Loss Of Sound

[Nowhere-Man]

Or use the sound card in your PC, a mixer is not necessary if you use a program such as "Audacity" which is free to download and use.
All you need is a decent microphone and plug it into the mic input on the PC.
You can record a new track whilst playing along to a song all in the same project, and then mix them together to make the master recording.
Editing is a doddle using software like Audacity, (when you have practised and got used to how to do it)
This is a song my son recorded almost in an afternoon and evening using audacity, after hearing me play an old Neil Diamond record.
Each instrument was played and recorded individually by Sam then mixed into one master recording.
He used a keyboard for most of the instruments, an electronic drum kit and guitar, and recorded his own harmonies.
I believe once the rhythm track has been recorded, whilst playing along to the original sound track, each of the other instruments were recorded one at a time again listening to the rhythm track.

I have to admit that this version is the HiFi version and incorporates many re-recordings of some of the tracks, at a high sample rate, but the original recording wasn't bad either.
http://www.swatchway.pwp.blueyonder.co.u...0Rosie.mp3

Mike

I do an incredible amount of practice. Music is a big thing for me and I think it comes much easier to me than electronics (where I have to work harder). The funny thing about being a musician is I don't know any chords in the theoretical sense but just go by sound alone. That is, it's never work, just fun.

I was always worried about singing but I found a YouTube teacher who states we can all learn to sing. This is actually quite true (I found it to be true over time). Once you find the right range for your voice and get to know the best key (I just mess about with octaves) and choose the right kind of song, singing improves over time.

Therefore, this is why I was using the Alba cassette recorder. I tend to tilt it close to my synth speaker, after I've made a multi-track background, which will include bass, auto-beat, piano or guitar chords or arpeggios and so on. I'll then set the recorder on go, stand back a bit and sing over the whole thing. To be honest, it ranges from sounding terrific, flawed or absolutely hopeless. If it's hopeless, I'll do it again and again or change key so the tape recorder has been a big aid. However. it's true hiss has always been a problem with cassette and also a slightly muffled tone.

I had it one its side on record last week and was playing back after 4 or 5 takes and then silence. Nothing at all. Today I had it all in bits and started by soldering extended leads such as speaker wires in order to be able to move the player around. I seem to have audio. If I tap solder joints with a probe, the speaker will respond. The tape is playing normally and moving through the roller against the heads. The tiny wires are still on the heads. The pot responds by increased hiss. So my guess is somehow the signal isn't being conveyed to the audio stages. Sadly, my knowledge of cassette players isn't up to my valve experience so I'll have to seek out troubleshooting info. It may well be something very simple. Maybe the player has mounted an insurrection against my vocals.

Anyway, yes, ultimately I will need a digital recorder as you say. It's the only way I can get some of my tracks onto Soundcloud. A good deal of this is instrumental Gothic Rock Organ, Prog Jazz or Psychedelic experimental. Also a cover of some Beatles stuff like day Tripper.