How do I live mix audio with Skype?

[wordpress]

I record The WordPress Podcast (http://wordpresspodcast.org/) using Skype (http://www.skype.com) and a Skype plugin called Pamela (http://www.pamela-systems.com) that records the conversation as a 44100 kHz stereo WAV file with me on the left channel and Jonathan, my co-host (http://www.plagiarismtoday.com) (and anyone else who joins us) on the right.

My microphone is a MXL 990 (http://www.mxlmics.com/condenser_mic/900_Series/MXL990/mxl990.htm) going into a balanced, XLR-connector microphone input on a Behringer EuroRack UB802 (http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/UB802.aspx). I take the left and right line out from the TAPE output, combine them using a Y-adapter (any RadioShack has them) and from there it goes into the Line In on a Griffin iMic (http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/imic), which converts it to USB, and from there it goes into my motherboard. (Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, if you're wondering.)

Here's why I've gone into all this detail: I'd like to mix audio (questions from listeners, interview segments, bed music, etc.) into the recording live, and every attempt I've made heretofore has been aborted because either the person on the other side of the Skype conversation can't hear anything or I've introduced noise into the mix. I've tried taking the Center Speaker jack and headphone jacks from my notebook (http://www.alienware.com/products/area-51-m9750-notebook.aspx?SysCode=PC-LT-AREA51M9750&SubCode=SKU-DEFAULT) into the mixer's balanced 1/4" jack line input, and, like I said, it introduced noise into the mix.

I'm also interested in David Lawrence (http://www.thedavidlawrenceshow.com)'s idea of having a underlying audio background music track playing to enforce a program clock of sorts.

Would anybody have an ideas or suggestions how I could make this all work?

[deirdrehbrt]

I don't use Pamela, partly because it limits options.

When I'm doing an interview with Skype, I usually use a separate recorder. What I'll do is to take an Aux output from my mixing board to the mic in on the computer. I suppose that your current configuration would work just as well.

But using the Aux input allows one other thing: It permits a stereo input on another channel to be fed to that same Aux, thus feeding the audio back to the mic input. I use the Tape Out connector to actually record the conversation, but if you're using Pamela, then everything will be recorded anyway.

When using background music, one of the common problems is ground loops. If your computer is run from a UPS and your music source comes from somewhere else, that could cause such a problem. Every piece of audio equipment should be tied to the same ground. This prevents current from being carried via the audio cables.

Hope that helps. If you have more questions, please let me know.

Deirdre Hebert
PaganFM!

[PSNation]

If you own a Mac, Ubercaster does all of that. I record all of our interviews using the Chat recorder, and you can queue sound files etc and play them live, and anyone on the Skype call will hear it.

[nika]

i use SkypeCap! nice program!

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