Navigating Audacity: How to Archive Desktop Audio on Your PC

In modern times, it has become a common practice to record your audio files. This is usually beneficial for many purposes. Be it for business meetings, podcasts, or just an informative lecture you have taken down. You will always need to record computer audio from time to time in the year 2022.

Over the past decade or so, computer users have recorded their audio and converted it into a digital format with relative ease. However, users look to record computer audio at even the highest quality levels. And while the technology needed to achieve this is readily available in both software and hardware forms, it can be somewhat complex.

If you want to record any sound or audio on your computer, this article is meant for you. Whether you are looking to do a voice-over on a video or just want to record some random audio notes, you can easily make it happen. This article will guide you to record your computer audio using a PC easily. We will share different methods using which you can record computer audio.

This article is not directed at potential audio recorders but rather at those looking to improve the audio quality of their recordings. Users will already have their microphone and recording equipment, yet they may find this article useful.

Recording Voice On Windows

If you are using a pc or desktop, then keep in mind that most operating systems have their own default recording software that comes pre-installed. Most people don’t know about them, and they rush for 3rd party applications for sound recording purposes. It doesn’t matter if you use Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11. Windows operating system also has its recorder app. It will be available on your system, and all you need to do is find it and use it. If you are unsure how to do that, then follow the steps given below.

Go to the search options of your windows and type “Voice Recorder” in it.
Click on the search button, and the voice recorder app will appear in the top searches.

Just open the app, and a recording button will appear on the screen. All you need to do is, click on the recording icon, and it will start recording your audio from your microphone, and when you are done recording, you click on the stop recording button, and it will automatically be saved on your computer.

Recording Voice On Mac

If you are using Mac operating system, then it also has its recording app. Just follow the steps given below:

Recordings can be created using the built-in microphone, an external microphone, or a headset with a supported microphone. If you’re signed in with the same Apple ID on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac, you can listen to your Voice Memos recordings on any of those devices.

Click on the Record button (or use the Touch Bar) inside the Voice Memos app on your Mac.
By clicking the Pause button, you can pause the video. You can resume the video by clicking Resume.
At the bottom of the page, click Done when you are finished.

Record Voice Using Audacity

Although you can record the computer audio using built-in tools, many 3rd party tools like Audacity provide you with more features and better quality than the built-in tools. To use Audacity for recording your pc audio, follow the steps given below.

First of all, you need to download the audacity software to your pc. Different versions of Audacity are available for different operating systems. So, you can try searching “audacity windows 7”, “audacity windows 8”, “audacity windows 10”, or “audacity mac” depending upon the operating system you are using.
Once it is installed, run the software, and its interface will appear on your screen.
Now you’ll need to customize the drop-down boxes above the timeline. The farthest thing on the left should be ‘Windows WASAPI’. From the next choice to the right, choose ‘Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio) (loopback)’.
It’s important to set the Recording Channel to 2 (Stereo). Otherwise, an error message will likely appear. Verify that the output device is set to the appropriate speakers
Once you have finished, click the red circle on top of your screen, and Audacity will record the audio that comes out of your speakers. If no audio is detected, the recording will be automatically paused. You can also stop by hitting the grey stop button at the top at any time
Audio editing tools like Audacity allow you to edit your recording after recording it and export it in several formats based on what you recorded.

Final Verdict

That’s how it works. Here are two easy ways to record the audio coming from your PC. Record internal audio (such as what comes out of your microphone) with Windows/Mac 10’s built-in ‘Voice Recorder’ app or Audacity. These applications are both extremely simple to use. To get the best audio quality, we recommend trying our Filmora Audio tools. Although Audacity does the job pretty well with filmora audio tools and voice packs, you can add many voice effects and edit your audio professionally. Give it a try as it is free to use.

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Recording Voice On Windows

Go to the search options of your windows and type “Voice Recorder” in it.
Click on the search button, and the voice recorder app will appear in the top searches.

Just open the app, and a recording button will appear on the screen. All you need to do is, click on the recording icon, and it will start recording your audio from your microphone, and when you are done recording, you click on the stop recording button, and it will automatically be saved on your computer.

Recording Voice On Mac

If you are using Mac operating system, then it also has its recording app. Just follow the steps given below:

Click on the Record button (or use the Touch Bar) inside the Voice Memos app on your Mac.
By clicking the Pause button, you can pause the video. You can resume the video by clicking Resume.
At the bottom of the page, click Done when you are finished.

