While the daily usage of your computer, you will frequently have the need to capture audio. For instance, you may want to record online lectures, broadcast, voice chat, video game background music, or favorite songs. So it’s quite necessary to find a good audio recorder to capture sound from computer microphone/speaker.
Open the File menu and select New Audio Recording. You will see a very simple user interface with sound recording controls. You may click on the Down Arrow next to the record button to select your sound input (microphone) and sound Quality settings. Microphone volume is adjustable with the slider under the record button. To perform the capture, launch QuickTime Player, choose New Audio Recording from the File menu, and in the window that appears, make sure that SoundFlower is selected by clicking on the small.
Audacity is a free audio editor and recorder. This multi-track recording software enables you to record audio on Windows, Mac, Linux and other operating systems with ease. So when you want to record computer audio, Audacity can be a great choice.
Here is a detailed guide on how Audacity record computer audio. Whether you are using a Windows 10/8/7 PC or Mac, you can find the specific quick tutorial below to capture any sound on your computer.
Apowersoft Audio Recorder for Mac is dedicated to record all sorts of sound on your Mac. With this smart Mac OS audio recorder, you can record streaming audio, radio, local files, VoIP calls, music and other kinds of audio clips coming through your speakers and microphone. As long as you can hear it, you can record it on your Mac OS X. To record video on Mac with audio and to take screenshots we will use Capto. Offered by Global Delight Technologies and added to SetApp, Capto is an easy-to-use screen capturing app. It offers various capturing features, using it, you can add text to the screengrab, highlight important parts and can even FaceTime camera recording. Easily capture your Mac's audio. Send audio from one app to another. Sound Siphon creates virtual microphones that work with your favorite audio apps.
Audacity is a free and multi-track audio recorder which can help you record computer audio with high sound quality. This free audio recorder allows you to capture any audio on your computer and then save it in AC3, M4A/M4R (AAC), WMA or other formats based on your need. It also carries some basic editing functions like Cut, Copy, Splice and Mix Sounds Together. This part will show you how to record computer audio with Audacity in Windows 10.
Step 1. Download Audacity for Windows. First, you need to go to Audacity official site (https://www.audacityteam.org/) to free download Audacity for Windows on your computer. After downloading, you can follow the on-screen instructions to install and run this free audio recorder.
Step 2. Make sure Windows can recognize microphone. Before recording computer audio, you need to check the playback device and ensure Windows can recognize the microphone. Right-click on the sound or volume icon on the bottom-right corner. Then choose your microphone under audio input devices. During this step, you can also adjust audio input properties to improve the sound quality.
Step 3. Set Audacity to recognize microphone. Then you need to make sure Audacity is set up to recognize your computer microphone. Click the “Edit” option on the menu bar and then choose “Preferences”.
Click on “Devices” from the left menu and then choose “Windows WASAPI” from the drop-down menu. Here you can choose the default device that has been enabled in your sound device settings. For capturing computer audio, you need to ensure the default playback device “Speakers” or “Headphones” is selected, and leave the channel set for 2 Channels. Click “OK” to confirm the operation.
Step 4. Record computer audio. After all these settings, you can start to record computer audio with Audacity. This is a concise toolbar designed in this free audio recorder to give you full control of the audio recording. You can click the “Record” button to start recording computer audio in Audacity. When the audio recording is over, you can click “Stop” button.
Step 5. Preview and save captured audio. Audacity is equipped with many editing features. So after the audio recording, you can edit the captured audio file. If you want to add some sound effects to the recorded audio, you can use the “Effect” feature and then apply the specific effect to it.
When you are satisfied with the audio, you can save it on your computer. Wifi explorer 2 5 5. Click the “File” option on the menu bar and then choose the “Save Project As” from the drop-down list.
Here you can also click “Export” and then select your preferred output audio format like MP3, WAV, or OGG.
