is also an active forum where you can read and post questions related to using the Audacity software.