I want to record some audio right to my laptop, but I want to be able to control the gain and other functions as it comes in - is there a good program (free would be nice) that will do this? I guess it is like a software audio mixer...

For simple recording, I use Total Recorder from High Criteria. I just use it to record the action, and then in post I remove/enhance in Sound Forge. And attach it to video edit as need be.

As it comes in? What exactly do you mean by this? Most audio from cameras is uploadeed digitally. I don't think you would want to record that as it comes in to another program. Total Recorder is mainly used to record stuff coming in to a sound card. It intercepts the audio signal before it is converted to digital bits by the sound card. If you're uploading a digital signal say from a MD that isn't uploading right otherwise then TR is at it's best. That's the thing it was designed to do specifically.

If you are wanting to record audio from a sound card to a program that will mix it there are many such programs from totally free to very expensive. Audacity is a great program that doesn't cost anything. It will probably do what you want to do and much more. I use Goldwave myself. It's a slightly better program (IMO) that will do what you want and much more. You could go with a program like Cubase which does unbelievable stuff but it costs megabucks too.

I think we need more info for us to be able to help you properly. We need to know specifically what you're trying to do probably.

No I am looking to do a voice over from a mic to my laptop. So I wanted a real-time mixer so I can adjust as it comes in from the mic into the computer.

No I am looking to do a voice over from a mic to my laptop. So I wanted a real-time mixer so I can adjust as it comes in from the mic into the computer.

For a very basic but fully servicable freeware recorder for both Mac and Windows, take a look at Audacity. As far as setting levels, you didn't mention whether your laptop was a PC or a Mac. If it's Windows, many consumer soundcards can use the Windows mixer utility to control recording levels. Most of the pro interfaces, though, expect levels to be set in the analog world before the signal is sent to the interface/soundcard or they may have their own mixer utility as part of the bundled software. If you could tell us more about the specific hardware - computer, soundcard, etc - you're going to be using we might be able to give better advice.

Another reccomendation of Audacity (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/)

what mic do you plan on using? do you need phantom power? what inputs do you have on the laptop (best ot use line in as its less noisy than the built in mic amplifier) so you would need a mic pre amp. As Steve said, the more info you can give us the more accurate our advice.

Maybe it's because I've used it for years but I prefer Goldwave to Audacity. I don't believe it is Mac compatible though. I think GW is more intuitive and more powerful.

It is to my laptop (winXP) and the sound I normally get from my shotgun mic is low and you need to really yell to hear it. So I was hoping to get a software mixer, but in the meantime, I have borrowed a mixer from a friend and it does an amazing job for the mic so I guess I am going to have to stick to hardware for mixing.

It is to my laptop (winXP) and the sound I normally get from my shotgun mic is low and you need to really yell to hear it. So I was hoping to get a software mixer, but in the meantime, I have borrowed a mixer from a friend and it does an amazing job for the mic so I guess I am going to have to stick to hardware for mixing.

Don't feel bad - the analog domain before A/D conversion is the best place to set recording levels anyway. Most recording software - Vegas, Sound Forge, Audition, Wavelab, etc - expects the levels to be set before the signal gets to them. Some consumer soundcards use the built-in Windows mixer but a number of higher level audio interfaces do not have any level controls at all in the digital domain. One of the few DAW programs that allows for setting recording levels in the software is Nuendo and even there, Steinberg states in the manual that it is included as a measure of last resort and should not be used routinely. When I got my Echo Audiofire I was surprised to find that the level and pan controls in its software mixer did not change the levels sent for recording AND it also completely bypasses the standard Windows mixer and audio level controls as well. At first I though maybe my install was screwed up but when I asked Echo's tech support they replied that that behavior was by design. Turns out the console's input level controls only effect the signal sent directly to its output terminals for monitoring and they pointed out that in a typical professional installation the interface would be receiving signal from either a mixer's outputs or external mic preamps. They anticipate a user would set the analog levels sent to the interface so that peaks are as high as possible without clipping - doing so you end up usiing all the 16 or 24 bits available and get the best signal/noise performance. Using software to boost levels recorded too low to begin with simply increases the noise along with the desired signal anjd you don't really gain anything.