how to record a youtube soundtrack?

I would like to extract the soundtrack from a youtube clip as an audio file, and Ive heard there are programs around to download youtube clips but Ive never tried that myself.

I thought that It would be an easy match to record the sound with audacity, by “shortcircuiting” the soundcard output and input and then start recording as usual, but despite multiple trials,
I seem unable to get any signal at all into auadacity. I’ve also tried to switch input to “microsoft sound mapper” in preferences, but makes no difference.

Have I missed something, or isnt it possible to record an arbitrary soundsource that you playback in an arbitrary program under windows (vista)?
Jonas

<<<“shortcircuiting” the soundcard output and input and then start recording>>>

That works on Macs and PC Deskside machines, not PC laptops. For this to work you need matching High Level Line-in and Line-Out. Most PC Laptops have low-level Mic-In and it’s incompatible with this trick. PC Laptops are designed for a Skype Headset/Microphone. Not Audio Production.

You can use Total Recorder on a PC to capture internet, or any PC sound. That’s how I do it on my older PCs.

Sometimes you can sweet-talk the PC into crossing some of the interal pathways to allow you to record direct. The manufacturers are slowly designing that out of the newer machines, so that’s not a sure bet.

http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Recording_audio_playing_on_the_computer

Koz

I do have a desktop not a laptop (and shoudnt it at least be a visible signal even if the levels are not compatible?) and its a line out-line in situation, of that Im positive, so impedances should be compatible.
I simply couldnt get it to work. Not until I extended the loop to include my regular stereo amp (line in, tape out) could I get it to work.
I dont know the design of the Realtec DAC that I have, maybe its not designed to feed the line out to its own line in, tho it sounds a bit farfetched to me.
Jonas

Glad to see you got it to work!

Curious…
A defective cable, possibly one that isn’t plugged in all the way could cause those symptoms.

On my XP HP laptop, I can record output from iTunes, for example, without any cables by selecting “Stereo Mixer” instead of “Microphone” in Audacity’s drop-down box on the main tool bar. This is located right next to Audacity’s Microphone Volume Slider control.

<<<by selecting “Stereo Mixer” instead of “Microphone” in Audacity’s drop-down box on the main tool bar. This is located right next to Audacity’s Microphone Volume Slider control.>>>

Right. On That Computer. It’s a service of the sound card and support from the maker of the computer. Or not supported, depending on the type of computer and card maker.

Some PC laptops aggressively prevent you from doing that software trick.

Koz