Record Voice Using Audacity

First of all, you need to download the audacity software to your pc. Different versions of Audacity are available for different operating systems. So, you can try searching “audacity windows 7”, “audacity windows 8”, “audacity windows 10”, or “audacity mac” depending upon the operating system you are using.
Once it is installed, run the software, and its interface will appear on your screen.
Now you’ll need to customize the drop-down boxes above the timeline. The farthest thing on the left should be ‘Windows WASAPI’. From the next choice to the right, choose ‘Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio) (loopback)’.
It’s important to set the Recording Channel to 2 (Stereo). Otherwise, an error message will likely appear. Verify that the output device is set to the appropriate speakers
Once you have finished, click the red circle on top of your screen, and Audacity will record the audio that comes out of your speakers. If no audio is detected, the recording will be automatically paused. You can also stop by hitting the grey stop button at the top at any time
Audio editing tools like Audacity allow you to edit your recording after recording it and export it in several formats based on what you recorded.

Final Verdict

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Recording Voice On Windows

Go to the search options of your windows and type “Voice Recorder” in it.
Click on the search button, and the voice recorder app will appear in the top searches.

Just open the app, and a recording button will appear on the screen. All you need to do is, click on the recording icon, and it will start recording your audio from your microphone, and when you are done recording, you click on the stop recording button, and it will automatically be saved on your computer.

Recording Voice On Mac

If you are using Mac operating system, then it also has its recording app. Just follow the steps given below:

Click on the Record button (or use the Touch Bar) inside the Voice Memos app on your Mac.
By clicking the Pause button, you can pause the video. You can resume the video by clicking Resume.
At the bottom of the page, click Done when you are finished.

Record Voice Using Audacity

First of all, you need to download the audacity software to your pc. Different versions of Audacity are available for different operating systems. So, you can try searching “audacity windows 7”, “audacity windows 8”, “audacity windows 10”, or “audacity mac” depending upon the operating system you are using.
Once it is installed, run the software, and its interface will appear on your screen.
Now you’ll need to customize the drop-down boxes above the timeline. The farthest thing on the left should be ‘Windows WASAPI’. From the next choice to the right, choose ‘Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio) (loopback)’.
It’s important to set the Recording Channel to 2 (Stereo). Otherwise, an error message will likely appear. Verify that the output device is set to the appropriate speakers
Once you have finished, click the red circle on top of your screen, and Audacity will record the audio that comes out of your speakers. If no audio is detected, the recording will be automatically paused. You can also stop by hitting the grey stop button at the top at any time
Audio editing tools like Audacity allow you to edit your recording after recording it and export it in several formats based on what you recorded.

Final Verdict

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Recording Voice On Windows

Go to the search options of your windows and type “Voice Recorder” in it.
Click on the search button, and the voice recorder app will appear in the top searches.

Just open the app, and a recording button will appear on the screen. All you need to do is, click on the recording icon, and it will start recording your audio from your microphone, and when you are done recording, you click on the stop recording button, and it will automatically be saved on your computer.

Recording Voice On Mac

If you are using Mac operating system, then it also has its recording app. Just follow the steps given below:

Click on the Record button (or use the Touch Bar) inside the Voice Memos app on your Mac.
By clicking the Pause button, you can pause the video. You can resume the video by clicking Resume.
At the bottom of the page, click Done when you are finished.

Record Voice Using Audacity

First of all, you need to download the audacity software to your pc. Different versions of Audacity are available for different operating systems. So, you can try searching “audacity windows 7”, “audacity windows 8”, “audacity windows 10”, or “audacity mac” depending upon the operating system you are using.
Once it is installed, run the software, and its interface will appear on your screen.
Now you’ll need to customize the drop-down boxes above the timeline. The farthest thing on the left should be ‘Windows WASAPI’. From the next choice to the right, choose ‘Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio) (loopback)’.
It’s important to set the Recording Channel to 2 (Stereo). Otherwise, an error message will likely appear. Verify that the output device is set to the appropriate speakers
Once you have finished, click the red circle on top of your screen, and Audacity will record the audio that comes out of your speakers. If no audio is detected, the recording will be automatically paused. You can also stop by hitting the grey stop button at the top at any time
Audio editing tools like Audacity allow you to edit your recording after recording it and export it in several formats based on what you recorded.

