unable to adjust the recording level

Audacity 2.4.2, Windows 8.1, 64 bit

Recording device is "Speaker Headphone (Realtec audio loopback)

Recording channels: 2 stereo recording

Payback device: "Speaker Headphone (Realtec audio)

I am unable to adjust the recording level of songs. I tried various ways on my system but to no avail.

The horizontal bar on the microphone slide bar inside Audacity is fixed at extreme right side, and I am unable to reduce the level.

Can someone tell me what I need to do to adjust my mic level?

snoma01

If the show arrives at the system as a digital signal, then Audacity will let it all in on the assumption you wanted it to be that way. Sometimes you can change the recording volume in Windows control panels.

What’s supposed to happen is you have volume controls on your microphone interface or sometimes on the microphone itself.

Koz

thank u for your comments.

I tried all of that in windows panel but to no avail.

There is no external mic as I use Windows recording system.

snoma01

I use Windows recording system.

What does that mean? I’m not a Windows elf.

Koz

Recording device is "Speaker Headphone (Realtec audio loopback)

When you select “loopback” you are accurately capturing the digital audio stream sent to your soundcard for playback so you can’t change the volume.

and I am unable to reduce the level.

If it’s “too loud” you can use the Amplify effect with a negative value after recording but that won’t remove any clipping/distortion present in the original audio.

that won’t remove any clipping/distortion

What he said. You change the analog volume of a capture system (see pictures above) to avoid noise and overload distortion, that’s what the recording engineer does, but once the signal becomes digital, you’re stuck. If the digital sound is so loud it overloads, the best you can do is change the volume of the overload distortion. The distortion is not going away.

Koz

hello koz,

I meant recording system that comes as default with Windows 8.1 . I dont think there is a name for it.

as u have pointed out here, I am assuming the sound comes in as digital into my soundcard hence the recording level may not be able to be adjusted.

I will live with it, thank u.

snoma01

Try going into your Control Panel. From there, View Devices, and right click on your microphone. Choose ‘Sound Settings’. This should open up a new box entitled ‘Sound’. Click to the ‘Recording’ tab, and you’ll see all of your microphones. Select the one you want to record with and then click the ‘Properties’ box. Click on the ‘Levels’ tab and here you should be able to manually adjust your microphone input to the computer. It’s a bit of a faff, but gets around Audacity being stuck at 100%.

tk u for your comments, AceFromSpace

snoma01