I’m having a difficult time getting going. I’ve been using audacity for a while, but I recently purchased a Blue Yeti and a set of headphones.
I use Windows 8 with Audacity 2.0.5. (latest version I believe).
So I’m able to record my voice when speaking through the mic. I have the headphones plugged into the Yeti so I can hear myself as well. I have the headphones hooked up to the headphones jack in the laptop. I know that the headphones are for playback and not recording, but I can’t seem to figure out how to have audacity pick up the audio from the laptop while I have the heaphones hooked up as well.
I’ve typically recorded Skype conversations through the laptop microphone/ speakers. Now that I have the headphones being used, is there a way to still have audacity pick up the audio? I’ve used the mic and had a conversation on Skype with the headphones as well, but Audacity is only picking up my voice and not the voice on the other side of the conversation which is coming through the headset.
I’m thinking there should be a way to do this and have Audacity still pick it up internally somehow.
Anyone by chance able to help with this? I’m clearly as sharp as a marble and have been racking my tiny little brain on this all day long.
If you got a good Skype recording with your computer before, you got really lucky. In general, you need to use a special program to record Skype.
The best way to record Skype is to use software that is specifically designed for the job, such as “Skype Call Recorder” > Skype Call Recorder > (Free, open source software) or “Pamela” (commercial non-free).
Pamela is paid software, but works very well. The lower two licenses are intentionally crippled in order to make you buy a paid license.
There are people on the forum who got just their computer, Audacity, a microphone and an internet connection to work and they regularly crank out podcasts like that.
They got lucky. Generally that fails.
“I set my computer up just like yours, but there’s a bad echo and the person at the far end can’t hear me.”
What I’m really concerned about, however, is how I use the mic, the headphones, and audacity.
Specifically, how do I get audacity to pick up the conversation/ audio that comes through the computer if I have headphones hooked up as well? Audacity is picking up what I say into the mic but not audio form the laptop.
Audacity is picking up what I say into the mic but not audio form the laptop.
Not a problem as long as you’re not using Skype.
You can use the Overdubbing feature where you play back an existing track into your headphones and you sing along with it. Audacity will create a new track with just your singing as well as the original track. You can keep doing that with all your instruments and voices until you compile the final song.
Skype likes to take over the sound pathways and it’s really rare to be able to record both sides without special software.
Thanks. it’s crazy I’ve been able to record all convo out of SKpe with just the computer then. OF course as soon as I try and upgrade with a mic and headphones it all doesn’t work.
I downloaded the free verson of Pamela and it did work okay. I’d rather not pay for it,though, and I can’t get the Skype recorder on my PC. IF I do pay for Pam, does anyone know if I Can get the file in say an uncompressed wave file in order to import into audacity for additional recording before I MP3 it?
Also, At this point I’m thinking about exploring Google Hangouts as the audio platform. Does anyone know if Google Hangouts can be picked up by audacity via mic and headphones? IF not, a free service/ software that can be used to record the audio and then import into Audacity?
While you’re investigating these packages, one sticking point is the ability to record your conversation as a split show, so you can apply corrections to one side without affecting the other. They won’t all do that, and if they only create one single mixed show, your correction opportunities are very limited.
Also, remember Audacity doesn’t edit MP3. It has to convert and then make a new MP3 when you’re done, so the bubbly, honky compression sound damage goes up, sometimes noticeably. The compression damage is in addition to the Skype compression damage. So it’s good if the software will create a WAV or other uncompressed file.
And like I said earlier. Some people just push a few buttons on their normal computer and everything works without further fuss. Those people are dangerous because they think everybody can do that, but they are very much celebrities.
Thanks for all the info and the links to the other Skype recorders. I reached out to Pam and they did say that they had the ability to export to a WAV file so I can import to Audacity.
By that time this Noob was already pissed off and ready to move on, so I did end up stumbling across VoiceMeeter, and this is a very simple solution for me that allows me to send a few inputs to VM to act as the catch all for Audacity. I’m using Google Hangouts alongside the software.
I’m sure most won’t need this, but I’ve a very vanilla laptop set up. For some reason I Wasn’t able to download the virtual audio cable, but VM took care of it all for me.
Thanks for the list of alternatives and details. We have to keep track of which platform you’re on and that can get into the weeds pretty quickly. Most alternatives are only available for Windows.
Koz