Mic and Speaker Mute

Sometimes just want to monitor levels without listening or quickly mute input. Clickity click click to the audio mixer mute button is more cumbersome and slow than need be.

Picture worth a thousand words.
From this (un-muted):
Snap1.jpg
To this (muted):
Snap2.jpg

FWIW: you can click here to monitor your levels before you start recording:




I think this is a case where I’ll need to ask “why” a few times to fully understand what it is you really need, so: Why do you not want to listen to your levels?

To monitor the level over a long period of time and don’t need to actually listen to the content. Watching for peaks and clipping etc. of a live stream source.

Another reason for being able to mute the Audacity output is to record speakers with the same speakers are the only available output. Can’t very well record the system speakers if they are muted at the system level to prevent the feedback loop.

Yes I know can click there to monitor before recording. That’s what I am clicking to monitor. But it also puts out the audio. Also if set to record the speakers and they are the only available output then there is a feedback loop.

My workaround for that was yo use a null 3.5mm jack plug (i.e. one with the wireds cut off and plug it into the headphone socket of the computer.

Peter.

I do that by taking my headphones off, or if I’m using speakers, turn the speakers down.

Null jack, shutting off speakers etc. cuts all output including system sounds.
Thought I mentioned avoiding shutting off speakers at the system level. Just want to mute Audacity output. Sure it can be done by means outside of the app but that is cumbersome. It should be available within the app to mute it’s output.

You can mute the output by clicking the “mute” button on each track.

Have you actually done this, muting a track that is recording? Or are you just throwing stuff the wall to see if something sticks? Because I did try this and it doesn’t mute the output of what is being is being recorded.

I’m commenting on what you wrote:
You: “Just want to mute Audacity output.”
Me: “You can mute the output by clicking the “mute” button on each track.”

No, but it mutes Audacity, unless you have enabled Software Playthrough.

What is it that you are recording? The screenshot in your first post suggests that you are recording your computer’s microphone, in which case you should be using headphones, in which case you can take them off.