[v 2.0.6] How to record a single application's sound?

[Coconutsales]

I need to record game audio, but not my friends in Teamspeak, and I can't figure out how to do this.

Is there even a way to record a single application's sound? Gah!

[kozikowski]

Game Sound and Skype are the two specialist applications that take specialist programs to record in a useful manner.

FRAPS appears to work for game sound management.

Koz

[Coconutsales]

Game Sound and Skype are the two specialist applications that take specialist programs to record in a useful manner.

FRAPS appears to work for game sound management.

Koz

I found a way to do what I requested, but it requires the use of some free drivers and a program off of a site. I'm not sure of the rules regarding this forum, so am I allowed to post the guide I made for anyone who might happen to come across this post with the same wants and wishes as I?

[kozikowski]

Sure. We recommend Pamela and FRAPS and they're both money-based software packages.
How did you do it?

Koz

[Coconutsales]

Thanks! This is pretty much copy/pasted straight from my forum post for my ArmA 3 group's forums, so I hope the links and everything with the BBCode are correct.

You'll need a few things:
1) Audacity or similar audio editing program. (This guide will provide steps for Audacity, however)
2) Any game video capture program
3) VoiceMeeter (WITH the VB-Audio virtual cable drivers)

--------------------------------------------STEPS--------------------------------------------
1) Download and install Audacity or similar
2) Download and install VoiceMeeter and the Virtual cable drivers
3) Reboot your computer
4) Open up Audacity and make sure the Speakers are set to your headset/external speakers and the microphone is VoiceMeeter Output (VB-Audio VO)
5) Open up Voicemeeter and do the following:
--5a) Set Hardware input (1) to your microphone, and make sure the A and B channels are
--5b) Set Hardward Input (2) to CABLE Output (VB-Audio Virtual Cable) and ENABLE ONLY channel A
--5c) ENABLE both channels A and B for the Virtual Input
--5d) Set Hardware Out (A1) to your speakers
--5e) Set Hardware Out (A2) to - remove device selection - (You won't need a second hardware output)
6) On your task bar, right click the sound speaker and go to "Playback devices"
7) Set "VoiceMeeter Input" as Default
8) Finally, in Teamspeak, go to: Settings > Options > Playback Playback device: and set it to; Speakers (VB-Audio Virtual Cable)

HERE is how it should look, in VoiceMeeter:
http://i.imgur.com/6bcHwVm.png


Now, go ahead and record a test in Audacity by hitting the red circle "Record" button, and talking into your mic while having people talk in teamspeak and playing a video in the background. IF DONE CORRECTLY, the Hardware Input (2) will register when noise is made in the Teamspeak program, but NOT record into Audacity. The video playing in the background will, however, as it is being picked up on the Virtual Input. As well, your microphone will not be picked up because the B channel for it has been disabled. If you wish to record your microphone, ENABLE the B channel in the Hardware Input (1) section.

(The video is to simulate game sound, as any program running that is not Teamspeak, and that makes a sound, will be picked up by this. This is why it is crucial to ensure you don't have any other programs making sound)

If you are successful, you may now use your desired game capture program to record video. (But make sure you have disabled ANY and ALL sound capture options! To do this, if you use FRAPs or Shadowplay, see the following:

FRAPs: Movies tab > uncheck all sound capture boxes
Shadowplay: Open GeForce Experience > Shadowplay tab in Top-right > Audio > NONE



--------------------------------------------WHEN EDITING...--------------------------------------------

[Q:] So now you have recorded your game, and the game's audio, but they are in two separate files! How do I merge the audio and video?

[A:] Well, it depends on the video editing program you choose. While I'm not familiar with the paid programs (ie; Final Cut Pro,) I can point you to some free programs for editing that are capable of merging audio and video files:

Windows Movie Maker
or Lightworks

HERE is a cool video tutorial!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUBBt5geQPc



Some explanations to help your further understanding;

A = speakers, your headset
B = Audio recording device (Can be set to anything with an input for microphones or something, IE; Audacity, where it will show up as VoiceMeeter Output (VB-Audio VO))


As long as you have your microphone as mic input for Teamspeak/Ventrillo/Skype/Mumble, you will still broadcast to such applications, but not have it filter back or be recorded!

[kozikowski]

We know about Voicemeeter, but not in combination with all the other packages and drivers.

I think I'm going to have to lie down for a minute.

So you need to run: Audacity, Voicemeeter, Virtual Audio Cable drivers, Teamspeak, FRAPS, or you might use Shadowplay if you have a GeForce video card. And we assume the game.

And you got all that to work? The reason I don't entirely believe you is Audacity does not Play Well With Others. It's likely to freeze or crash if it steps on a sound driver or service that somebody else is using. Also, isn't Shadowplay only good for the last 20 minutes of the game? I assume FRAPS doesn't have that issue?

Koz

[Coconutsales]

We know about Voicemeeter, but not in combination with all the other packages and drivers.

I think I'm going to have to lie down for a minute.

So you need to run: Audacity, Voicemeeter, Virtual Audio Cable drivers, Teamspeak, FRAPS, or you might use Shadowplay if you have a GeForce video card. And we assume the game.

Correct. I have not tested it with FRAPs, however; I assume it would still function the same, albeit perhaps laggier and thus not have a persistent frame rate to coincide with the audio from Audacity.

And you got all that to work?

Yep! I have tested it three times before writing up the guide, (All with shadowplay, so I might do some testing with FRAPs to confirm whether or not it behaves with it) and encountered exactly 0 problems that were not user error.

The reason I don't entirely believe you is Audacity does not Play Well With Others. It's likely to freeze or crash if it steps on a sound driver or service that somebody else is using.

Well I'll see how it functions in the long run, as I intend to record most, if not all, of my group's future operations and making cinematic ArmA 3 videos from the footage. I recorded an hour and a half of continuous manual Shadowplay footage alongside an hour and a half of game audio recorded with Audacity, and everything went smoothly. (Proof, if a still image of rendering RAW video footage counts: http://i.imgur.com/3TI76pD.png )

Also, isn't Shadowplay only good for the last 20 minutes of the game? I assume FRAPS doesn't have that issue?

Shadowplay's key feature, the namesake "Shadow" recording system, is good for up to 20 minutes into the past, if enabled ( http://i.imgur.com/w4qDX6O.png < I have mine set for 15 minutes. ) It also has a manual recording feature where it encodes the footage straight from the hardware. (Some fancy voodoo magic that I don't understand completely)

And again, as for FRAPs, I'll make sure it works with it as well. The biggest reason I don't really want to use it is because the HUGE video files. With Shadowplay, I get an hour and a half of 1080p footage at a cost of a measly 20 gigs.
( http://i.imgur.com/vQEHZOA.png )

[steve]

Yep! I have tested it three times before writing up the guide,

I'm guessing that the computer needs to have some serious horsepower to handle that lot simultaneously. Just as a matter of interest (and may be useful for others that are trying to accomplish the same), what are the specs of your PC?

[Coconutsales]

what are the specs of your PC?

Processor: Intel Core i5 4670K 3.40 GHz (Quad Core)
Motherboard: ASUS Z87-C (Intel Z87 Chipset)
Memory: 8GB DDR3 1600MHz
Power Supply: 1050W Corsair Pro Silver 1050HX
Storage: 1TB Hard drive
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 2gb
Sound: Integrated motherboard audio

Not the best processor, to be honest. It's one of the things that I'm looking to upgrade, actually.