Audacity is an all-featured audio recording tool which can help you capture live audio through a microphone or mixer. It highly supports 16-bit, 24-bit and 32-bit. What’s more, it offers many editing features and effects to better edit the captured audio and export it in popular audio format. But you have to admit that, Audacity is a little bit difficult for new users to record computer audio.
If you are a Mac user, you can navigate to the official site of Audacity and download the Mac version of this audio recorder. After that, you can take the following guide to record Mac computer audio in Audacity.
Step 1. Set Mac sound settings. First, you need to install Audacity on your Mac. Then click “Apple” icon on the menu bar and choose “System Preferences” option. Click the “Sound” icon and then click “Input” tab. Select the “microphone” option from the available options.
Step 2. Set Audacity to recognize microphone. Run Audacity on your Mac. Click “Audacity” in the main menu then choose “Preferences” option from the drop-down list.
Click “Devices” on the left and then ensure that the selected microphone is set for your Mac microphone.
Step 3. Record Mac computer audio. After all these settings, you can start to capture audio on your Mac. You can play the audio you want to record and then click on the “record” button to begin the sound recording. Click the “stop” button to stop the recording.
After the audio recording on computer, you can click the “play” button to listen to the audio file you just created. It will play the captured audio through your computer's speakers or headphones.
Step 4. Add sound effects. If you want to apply some sound effects to the captured audio, you can use the “Effect” feature. As you can see, this free audio recorder for Mac provides you with many effect options. You can click “Effect” option and then select specific effect you like from the drop-down list.
Step 5. Edit the recorded audio. As a full-featured audio recorder and editor, Audacity carries many basic and frequently-used editing features like Cut, Delete, Duplicate, Copy and more. If you have the need to edit audio, here you can click Edit and then use the editing function according to your need.
Note: Considering that the operations and changes you made in Audacity are irreversible, you’d better save a copy of the captured audio file before editing or adding any effects.
Step 6. Export the captured audio. When you are satisfied with the captured audio, you can click “File” and then choose “Export Audio” or “Export Selected Audio” option to save it on your Mac. Here you can choose to export it as the MP3 file.
To quickly record computer audio in Audacity, you can use the keyboard shortcuts. When you view the captured audio on Mac, you can also use the following shortcuts to get full control of the process.
The powerful Audacity is designed with many useful recording and editing features. You can try them one by one while or after the recording. You need to practice more to use Audacity for recording a high-quality audio on computer.
Here in this post, we have mainly talked about how to record computer audio in Audacity. As a free and powerful audio recorder and editor, Audacity can help you capture audio on your Windows 10/8/7 PC or Mac with high quality.
However, many new Audacity users don’t know how to set various audio settings on computer. You can follow the detailed steps shared above to capture sound from computer microphone or speaker with Audacity. If you still can’t use it properly, you can try the recommended Screen Recorder.
Compared with Audacity, it can offer you an easier audio recording experience. It has the capability to capture audio from both microphone/speaker and system audio card. What’s more, it enables you to record videos with exactly the original image and sound quality. Just free download it and have a try.
By Nathan E. Malpass, Last updated: August 27, 2019
Do you want to know how to record audio on Mac device? Well, you’re in luck. We will be giving you a comprehensive guide on it. In this article, we will teach you how to record both external and internal audio using your Mac computer. Read on.
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Recording audio on your Mac device won’t be as fun if your computer crashes all the time. That’s why we recommend that you use FoneDog PowerMyMac software to optimize your computer first. With this software, you can detect all unnecessary files within your system. Plus, you can also delete these detected junk with only a few clicks.
FoneDog PowerMyMac tool has an uninstaller kit that helps you remove unwanted apps from your system. Uninstallation is completed by removing residual components of the unwanted software. It helps you monitor the performance of your Mac computer too. This all-in-one tool prides itself in being a comprehensive solution for Mac users.
QuickTime is an application that comes with the macOS. This is the first method we will teach as it doesn’t require any third-party applications. Most users think QuickTime is only for watching movies. However, it has screen, audio, and video recording capabilities making it a really powerful tool for Mac users.
