Log in to Freesound

Problems logging in?
Don't have an account? Join now

Problems logging in?

Enter your email or username below and we'll send you a link to help you login into your account.

Back to log in

Almost there!

We've sent a verification link by email

Didn't receive the email? Check your Spam folder, it may have been caught by a filter. If you still don't see it, you can resend the verification email.

Default title

  • Sounds
  • Tags
  • Forum
  • Map
    • Sounds
    • Packs
    • Forum
    • Map
    • Tags
    • Random sound
    • Charts
    • Donate
    • Help

Freesound Forums

  • Freesound Forums
  • Production Techniques, Music Gear, Tips and Tricks
  • Tutorial: Record audio output on Windows computers

Tutorial: Record audio output on Windows computers

Subscribe

Started March 22nd, 2007 · 8 replies · Latest reply by HardPCM 18 years, 5 months ago

H
HardPCM

0 sounds

215 posts

18 years, 6 months ago
#1

Many peoples ask me how to record audio outputs on Windows computers, so I think it"s better to do a small tutorial about that :mrgreen:

Step 1:

On the right bottom of the screen, there is an speaker icon

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1633/rec001rz2.jpg
Step 2:

Click right on it, and click left button on Open Volume Control
http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/7762/rec002yf2.jpg
Step 3:

You will see now the Master Volume Control Panel
http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/2425/rec003am4.jpg
Step 4:

On this panel, click on Options, after click on Properties

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/5083/rec004oc1.jpg
Step 5:

You will see another Properties panel,

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/5922/rec005gz8.jpg
Step 6:

Now select the good device to unlock the circle on the left of the word "Record" and click on this circle
After on the bottom of this panel select all the device the computer can record, in this example this is "Line in" "Rear Mic" "Microphone" but the must important is "Stereo Mix" or "Mono Mix".

If you have not "Stereo mix"or "Mono mix" like this example you cannot record directly the audio output of your computer; you must use the trick at the end :cry: ....

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/1460/rec006fv8.jpg
Step 7:

Click on OK

The good example is the upper panel of this example, and on the lower panel the bad

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/6929/rec007bp8.jpg

If OK, turn up the recording volume....

Step 8:

Close all panels...

Step 9:

Now start your recording program and select your recording device or the Windows Sound Mapper device
Step 10:

Now it"s free for all :wink: ...


If you are not able or you cannot do that:

Just do like me, take a stereo cable, connect it on the output and the other side in the input,
it"s less problem when the sound card cannot record itself cool ...

H
hello_flowers

785 sounds

273 posts

18 years, 6 months ago
#2

But if you put a stereo cable in the input and in the output, there is no way to hear it, am I write, or am I right? So if you are playing a VST instrument and recording it, you can't hear what you're doing? Is there any way around this?

SQUID KING REVIVAL
H
hello_flowers

785 sounds

273 posts

18 years, 6 months ago
#3

PS= Thanks for the tute, I'm sure it will be useful... to people who have the 'stereo mix' option... sad oh well.

SQUID KING REVIVAL
H
HardPCM

0 sounds

215 posts

18 years, 6 months ago
#4

Yes it"s true, if you just put a cable you have nothing to hear...

To solve that connect it on an mixing hardware with two or more channel...

Else use a cable Y splitter but remember that the speakers works as microphone :? ...
So to block that I had connected one cable on the computer and the other
on my Video Cassette Recorder to block noise from my speakers and to block feedback cool ...

S
Streety

28 sounds

287 posts

18 years, 6 months ago
#5

hello_flowers
But if you put a stereo cable in the input and in the output, there is no way to hear it, am I write, or am I right? So if you are playing a VST instrument and recording it, you can't hear what you're doing? Is there any way around this?

Headphone splitter, connect some headphones and you'd be well away

"Sound is just experience without sight." Official Acclivity Fan Club - Founder and Member. Flac? Ogg? Aiff? Click Here For Help!
xinaesthete

17 sounds

55 posts

18 years, 6 months ago
#6

I just feel like mentioning that with an old Turtle Beach Santa Cruz soundcard I used to have, it did offer this option, but it was actually much noisier and worse than plugging a minijack-minijack cable into the back!

There is also some software that will allow you to set up virtual audio devices - nothing free that I know of, but someone is working on a port of JACK to windows, so that might be one to watch out for.

Halleck

178 sounds

743 posts

18 years, 5 months ago
#7

Excellent! Thanks for writing this up.

Freesound Admin Official Acclivity Fan Club - Member | Stuck with FLAC? Check the FAQ.
H
HardPCM

0 sounds

215 posts

18 years, 5 months ago
#8

About virtual device there is VMware workstation that can simulate an Pc computer on an Pc computer cool ,
the software simulate all basic device like the sound card so the sound card emulated can record itself,
but that software take full of the CPU power, so below 700Mhz don't take that :? ...

www.VMware.com

Post reply
About Freesound Terms of use Privacy Cookies Developers Help Donations Blog Freesound Labs Get your t-shirt!
© 2025 Universitat Pompeu Fabra