Audacity for Windows... anyone used it, recommends it?

[Grand Wazoo]

I just want to record some basic lines over pre-recorded tracks, I've looked on the net and found Audacity free version. Does anyone know if it's any good? Can I record both a backing track from my PC drive and a bass line from a microphone pointed at the speaker and then connected to the stereo input on the back of my pc or do you know of something better that I can download from the net for that purpose?

This is Audacity [url="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/beta_windows"]http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/beta_windows[/url]

Thanks

Edited June 26, 2011 by Grand Wazoo

[mep]

For a freebie Audacity is great. You should be able to do what you want. Record the backing track first and then play it back whilst recording your bass. The mic input will work unless you have a line in input instead. If you want to record via the stereo mix and you have windows 7 you will need to let windows know you want to use them and there are some great YouTube videos showing this simple procedure. Audacity will import audio tracks as welll which is useful. It really is feature packed and will not take too long to find your way around.

[51m0n]

Audacity is OK, my biggest moan would be the inability to use vsts in real time, you have to select a vst or effect listen to a tiny snippet and then commit or not.

IMO you'd be far better off spending the princely sum of about £25 or £30 on a Reaper license, its a very very good DAW indeed, dead easy to use, with a great manual.....

[Grand Wazoo]

Thank you both.

What's reaper? Link?

Cheers

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1283518' date='Jun 26 2011, 11:32 PM']Thank you both.

What's reaper? Link?

Cheers[/quote]
[url="http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=reaper"]http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chro...-8&q=reaper[/url]

[LiamPodmore]

Both recorded with a Rock Band USB Microphone and Audacity, its easy to use but has major flaws, such as its hard to figure out how to record over part of a track, without having to do it on a new track (We still havent figured it out)

Liam

[Vinny]

Both recorded with a Rock Band USB Microphone and Audacity, its easy to use but has major flaws, such as its hard to figure out how to record over part of a track, without having to do it on a new track (We still havent figured it out)

Liam
[/quote]

Why would you want to do that? (unless I've missed the point!)

[LiamPodmore]

[quote name='Vinny' post='1288072' date='Jun 30 2011, 06:24 PM']Why would you want to do that? (unless I've missed the point!)[/quote]

To record over part of a track? Incase you screw up on the recording, or think a part needs a little change. On another note, that i forgot to mention in my previous post, i think that Audacity is okay but like others i recommend Reaper.

Liam

[51m0n]

Mixed on [url="http://www.reaper.fm/"]Reaper[/url]:-

[url="http://soundcloud.com/kit-richardson/you-always-did-from"]You Always Did - Kit Richardson[/url]
[url="http://soundcloud.com/kit-richardson/you-look-so-good-tonight-from"]You Look So Good Tonight - Kit Richardson[/url]

[url="http://soundcloud.com/lines-horizontal/the-individuils"]The Individuils - Lines Horizontal[/url]
[url="http://soundcloud.com/lines-horizontal/your-mouths-are-killing-you"]Your Mouths Are Killing You - Lines Horizontal[/url]

Using nothing but free vsts and the effects packaged with [url="http://www.reaper.fm/"]Reaper[/url]

[Blademan_98]

Audacity is great for a free package.

If you want more, the £30 for Reaper is the way to go!

I use Audacity directly and as a mixer when taking tracks from my Korg multi track recording device.

Can't fault it for a freebie!