How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

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Chark998
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:54 am
Operating System: Windows 10

How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by Chark998 » Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:01 am

Version: 2.4.2
OS: Windows 10 x64

Hello, everyone.
Recently I've been attending online sessions on a website, and they're all real-time live sessions.
It's sometimes tough to keep track of the things the professor has to say and note them down at the same time, so I've been searching for some sort of way to record his audio and mine too so that I can always refer back to them and understand everything much easier.

Basically I just want some sort of way to make Audacity record both my Google Chrome's Audio and my Microphone's Audio.
If this is possible with Audacity, I'd appreciate someone helping me figure out how to do it.

Best Regards,
Yours truly.

kozikowski
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Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by kozikowski » Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:41 am

This seems to be a "push this button" kind of problems, but it's not. Audacity will only record from one thing at a time and your job is two things.

Does the conference system offer a way to record it? Both Skype and Zoom will record a meeting for you and provide a sound file.

If you're doing this hands-free, you can set your phone recording on the table between the computer and you. It basically records the room. iPhones includes free Voice Memo app under Utilities. Works best in a quiet room.

If you're on headphones, you can use a special microphone and recorder.

OlympusWS823-TP7.jpg
OlympusWS823-TP7.jpg (136.04 KiB) Viewed 337 times

https://www.kozco.com/tech/audacity/cli ... dTest3.mp3

That particular recorder may not be available, but if that interests you I can figure out current products. The little microphone goes in your ear under the headphone. It records you through bone conduction and the far side though regular sound.

Koz

kozikowski
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Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by kozikowski » Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:13 am

It's actually not that hard to record you since your microphone is a service of your computer. But the far-side voice is a service of Zoom and they do not like to share. To get conferences to work they have to maintain a death grip on the sound channels and shoving Audacity into the middle muddies up that control.

If you do discover a way to do this, post back.

A recent poster was able to use a combination of different techniques—on the same show—to record everything they needed.

I did it with a full-on sound mixer and two computers.

Image

Koz

Skeep2020
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Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2020 2:26 am
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Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by Skeep2020 » Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:25 am

This idea is actually interesting, something I can follow up on.

Trebor
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Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by Trebor » Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:27 am

Chark998 wrote:
Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:01 am
How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?...

If this is possible with Audacity...
"Virtual mixer" is the magic-phrase.

Chark998
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:54 am
Operating System: Windows 10

Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by Chark998 » Wed Nov 18, 2020 3:09 pm

Trebor wrote:
Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:27 am
Chark998 wrote:
Tue Nov 17, 2020 9:01 am
How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?...

If this is possible with Audacity...
"Virtual mixer" is the magic-phrase.
Voicemeeter banana surely looks interesting, does it record the Audio from my Microphone and the Audio from Chrome, Discord, etc...?

Also, thanks kozi for the recommendations, but right now I'm trying to keep everything at minimal and not use too much real tools such as an Audio recorder and whatnot, but I will definitely keep it in mind when nothing comes up.

Trebor
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Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:22 pm
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Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by Trebor » Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:02 pm

Chark998 wrote:
Wed Nov 18, 2020 3:09 pm
Voicemeeter banana surely looks interesting,
does it record the Audio from my Microphone and the Audio from Chrome, Discord, etc...?
Apparently it can ... https://youtu.be/m6rp9lkiFBU?t=360

kozikowski
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Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by kozikowski » Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:24 pm

Post back if you get it to work. Computers only have two natural pathways: Play and Record. On-line communications uses them up. Pay attention to whether the far side can hear you OK, and keep strict notes on the order you start the programs. Launching them out of order can give forum posts like: "It worked last week and now it doesn't."

Also, none of these companies are sitting on the beach drinking piña coladas, either. "[company name] did a service update and now it doesn't record any more."

If it does work, post back and you can be the service expert. This question is a constant post.

Koz

kozikowski
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Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by kozikowski » Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:48 pm

I'm trying to keep everything at minimal and not use too much real tools such as an Audio recorder and whatnot, but I will definitely keep it in mind when nothing comes up.
You want the one-button push.

The separate recorder thing is how the broadcasters do it when someone is paying for the show and/or you're trying to interview the governor. Not good times to start juggling conflicting apps.

The video referenced is from 2013. They reference Soundflower for the Mac. Soundflower is no longer supported and the replacement for Soundflower is no longer supported.

If this was easy, anybody could do it.

I'm not kidding. Post back with the exact steps you used to make it work.

Koz

Chark998
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:54 am
Operating System: Windows 10

Re: How do I record internal and external audio at the same time?

Post by Chark998 » Tue Nov 24, 2020 7:06 pm

Hey, apologies for the long wait.

I've found a solution that worked with me perfectly fine and simple, and without the issues I was facing.

It's a screen-audio recorder program called iSpring, I've found it in a youtube video and it's such a relief.
I appreciate you guys' work on trying to help me out, but VoiceMeteer gave me way too many issues with my system, too complicated, and couldn't get it to work the way I wanted it to.

Again, much appreciated for helping out.

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