well.. i had a go......

When you recorded the first track did you enable playback of the tracks? its in the edit tab, click edit,scroll to preferences click on and make sure the two boxes on the left (playback of tracks) are checked that way you can hear what your recording in real time and when you add additional tracks you can sing or play and come in when you want so forget the headphones you will hear yourself in the speakers if you still have a problem let me know ok?

Hi Rachael,

I can answer this one as I had the same when I started using Audacity. I think it can be one of two things

Click on 'Edit', click on 'Preferences', then click on 'Audi I/O'.
Make sure that the box marked 'Play other tracks........' is ticked
Make sure that the box marked 'Software playthrough..' is NOT ticked.
Then you will only record the track you are recording without the other tracks being recorded as well.

If however it is your microphone that is picking up the the audio from your speakers the you will have to use headphones to listen to your previous recordings and switch the speakers off.

Personally I always use headphones when recording as you can hear so much better through them.

Roger

I think roger is correct dont mark both boxes just "play other tracks" and use the headphones and turn the speaker volume down so you will hear the other tracks and what your doing at the same time in your headset and see how that works for you and if it dosent cure the problem try riddlers suggestion but I think it should be ok as long as the speakers are turnned down enough so they dont bleed through or just shut them off till your done recording tracks and then listen to it

Stocks and gags were pretty effective in my day

Roger

Hey, Roger, is that o photo of your back garden? I think you have some explaining to do!

You know Roger,  In some circles the stocks you pictured there would not be considered instruments of punishment.... but rather "playground equipment".  LOL

Actually though, finding a quiet space is quite difficult (especially with a sensitive microphone).  It can be helpful to record a few seconds of that "quiet noise" at the start of each track (10-15 seconds) so you can run the noise elimination algorithm through your finished track to help filter out those ambient contaminants.  Be aware however that you might suffer some loss on the parts you want because the noise eliminator blanks out parts of the frequencies you might want to retain.  It might take some tweaking to get just the right amount of filtering.

  Otherwise you are kind of stuck with the stocks and duct-tape solution!

   Happy Recording!  Doug