Audacity is recording using the wrong microphone

Audacity 3 Help Forum GNU/Linux
1

Okay, I’ve been having this problem since I started using Audacity on this computer.
Here’s the backstory: I have a pair of earbuds with a built-in microphone. My computer has one slot for audio stuff, like speakers.
So the other day I went to record something on Audacity, and it was trying to record using the built in laptop microphone.
However, the playback automatically came in through the ear buds like it was meant to.

My problem is that I want to use the built in microphone, so I went to the playback options and tried every option under Recording.
None of these worked, so I thought maybe the computer itself wasn’t recognizing the microphone.

At this point, I opened Skype and called the Echo service, which lets you record a message, and then this message is played back.
I breathed and made noises straight into the microphone very quietly, so the laptop microphone wouldn’t pick it up
When Echo replayed the message, I could hear the breathing right in my ears, so I know the headset and laptop both are using the correct microphone to record.

If you need me to specify anything else, please let me know. I may not be back on the forums for a couple of days, but I will respond ASAP

Has anyone else had this issue? If so, please tell me if / how you fixed it.

2

Look in Skype sound settings - what recording input is it using?
Then close Skype and ensure that it is not running in the background.

From the Audacity Help menu, select “Audio device info”. Wait for the info box to appear and copy the full and complete contents into your reply.

3

Thanks for your reply

Skype said it was using PulseAudio (local)

Here is the copy / paste thing from Audacity:

==============================
Default capture device number: 5
Default playback device number: 5
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: HDA Intel PCH: ID 235 Analog (hw:0,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.005805
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.034830
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: HDA Intel PCH: HDMI 0 (hw:0,3)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: sysdefault
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 128
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.021333
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.021333
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: hdmi
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 8
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.005805
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: pulse
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.008707
Low Output Latency: 0.008707
High Input Latency: 0.034830
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: default
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.008707
Low Output Latency: 0.008707
High Input Latency: 0.034830
High Output Latency: 0.034830
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 5 - default
Selected playback device: 5 - default
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
==============================
Available playback volumes:
0 - Master:0
1 - Headphone:0
2 - Speaker:0
3 - PCM:0
4 - Mic Boost:0
==============================
Capture volume is emulated
Playback volume is native
4

OK, so both Skype and Audacity are taking their input from PulseAudio (which is the default for your system).

Do you have “PulseAudio Volume Control” installed? If not, install it using your preferred package manager - it’s called “pavucontrol”.

Close Audacity and open Skype.
Start a Skype test call and immediately open PulseAudio Volume Control.
In the “Recording” tab of PulseAudio Volume Control, look to see what input Skype is using and make a note of it.

Close Skype (completely).
Close PulseAudio Volume Control.
Open Audacity.

Press the record button in Audacity and then open PulseAudio Volume Control.
While Audacity is recording, change the selected input in the recording tab of PulseAudio Volume Control to the same as Skype was using.
Close PulseAudio Volume Control.
Stop the recording.
Press Ctrl+Z to Undo the recorded track.

5

Thanks, I will get to that, will let you know any results.

Sorry it’s taking me so long to reply to this, I’ve just been busy with other things.

Hopefully this last suggestion solves my problem, I will let you know either way.