1. Open Source Audio Recorder
2. Audacity Multitrack Recording Software
3. Audacity Not Recording Multitrack
4. Recording Multiple Tracks In Audacity

Audacity is a free DAW, a program for audio recording and mixing, and it’s popular for some very good reasons besides being free. It’s easy to use, stable and is the perfect little DAW for anyone who wants to get his feet wet in home recording. It is also perfect for recording things like voice overs or a demo for a (small) band. Record, for example, the basic tracks an mix them later on in a more professional DAW or let someone else mix them. Some even record full albums with it. So, it is popular for many reasons.

Some time ago, in 2018, I made a video about mixing and recording with Audacity and the Behringer UMC404HD. The UMC404HD allows for four inputs to be recorded at the same time (4 tracks) so you can record 4 musicians, or instruments/vocals, at the same time. The Behringer UMC404HD is amazing and it’s availble for only a fraction of the costs of several competitors. For example (at this moment) at Thomann. It is out of stock a lot, it seems to be very popular and rightfully so. I am still considering to buy a second one, as a spare, in case mine will stop working or will have mechanical problems one day.

Recording with the Behringer audio interface works perfect with Ardour or Mixbus. Especially since they don’t need any additional drivers. On Windows it also worked perfect on, for example, Mixcraft. I showed this in various videos as well as other people. Many of the viewers however seemed to be having issues with Audacity and the Behringer UMC404HD.

DRIVERS

NEED MORE THAN 2 TRACKS ON USB?Check this video + Behringer UMC404 demo!-MULTI (= more than one channel) recording wit. 1) First ensure you have downloaded and installed the driver for your interface ( ), then connect the Scarlett 2i2 2nd Gen interface and open Audacity. 2) Ensure 'MME' is selected and the 'Focusrite USB' option has been set as the Input and Output device. Most hardware devices with ability to record multiple channels should work with Audacity on Mac, if they provide multiple channels under Core Audio - some only provide multiple channels using ASIO on Windows. A few devices are listed below which have been reported to record multi-channel into Audacity. Other devices than these may do so.

One of the biggest issues most have is the drivers for the UMC404HD. Behringer has been changing their websites a few times recently and people were complaining they can’t find the drivers. They’re not included on a CD with the interface. Now, there is a good reason for this: production costs. Including a driver CD costs money and Behringer tries to cut the costs so you will have a product that is as cheap as possible. Besides that: most computers and laptops these days don’t even have a CD(r) station. Even if they would include a driver CD it would, in most cases, be useless. Including a CD would only lead to more trash (environmental issue!). You can download it. No environmental damage and cheaper. I’d say that’s a win-win.

However, as noted: the drivers have been hard to find. And, for some reason some complain the new drivers don’t work well. So here’s an older version that does work. Download and use on your own risk, I am not responsible for it.

DO NOT USE ASIO4ALL

Part 2: How to Record Multitrack with USB Sound Card using Audacity. In the case that you want to record multitrack with USB sound card, you can resort to Audacity to help you to get high-quality recording. Audacity is one free recording application, which can record audio sources from various platforms. I was under the impression that because it had a USB input I would be able to record each of our mics and the music/ambience into their tracks in audacity. (6 inputs in total) I looked into the settings and tutorials but I can never seem to find how to activate the multitrack recording capabilities.

Asio4All has been a pretty popular hardware driver for Windows. Do NOT use it. Remove it completely from your system (uninstall) if you wan tot use the Behringer UMC series. They have their own drivers (official site). You won’t get Audacity or any other DAW running on Windows working with the UMC404HD when using Asio4All.

AUDACITY LACKS SUPPORT?

Some noted that the version of Audacity they have doesn’t record 4 tracks. It only shows 2 tracks. There might be two reasons for this, I’m not certain what the reason is in certain situations:

1. it is showing you 2 stereo tracks (meaning 4 mono tracks!).
2. You don’t use the correct settings for recording 4 tracks. Set the ‘preferences’ to Windows Audio Session API (WASAPI) as I do in the Video!

Some claim it isn’t available on their Audacity version. On the Audacity website, however, it is still mentioned and what’s more: it’s been a standard in Windows ever since Windows Vista. In fact it is one of the “unique selling points” in Audacity! So I do have a hard time believing it isn’t available and my best guess is you’re not using the corect settings.

I am having the Dutch version but you should be able to see where this setting can be found (under preferences). In case you cannot get it working with the current version of Audacity – and I really do advice to use that one since it has hundreds of fixed bugs! – there are still older versions available. Like over here. Please note, this versions dates back to 2015 and this link (from Google Drive, it’s my “old” Windows version, works on Windows8.1) is to be used solely at your own risk.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION

Open Source Audio Recorder

So this is the video I’ve been talking about, hope it helps or is at least entertaining 🙂 As I said in the video I don’t prefer Audacity for recording. These days I use Mixbus5 (and Ardour) running on Linux Mint. I’ve never looked back at Windows recording since I started using that even though I still have Mixbus on my Windows laptop (Windows 8.1). That doesn’t mean recording using Windows is less good. I simply prefer Linux (Linux Mint).

This topic contains 27 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by 1 year ago.

Audacity Multitrack Recording Software

Audacity Not Recording Multitrack

• The SQ Drive is no option for me since it is until now not very reliable and 16 tracks is in the most cases too less for my needs. So, USB B is one of my alternatives. I also use Dante together with DVS. Since firmware version 1.2 both works reliable. But for important recordings I use both for redundancy issues. But my recording computers are running Windows 10, not MacOS. I had some troubles in the past using my Mid 2012 MBP with the SQ and so it stopped trying to run it with the Mac.

  With Firmware 1.5 you can switch USB B and SQ Drive to 48kHz allowing 32 channels of recorded glory. And if we can trust Keith, 1.5 is right around the corner.

  I bought me a SQ Waves card and record up to 48 channels without any troubles in WaveTrack Live on a 2010 13inch MacBook Pro 2,4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo.

  The problem (for me) so far when using SQ-drive has been the speed of the USB-drives, I bought a HD-cabinet and put an older SSD (Intel 540-series) in it – & the problems disappeared.

  @GraceGCF

  You should be able to record via usbb..

  How much/how good depends on your hardware capacity/speed and the software including drivers.

  Unlike @mfk0815 I use stems and have no need for more than 16 channels. Usually 8 is plenty.
  But I do not use a Mac. I have an older PC withOUT win10.

  @PGW

  are you saying that old SSDs are faster than new USB flash drives?

  Could there be something else that is the problem?

  The record utility screen is only relevant for recording directly via SQ drive. And you can only use SQ drive or USB B but never both at the same time.
  The routing is the same, with the exception that you can record up to 32 signals via USB B.
  On your connected computer you have to run a DAW application which can record enough tracks simultaneously. I am using Reaper for years now and never had problems to record up to 64 tracks (using Dante) on my Laptops. For me it is worth every cent.

  @GraceGCE

  That is a mac and whatever software you are using question.
  Try gearslutz or other audio forums for more responses aimed at mac users.
  This forum is mostly AH devices plus whatever people may have connected to them.

  How you record to the mac is connect it to the SQ via the usb.
  That may need an adapter cable.

  Then it is all up to the mac and the software there.
  You may need to download a driver too.
  You will have better luck on that part of your question in mac audio forums.

  Perhaps you would have better luck with garbageband or audacity , which is free and simpler , than logic.
  Yes logic pro x is a DAW.

  It sounds like you would find it easier to use a hard drive on the SQ directly then copy it to the DAW.

Recording Multiple Tracks In Audacity