Garageband recording over tracks

I'm definitely a newb at this and have been trying to do my first multi-track recording today. I'm running my guitar through an Allen & Heath mixer thru USB to my Mac.

The problem I'm having is the each new track I'm recording is summing the previous tracks. So track 1 is solo only, track 2 becomes 1+2, track 3 is 1+2+3, etc. Or at least that's what it seems to be doing. The only truly clean solo tracks are the first one and an imported drum loop (since it wasn't recorded).

So I'm guessing that the mixer is for some reason combining the output from the previously recorded tracks that I'm monitoring while recording the new track, and then sending it all back to the Mac as the new track. Does that make sense? I have the Mac set for both input and output to the USB. I have since figured out how to do it by changing the output to the external/phones. I guess that solves the apparent USB conflict, but then I'm not hearing my live track recording in the headphones, only the pre-recorded tracks.

Any clues what I should try next?

Thanks.

I'm running my guitar through an Allen & Heath mixer thru USB to my Mac.

So the A & H has a USB output? Or is it going into the computer some other way? I'm unclear on the setup. Are you running Garageband?

From what you're saying, it's as if your previously recorded tracks are being bussed through the board into the input of your new tracks.

Yes, the A&H board (ZED 10FX) has a direct USB out that is going straight into the Mac. What you described seems to be exactly what is happening. Would be great to figure out. Having the Mac/Garageband output going through the board is good so I can send it to the monitors. But I sure don't want the playback tracks resent back into the recording track.

Try routing the output to the Mac sound card. You can use head phones or powered speakers. I think you set this in GB. I don't use Mac or gb but had similar issues on a pc setup.

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Yes, the A&H board (ZED 10FX) has a direct USB out that is going straight into the Mac. What you described seems to be exactly what is happening. Would be great to figure out. Having the Mac/Garageband output going through the board is good so I can send it to the monitors. But I sure don't want the playback tracks resent back into the recording track.

I'm wondering if you're getting monitor playback into your main output channel. If you have documentation on your board, check it carefully for routing options.

Thanks, Woodman. A&H had a few things on their site that will be worth checking out tonight to see if I can figure it out. I've only used our mixer for playing live, not recording, so I've got to figure out the bus routing options as that's where the problem must lie. That may take care also of the other problem I was having with feedback.

Learning this stuff has definitely been a case of "three steps forward and two steps back", but as long as moving forward one net step it's all good!

Edit: I did manage to push enough buttons in random order until I got it to work as needed. I'm not entirely sure why it's working, but I'll take it!

I did manage to push enough buttons in random order until I got it to work as needed. I'm not entirely sure why it's working, but I'll take it!

There ya go! ... I'm a hardware dunce myself, but I got help from Octatonic (Jim Richmond) figuring out my setup with an Alesis MultiMix. So, as a veteran of the recording-from-a-board confusion, I'd suggest you draw a diagram of your settings for future ref. Or take a picture. But you may have already done that! Looking forward to hearing your work.

There ya go! ... I'm a hardware dunce myself, but I got help from Octatonic (Jim Richmond) figuring out my setup with an Alesis MultiMix. So, as a veteran of the recording-from-a-board confusion, I'd suggest you draw a diagram of your settings for future ref. Or take a picture. But you may have already done that! Looking forward to hearing your work.

Our minds must think alike because I was definitely going to take a picture and some notes so I don't have to relearn this again. But, it actually ended up being a pretty simple fix in this case. I do think a caveman could do it now.

Between the software and the hardware, though, there are plenty of things to screw up. At one point I thought I had it all fixed but then seemed to lose all the tracks but one. After another minute or two of head scratching, I realized that I had accidentally solo'd the one track for playback. Doh!

Between the software and the hardware, though, there plenty of things to screw up.

In the course of my brief but eventful home recording career, I can definitely vouch for that! :mrgreen: