Audacity Forum

Audacity version 2.4.2
Mac OS Catalina ver. 10.15.6
Mac Mini 2018
Operation is random. Getting recording error message. See attachments pls

thx!

What are you trying to do?
-- Bill

Use Soundflower (or Blackhole) to route audio from Spotify, iTunes or other source into Audacity for recording.

I have no experience with Blackhole. There is this page on the wiki about using Soundflower.

-- Bill

OK, so I tried out Blackhole on my Catalina Macbook Air.

Following the instructions here, I set up a simple Multi-output Device in Audio MIDI Setup consisting solely of Built-in Output and Blackhole. Then set Blackhole as the System Sound Output. Finally I set Blackhole as the Input Device in Audacity.

I got some glitches the first time I tried it. First the recording cursor wouldn't move. Then I got the portaudio error message. I was possible not being rigorous enough - I had Audacity open while I was installing Blackhole and setting up the multi-output device.

I did Transport > Rescan Audio Devices and that seemed to clear it up.

So my suggestion (based on my limited experience) is that your multi-output device may be too complex. Change it to what they suggest and try again. That should be all you need to record system audio.

-- Bill

Thx for the help.

Is the problem resolved?

Black Hole kept coming up randomly with the error message in my post. I went back to Soundflower as they are now posting compatibility with catalina.

So far, so good. I regret updating from Mojave. This is all a major pain in the ass.. thank you Apple