It seems to me you have a simple misunderstanding about multitrack recording? Something that is already in your computer that you want to play back should simply be imported into your Studio One software. It's imported as a single stereo track or as a pair of dual mono tracks being left channel 1 & right channel 2. Once imported, you will not be arming that track for record. Instead, you'll be arming a track to record your microphone. So when you hit the record button, you will only be recording your microphone and not recording over the track in your computer in which you imported. I'd also recommend going through the tutorial and help files in your software. It's quite a comprehensive tutorial. It is certainly geared more towards sample loop & virtual instrument usage.

If you are using some other software multitracked package other than what was included with your hardware, the same holds true as stated above. That's all you need do. So this is not a stupid question you were asking. It was a question about basic multitracked practices working ITB. I might add that depending upon the original bit depth and sample rate of the sound source already in your computer, it may require transcoding to fit within the chosen recording file format i.e. 24-bit, 44.1 kHz/16 bit, 44.1 kHz, etc.. That might be what's hanging your process up? But that conversion can also be accomplished within the software before your microphone recording commences.

I love the desert Southwest of the USA, so beautiful, so awesome, so flat, so dusty, tumbleweeds & Road runners.
Mx. Remy Ann David

Hi, Remy, & thanks for replying.

Well, I don't use studio 1. Let me explain my situation, if I might, & then perhaps my problem will be clearer.

I happen to be blind, & I use a screenreader. (it's 1 reason I don't use studio 1, btw). I'm doing some classes on Wordpress specifically targeted toward blind individuals. I want to record the output of my screenreader using my AudioBox USB, so that folks can hear what I'm doing on screen. I also talk during these recordings as well. So, I need to be able to record my screenreader's output & my mike simultaneously.

So, maybe I'm not certain what you're saying, but I still am not sure how to do this.

BTW, I, too, find the desert southwest beautiful in its own very stark & austere fashion. Not much green, from what I'm given to understand by my sighted husband & daughter, but there is much of beauty here.

I see... and I know you don't. In your situation, since the Audio Box has 2 inputs, your microphone, of course, will likely go into Channel 1. While the output of your screen reader, provided it has some kind of output jack for headphones should allow you to patch that into your Audio Box on Channel 2. The Audio Box has what they call XLR combo inputs. Meaning that it can accept a 3 pin XLR balanced microphone input or, a 1/4 inch, keyboard or some other low-level line input such as from your screen reader. You will have to understand how to record those 2 inputs as 2 separate mono tracks instead of a stereo track which would put you on the left channel and your screen reader on the right channel in a separate single track. So I'm not sure what kind of software you are utilizing? Most any software has the capability of receiving a two channel combined stereo input or splitting it into 2 separate recorded tracks. Though, for your purposes, it may be a simple matter to just evenly balance the sound between your microphone and the screen reader to a single stereo track. Then that's stereo track can easily be converted to a left plus right mono, monaural, stereo track.

I have a couple of friends who like yourself are blind. One gentleman by the name of Ed Walker used to work with Willard Scott of NBC. Ed was born totally blind. Willard became his friend. Because of his impairment, Ed had no real career goals. So Willard told him he should go on the air on the radio with him as a partner in his radio show. One day, Willard asked Ed if he would like to drive his car? Ed laughed and told Willard " that's impossible because I'm blind". But Willard did not accept that answer from Ed. So he stuck Ed behind the wheel of his car and had him driving all over his multi-acre property. Ed also had an outrageous sense of humor about his disability. I had the complete joy of working with Ed myself for many years. We would be leaving him down the hallway of our recording studio where he was frequently hired as an announcer for commercials. While walking down the hall with him, he would grab me closely and whisper into my ear..." your fly is open ". Of course, the natural reaction is to grab at one's crotch. But then you also realized very quickly, HE WAS COMPLETELY BLIND! You would then look at Ed and realize he had this incredible grin on his face. He was also quite remarkable in the studio. You would read him a 60 second commercial, which is approximately 150 words. He instantly memorized it. We would give him an audio cue to start and while reciting the commercial, he was counting down 60 seconds in his head. On numerous occasions, he would stop at 58 seconds and say, he wasn't going to make it. On another occasion, he verbally stumbled in the middle of this commercial take. As he hemmed and hawed, the female producer asked him if there was a problem? His reply was..." well it's a little dark in here...". Jill immediately sprang up and ran to the light dimmers that were mounted in the control room. She began turning the lights up! I laughed and told her..." JILL HE IS BLIND AS A BAT". She then also laughed when she realized this man with a disability had no handicap. He was also quite a jazz aficionado and had a regular weekly jazz program for many years on the radio. I loved working with Ed. We had some great talks together. Being a sighted person myself, most sighted people when they are asleep and dreaming, like myself, dream in full technicolor and Panna vision with surround sound. I asked him what his dreams were like? He said to me, " of course being blind, all of my dreams are tactile." Of course, I thought, that made total sense to me in my puny little brain. I also particularly remember his first visit to our new recording studio. My boss was leading Ed down the hallway and pointing out the film editing room, animation room, other parts of the studio. And every time he indicated something to Ed, in a room, Ed would respond with " that looks mighty fine to me Max ". Which made Max quite happy and made me slam my hand over my mouth behind them to keep from laughing out loud. Only because I didn't want to spoil Max's tour of the facility. So who was more blind and handicapped? Ed? Or, Max? Thankfully, I didn't need to be a sighted person to figure that out myself.

