audio levels w/headphones recording skype

[geraldw]

I have Mac 10.6.8, Audacity 2.x and Skype 2.8.0.851. I take voice lessons thru Skype and record them on Audacity (tried using an Alesis mixer, but got feedback). When I do a Skype test call, it records fine (my voice and hers) as far as levels, but if I plug in my headphones to the 3.5mm out jack, the Skype lady's audio wave becomes faint. I tried 2 sets of phones to make sure there was no short or whatever with the phones. I need to have good amplitude on the Skype call to hear my teacher when I re-listen. What's up? Can anyone help? Thanks, Gerald.

[kozikowski]

If you click on the Audacity recording pull-down, what does it say you're recording from? I'm betting it's the built-in microphone which is why it vanishes if the speakers go away.

Koz

[Gale Andrews]

In my opinion if you don't want to pay for a Skype recorder you are better to use Soundflower.

Has anyone tried this to record Skype with Garageband and Soundflower http://www.wikihow.com/Record-Skype-Int ... and-LineIn ?

Or even this using Audacity and Soundflower http://www.macswitched.com/2011/02/reco ... -free.html ? The commenters there say it works, even in ancient 1.2 Audacity.


Gale

[geraldw]

Dear Koz, thanks for the reply, but I do not get it. My Audacity preferences are indeed Input" built in input. What else could they be? When I plug in an expernal mic using Blue Ice, I choose Blue Ice and the same thing happens. But what do you mean by "vanishes if the speakers go away"? Do you mean when I unplug the headphones, because they do not cause it to vanish, but to be reduced by maybe 2/3? What would you do? I am trying to record from Skype and and my voice (preferably with the ext. better mic? Thanks, gerry.

[Gale Andrews]

I have said what I would do - record with Audacity using Soundflower as the input, or pay for a Skype recording application. If your Audacity recording input is a mic, you cannot reliably record the other party to the call (because the only input is the mic - you).

Koz means that when you use the internal (or any) mic as Audacity input without headphones, it is recording the mic (obviously) but also indirectly recording the other party playing through the speakers. Once you plug headphones in, the mic can no longer hear the other party.

You do want to use headphones or you will probably impose feedback on the other party.


Gale