I use Audacity 2.1.0 for few years on Win7 Pro 64bit on miniPC. I use it to record important Skype voice calls (headset plugged into the 3.5mm skt) using just Audacity standard default install settings. (Panel shows Windows WASAPI, Mic, Stero Record, Speakers). (Stereo 16000Hz, 24-bit PCM) It records my voice fine, but other person is barely audible in recording, yet the 2 volumes are equal in my headset. During a recording only the top VU shows sound. When I speak during recording, I see 0dB - in the red. When just the other person speaks I see typ. -30dB, peaking to -18dB at best. I hope there is a simple control adjustment you can tell me to alter ?
Audacity is not recommended for recording a Skype interview.
Your local voice is a service of the computer, so that usually records just fine. The far side voice is a service of Skype and they do not share well. You may have also noticed what you’re really recording is the Skype bubbly cancellation voice, not the real performance. That’s normal.
I did it with two computers and a mixer, but if you don’t want to go that way, you can try one of the Windows Skype software packages such as Pamela.
Thanks for your 2 helpful posts. I rather a free Skype Recorder that works, especially as it depends on Skype API not changing for continued operation, so a commercial App like Pamela would be a last resort.
scribie.com ‘CallGraph Recorder for Skype is a Skype Plugin’ - but warning msg top of page states discontinued & no longer supported.
Since MS bought Skype I notice there are very frequent changes to Skype - wonder if that is the reason for notice of discontinued ?
I then read the Notice on the atdor link, which I see was for Linux only, and rather confirms my suspicion, MS has completely changed Skype API only last month so disabling Apps before this month !!
That leaves just the voipcallrecording.com out of the 4 links in 2014. Site has no notice of discontinuance since API change last month - but as the API change is so recent, does anyone know if this App still works and if it works well ?
I see one user in the 2014 post went with Voicemeeter. Your 2nd post mentioned Voicemeeter Banana. Their site lists the 2 products, from which the non-banana one looks a little simpler, although even that looks quite complicated as it has very many controls for doing more than just recording Skype calls. From the description, it installs something called ‘Virtual Audio Cable’ - which I vaguely remember trying out on a different Windows laptop very many years ago, and it causing audio problems with non-Skype operations. Think it said it is ALWAYS running on the computer, which I don’t like, as it will sap resources, and it is not very frequent that I want to use a Skype Recorder.
We noticed that, too. There was a time for a while there that even Paid Pamela licenses threw in the towel and couldn’t keep up.
That’s why I did it in hardware.
The older machine on the right is Skype and that’s all it does. No struggling with oddball updates or sudden changes. Skype thinks it’s communicating with me on the kitchen table.
The machine on the left is the Audacity recorder and music playback.
This was an early engineering test. There’s nothing polished or professional about it.
Denise sounds like she’s on the sofa behind me. She’s actually four time zones that way (pointing east).
It could be argued that’s the perfect podcast. We spent the whole thing talking about when we’re going to have the next one.
There are other productions who do it that way. You never have to worry about Skype housekeeping. If everybody’s on headphones, a lot of the Skype distortion goes away.
There is yet another technique. Most people find they can record their local microphone just fine and it’s the far side that fails. Each location records their own microphone and ships the perfect quality sound files to you. It doesn’t matter what Skype sounds like. That audio never makes it into the show.