My other blind friend wasn't exactly a friend. He was a momentary acquaintance. When I worked for NBC, I along with one of our news anchors was sent out to the Washington DC hotel this person was at. We were going to be joined by other reporters and news anchors from other stations in this group interview. This guy had composed a song in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday. It was remarkable for me to watch this man plug in virtually an entire control room worth of equipment in his hotel room. From keyboards to microphones, to mixers, to amplifiers & speakers. And wouldn't you know it, I finally opened my eyes and realized just how fabulous Stevie Wonder really is. Not that I didn't think he was fabulous before that. It just made me realize how much more fabulous he really is. At about the same time as that, me and my reporter were abruptly interrupted. We were told that a plane had just crashed into the 14th Street, Bridge separating Washington DC from Virginia. What a day that was. From one of my most exciting assignments to one of the most horrible things I have ever seen in a single day. It would have been good to be blind than to see the carnage and debris field on top of the frozen Potomac River. It was chaos that day. After the few people that were rescued and survived, I found myself the only person at night, standing on the 14th Street bridge, next to a car where people had been killed when the plane slammed on top of their car and looking out at that debris field. I could still see hints of silver colored wings and fuselage under the water that was then beginning to ice over. One particular item still sticks in my mind which was a lone sneaker on top of the ice covered river. It was a sneaker with what was left of a foot still inside of the sneaker but nothing else. Me and the reporter were the only NBC crew closest to that awful catastrophe. I was outside in a light jacket in sub freezing cold for over 16 hours before I was relieved. I woke up the next morning with radio station DC 101 with this idiot disc jockey calling up Air Florida and asking..." how much you guys charge for a one-way ticket to the 14th Street Bridge? What do your stewardesses ask people? Do they want coffee? Tea? Or, icewater? Yuck yuck yuck. It was Howard Stern. From that moment on, I recommend it to people that they should boycott this idiot since he was making his living on other peoples incredible inconsolable grief. People were still hopeful that perhaps there was still an air pocket inside the fuselage where maybe somebody was still alive. I vowed if I should ever meet this son of a bitch, he would be the first person I would ever physically attack without first being attacked myself. Thankfully, you can't see his ugly nose. But if I ever see his ugly nose, it's going to end up on the other side of his face. So be damned Howard Stern, you worthless ass.

Another good friend of mine is Greg Lukens, from Washington Pro, one of the biggest industrial sound and audio suppliers. Greg has been there for over 30 years as a consultant and sales executive. There is nothing that can get by his ears. So for your next purchase, you may want to consider contacting him. You should see him (excuse that expression) work his way around sophisticated computer audio software utilizing his screen reader. He is a true inspiration and another person with a disability and no handicap. Like Ed & Stevie Wonder, these people are completely capable of doing everything except perhaps, driving on their own. And I'm sure in the coming years of sophisticated computer integration with automobiles and traffic systems, you might be driving somewhere yourself soon. And wouldn't that be cool? Limitations unbounded.

Please call me if you would like to talk or ask further questions. You will have to leave your number so I can call you back. The number you should call is 202-239-7412. I would be happy to be of any further assistance.

Your blue-eyed friend (if that should make any difference?)
Remy Ann David

If the screenreader were a separate hardware component, I'd know precisely how to handle this--but it isn't. It goes thru what's known as a software speech synthisizer, then is pumped out of the soundcard of the user's choosing. I thought perhaps the AudioBox might have some facility that many soundcards do, such as "stereo mix", "what you hear", & whatever various other names it goes by--but apparently either a) it doesn't; or b) I'm missing something seriously important--which, given this upper respiratory infection I'm currently battling, is not beyond the realm of possibility. I've tried using Virtual Audio cable, &, while it tries really hard, the sound quality truly sucketh.

It's midnight your time now. I won't call at that ungodly hour. But if I still haven't come up w/something useable as of tomorrow, if u really wouldn't mind, I might well take u up on your very kind offer to let me have a few minutes of your time on the phone--I promise that's all I'll take.

I think I'll use that trick about the fly, btw. Boy I'll bet that'd pi$$ some folks off real good lol. As for Stern, well, I do think eventually one does reap what they sow, what goes around comes around, etc. The remarks were crude, crass, unfeeling, & beyond. Sometimes, I think one just has to wax a bit philosophical, try to trust in the "vengence is mine" saith the Lord thing, & keep truckin. Much harder to do when you're facing tragedy--this I know from very personal experience, but at least it keeps u from eating your insides.

Thanks for welcoming a newby to your forum. I've been recording digitally now for some 12 years, but this Presonus is a new soundcard, & things just don't seem to happen quite the way I'm used to.

Thanks again.

Your blue-eyed friend as well.

BTW, my real name is Jackie, as in like Jackie Kennedy, as opposed to Jackie Robinson lol, so if u get that phone call, it won't be a complete bolt out of the blue.