beginner DJ needs help

[lakipo]

so, as i said, im beginner dj. soon, i bought some gear, so now, i work on behringer vmx 100, i have audio 2 dj, and of course, on my pc, i have traktor software. i got some experience, so i wished to record my mix, wich created problem. i googled for weeks and didn't found solution. so i hope that somebody will helps me there. is there any free software that records everything play throught speakers? i tried to record with traktor pro, but when i use internal recording mode and external mixing mode, it's not good. please help me

[mostapha]

You need an audio input…the computer has no way of knowing what's coming out of the mixer.

Your computer probably has one that you can use, and the VMX100 has an RCA Tape output. So, get a dual RCA to whatever cable (probably stereo mini if you want to use the built-in sound card, which will be fine) and download Audacity.

That'll get you started. You just have to watch the levels so you don't clip your sound card's inputs. Never touch the red, and you should be good.

[lakipo]

i didn't really understand you.. i will say you all outputs: on mixer i have conected input 1 and 2, line, to audio 2 dj, and audio 2 dj usb to computer, and i have main output, amp, conected to amplifier with dual rca. so, now, i should connect tape out on mixer to stereo mini on my pc?

[mostapha]

The audio has to get from your mixer to the computer somehow if you want to use the computer to record………

[lakipo]

ok i figured out and i conected tape on mixer to microphone out on pc. but i have a lot bacground noice when i record with audacity... can u tell me how to set microphone properties?

[Complex.ity]

I don't know how it looks on pc (have a mac) but if you go to preferences and in the audio tab there's a section for recording. My choices are built-in microphone and "built-in input". You want to choose "built-in input". Like I said, I don't know what it looks like on pc. Hope this is somewhat of help and it does work because I have mine set up identical to yours with the Rca from the mixer to the laptop's microphone input.
Good luck man!

[mostapha]

ok i figured out and i conected tape on mixer to microphone out on pc. but i have a lot bacground noice when i record with audacity... can u tell me how to set microphone properties?

You want to use a line input.

What do you mean by background noise? Does it sound like it's recording some kind of built-in microphone instead of the signal off the mixer, or does it sound clipped?

If you have no idea what that means…get some music playing and turn off your speakers…does Audacity still get a signal? If it doesn't, that means that it was recording off a built-in microphone and you need to select the right input in Audacity.

If it sounds clipped (distorted, loud, Audacity's meters pegged up all the time), then you need to switch the input from Mic level to Line level…which is somewhere in Control Panel or the software that came with your sound card. It's been like 6 years since I did that on Windows, so I don't remember the details.

If it just sounds noisy (white noise on top of the signal), check Audacity's input meters. If they're too low (never getting above about -20 even when you're playing music) then there's an input gain setting somewhere either in your audio/sound preferences or in Audacity.

[Marc3lo]

Check your cables.

[DarioJ]

Some what along the same subject....

But when recording in this fashion is it better to leave "Head Room" in Traktor or would it be better to have the master out set at a negative?

[mostapha]

Some what along the same subject....

But when recording in this fashion is it better to leave "Head Room" in Traktor or would it be better to have the master out set at a negative?

It doesn't matter if you're recording or not…if you hit digital zero, you sound like crap.

As for the difference between headroom or turning down the output…I'm not convinced there's a difference.