QuickTime can be used to capture audio from your microphone. After which, it saves it as an m4a file. This software is perfect for capturing quick conversations, recording voice notes, making small-sized ringtones. Whatever the reason may be, QuickTime is the first option for lightweight users.
Although, your Mac device must have a built-in mic if you wish to use it. You can opt to buy an external mic also if you wish. Here’s how to record audio in your macOS using QuickTime Player:
Step 01: Launch QuickTime player. This can be located in the /Applications/ folder.
Step 02: Click the File menu and then press New Audio Recording.
Step 03: Click the Record button (colored red) to start capturing audio. Beamng drive completo gratis.
Step 04: Once you are done, click the same Record button. This will stop the recording.
Step 05: Go towards the File menu once again. Press Save.
Step 06: Create a name for the file and choose a desired location.
The saved file will be in the m4a format. This format is popular among various platforms and is highly-compressed. It can be played on most devices including Mac computers, iPhones, Windows PC, and Android mobile gadgets.
There are no limitations to the number of audio files you want to record with QuickTime. However, if you wish to record a huge amount of audio files, remember that you need to have an adequate amount of space within your Mac.
QuickTime doesn’t support advanced features. However, if you just need to record audio files occasionally, then this is the platform to use. If you want more features for audio editing, you can use GarageBand. The said application can be complicated for most users. However, it is geared towards those who take music making seriously. GarageBand comes free on some Mac devices. However, for some, it comes as a paid software. Thus, QuickTime is a quick and easy option for those who don’t need heavy-duty software and for those who just casually needs sound recording.
GarageBand is an amazing application that can be found pre-installed in a lot of Mac devices. However, if you don’t see it in your Mac computer, you can acquire it through the Mac App Store. This application is great for editing, recording, and playing audio. It has more features compared to other free Mac audio recording apps.
Recording audio with GarageBand gives you the ability to add background sound effects. For instance, you can add Bass, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, and other effects if you wish. Plus, you can adjust the volume level of the audio recording to get the perfect rhythm with other sound effects.
Before we delve into the details of using GarageBand, we first have to select the voice input source. Here are the steps on how to do it.
Step 01: Go to GarageBand and visit Preferences. After this, select Audio and then Devices.
Step 02: Select your chosen audio input source.
After you have set up the correct input source, you can now start recording audio on your Mac device using GarageBand. If you wish to connect a musical instrument for recording, you can do so. After this, you can simply select an old track or add a new one for recording.
Setting the volume level is the next step after that. Next, you should set the resolution for audio recording. It is recommended that you use 24 Bits. Now, before you delve into the steps below, ensure that your mic and musical instrument(s) are connected properly. Make sure nothing is damaged and everything is working perfectly.
Step 01: Launch GarageBand on your Mac.
Step 02: Create a new project or open a previous project you have created.
Step 03: Press the Red button to begin recording.
Step 04: By now, the audio is recording so make sure you are in tune with the background music.
Step 05: Press the Red button again one done.
Step 06: Save the file to the desired location.
Step 07: Listen to the audio you have just recorded. You can also edit it with GarageBand if you wish.
There are a lot of third-party applications you can use to record audio on your Mac device. These apps have their own set of features that makes recording more exciting. The recommended tool to use is Audacity. This is a free, open-source application used for recording and editing audio. Its powerful features allow you to customize your recorded audio. Plus, it has a variety of plugins making it a powerful tool for advanced users.
To download the application, you simply go to their website here. After which, simply install it on your Mac device and restart the computer. Once the app is installed within your Mac, you can now record audio on your device using Audacity.
Below are the steps you should follow on how to record audio on Mac using Audacity:
Step 01: Open Audacity on your Mac computer.
Step 02: Make sure your mic is ready to be used as a voice input tool.
Step 03: Adjust the features for audio recording. Make sure you set it in a way that you want.
Step 04: Press the Red button for recording to begin.
