Can i Monitor Audacity ?

[Mike Sigler]

When i record to Audacity, is there anyway to monitor thru my speakers what is being recorded... Just for mixing purpose ? If im am direct line into my line in on the sound card or mic jack?
Thanks for your help !
Mike

[Jack Stoner]

Hearing what you are inputting to the PC is the way many work. There was an issue in Vista, with some PC sound systems, that you could not hear what is being recorded. In those systems you can still record OK it's just that you have to monitor the source not the PC's speakers.

This was a hot issue on the Dell users forum with Vista and the Integrated (on the motherboard) audio systems and some of the Dell custom OEM SoundBlaster sound cards. The reason for that was that Vista handled those audio functions differently than Windows XP and Dell put out Vista drivers but did not account for the different way the sound was handled. I think that was an issue with some other PC brands too.

I haven't heard of this problem in Windows 7.

[Mike Sigler]

Yea, Im running XP.... would be a useful program if i could hear what i was doing for sure..

[John Gould]

Mike it has to do more with your sound card than OS.
Some sound cards that they put in PC's and Laptops are not Full Duplex cards. So you can only input a source and it won't let you hear it while your recording it.
There are plenty of inexpensive USB audio interfaces out there that would solve your problem.

[Mike Sigler]

Thanks For THe Help Guys

[David Collins]

There is also a selection within Audacity that turns on / off this feature. Don't remember which tab, but it's in preferences.

[Lee Holeman]

Hey guys, I just downloaded v. 1.3.10 (for Mac), and can't get the "Help" or owners manual to open up. Any help? Thanks,
Lee Holeman
theholemans@aol.com
cell: 956-592-9359

[Cal Sharp]

Lee, I went to http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/documentation and clicked on Download the Audacity manual in PDF format. It opened up in my browser.