Tutorial - I.Basics
Part 4 -  Recording with Audacity  - Part 4

1. Create a new project

Save an empty project. Or simply use the one from the previous part. Remember, that if you don't save your project before you start recording or importing, that all recordings, edit and other files will be written to directory set in the Directories preferences.

2. Check the preferences

Make sure your playback and recording device are set. If you're going to record a stereo signal, check the "Record in stereo" checkbox in the Audio I/O preferences.

When picking a device to record from, make sure you've set up all the connections properly, such as plugging a microphone in to the Mic Input, and any other device in to the Line In of your sound card. Then check that the gain level knob(the amount by how much the input should be amplified) of the mixer of your soundcard is set right.

Since most soundcards can mix the inputs back in to the outputs, the easiest way to test your microphone is to speak in to it while playing with your soundcard mixer. The soundcard mixer is a software either provided by the soundcard maker, or by the operating system you're using. The Windows mixer is pretty straight forward, though some soundcards bring their own along. The Mac's mixer is controlled via the Sound Control Panel, and the Linux users probably have heaploads of mixer applications at their disposal. Just make sure they work before yelling at your screen that nothing works.

3. Hit Record

Click on the red Record button and click on the yellow Stop button to cease recording.

That's it. You can now play around with your recording and explore the editing capabilities of Audacity. Remember that you can use the Undo function almost without limits.