Step 05: Now, you can start recording your voice as long as you wish.
Step 06: Press the button that appears like a brown square to stop recording your voice.
Step 07: Click File and click on the option that says Export.
Step 08: Save the audio file to your desired location.
Listening to your recorded audio can be done using Audacity or other media player apps. Audacity also offers you ways to trim, delete, and edit the recorded audio. If you have an audio file that has a long duration, this app is the best software to use. There are other apps available on the Mac App Store, although Audacity is still a free platform that is packed with features.
External audio refers to sound that is captured through your microphone. Internal audio refers to the audio made by the Mac device itself. If you want to record audio played on your Mac device, you can do so. However, there are no built-in applications within Mac to do this.
Thus, you need to use a third-party application to record internal audio on your Mac. We have taken the liberty of testing out Soundflower and Audacity. Let’s check out how to use these apps below.
- 1 -
First, Install And Set Up Soundflower On Your Mac Device
Soundflower Extension, is, as its name implies, an extension for Mac operating systems. It is not an audio recorder in itself. The extension allows you to create a virtual audio output device that works as an input as well. The audio is routed to another location enabling you to record your Mac device’ internal sound. Before you use the extension, you have to download it first. Here are the steps on how to download and install SoundFlower using your Mac computer:
Step 01: Launch your web browser and go to Soundflower’s website.
Step 02: Open the link to its Github page.
Step 03: Download the extension and install it within your Mac computer.
- 2-
Once Soundflower is installed in your Mac, you have to change the computer’s Sound Output Settings. Here’s how to do it:
Step 01: Visit Preferences and then go to Sound.
Step 02: Now, choose Output.
Step 03: Choose “Soundflower (2ch)” as your desired sound output device.
Once you have changed these settings, your Mac device won’t emit off any sound. This is because the output has been changed to Soundflower’s platform. Now, you can use QuickTime or Audacity, for recording the internal audio on your Mac device.
To prevent disturbances during recording, you should Turn Off Sound Effects. You can do this by going to Preferences then Sound. After this, visit Sound Effects. Then, you can deactivate sound effects from there.
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Lastly, Record Internal Audio Through QuickTime Player Or Audacity
Now, let’s move on to recording your internal audio via QuickTime Player or Audacity. We will show the steps for using QuickTime Player first.
Step 01: Open QuickTime Player within your Mac device.
Step 02: Press File Menu and press the option that says New Audio Recording.
Step 03: The window for audio recording will open on your screen.
Step 04: Press the down arrow (▼) symbol to launch options for audio recording.
Step 05: Choose the input or mic as Soundflower (2ch)
Step 06: Play the audio or video you want to get the sound from.
Step 07: Press the red record button to begin recording.
Step 08: Press the red record button again once done.
Framer 79 – prototyping tool for testing interactivity. Step 01: Open Audacity within your Mac device.
Step 02: Visit Audacity Preferences. Then, go to the tab labeled Devices.
Step 03: Go to Recording and then select the option labeled Device again.
Step 04: Select Soundflower (2ch) as your desired recording device.
Step 05: Go back to Audacity’s main page. Activate the option labeled Turn On Monitoring. This is located at the top-right part of the interface.
Step 06: Microphone’s volume level should be decreased to zero. This is done by dragging it towards the left-most side.
Step 07: Play the audio or video you want to get the sound from.
Step 08: Press the red record button to begin recording.
Step 09: Press the brown square button once done.
Once you have recorded the internal audio through Audacity or QuickTime Player, you can simply modify the Sound Output Settings back to its original state. Now, you can listen to your recorded internal audio. After which, you can edit it through Audacity to complete your project.
Don’t know how to record audio on Mac? Well, this guide has just told you how to record both external and internal audio on your favorite Apple computer. Simply follow the steps above to record audio on your Mac. You’ll find that you have a variety of options to choose from and you won’t get bogged down by the instructions even if you are a newbie. Happy recording!