Final Verdict

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Ultimate Guide to Clear Sound: Eradicating Audio Distortion in Multimedia Projects

Create High-Quality Video - Wondershare Filmora

An easy and powerful YouTube video editor

Numerous video and audio effects to choose from

Detailed tutorials are provided by the official channel

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Whether you are in the business of shooting or editing, noisy or distorted footage is among the most frustrating roadblocks you’ll ever encounter in your workflow. The magic of filmmaking lies after the scenes in post-production. You can remove distortion from audio using various methods.

What Is Distortion in Audio?

You have probably heard the term distortion and would like to know what it is. Distortion is a common term in music production.

Although the term is simple, there is more than meets the eye. Distortion is defined as the change or deformation of an audio waveform that results in the production of an audio output that is different from the input. Distortion can occur at a single point or multiple points in a specific signal chain.

While there are many types of audio distortion, the most common one is clipping. It occurs when an audio signal is amplified beyond the maximum allowed unit in both analog and digital systems.

A signal is distorted when an output does not record the same signal as the input. The issue can occur due to amplifier clipping, faulty equipment, overloading of a sound source, production of hot signals, and pushing speakers beyond their limit.

In the past, people perceived distortion as a bad thing. Today, however, some kinds of distortions are considered beneficial because of their positive effect on the sound. Sound engineers apply plugins, outboard gear, and other techniques to add pleasing distortions to audios. The distortions work by adding unique elements to audios, thus improving sounds in many instances.

The Difference Between Noise and Distortion

Noise and distortion can sound very similar and hard to tell apart. However, the two are different phenomena with unique characteristics. Noise is an undesired disturbance that sounds white or pink and creates an even-tempered sound wave. On the other hand, distortion is the alteration of a waveform, where some parts are amplified while others are attenuated, leading to an uneven distribution of energy among frequencies. Let’s look at the differences between noise and distortion.

1. Where It Appears in a Signal

Noise appears randomly throughout the signal, while distortion seems at the same frequency. One example of noise is an audio hiss that can be heard when no other sounds are present. An example of distortion is a sine wave with a flat top and bottom combined with different amplitudes.

2. How It Affects Signals

Noise is random and can appear when signals are quiet. Distortion is affected by the input signal and can be altered by adding or removing signal frequencies.

How It’s Measured

You can measure distortion by using an oscilloscope to display the input signal’s waveform over time. The oscilloscope measures energy distribution among different frequencies, while you can measure noise with a spectrum analyzer by displaying an audio signal’s magnitude and frequency content over time.

Despite their differences, noise and distortion are both unwanted sounds. When they are present in a signal, they can degrade its quality. For this reason, it is essential to understand the differences between them to assess signs and produce better results accurately.

How to Remove Distortion From Audio for Your Video

You can use several different methods to remove audio distortion in your video. They include:

Method 1: Use an Online Audio Distortion Tool

You can use an online distortion tool to fix this problem. One of the popular tools for removing distortion from audio is Audacity. Available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and other Unix-like operating systems, Audacity is a FOSS (free and open-source digital audio editor software). It is also a recording application software, and you can use the program for varying tasks, including conversing audio files, removing audio distortion, adding effects, and mixing audio clips.

Keeping this in mind, let’s look at how to remove distortion from audio using Audacity.

The first step is opening the file. To do this, drag and drop the audio file into Audacity.
Next, you need to select the distorted area before clicking on Effect. Once you have done this, click on the Noise Reduction option.

Doing this will open the Noise reduction window.
Go to the Noise Profile and click on it; this will allow Audacity to know what it should filter out.

Now, select the whole audio before reopening the Noise Reduction Window. Set the values as you see necessary.
Check the audio by clicking Preview. If you are satisfied with the results, click OK.
Be sure to apply the filter again if your audio is still distorted. Avoid doing it excessively, as the audio could be degraded. In turn, this can lead to the voice sounding robotic and tinny.

Method 2: Software Solutions - Adobe Audition

You can remove distortion from audio using specialized audio editing software. One of the professional audio tools that you can use to fix audio distortion is Adobe Audition; this software allows you to carve out any unwanted sound for impressive results.

These steps below will allow you to remove distortion from audio with Adobe Audition.

Double click on the track to access the Waveform.
Go to Window, and then select the Amplitude Statistics option.
A new window will open. Now, hit the Scan button in the left corner. The software will then scan the audio.

Check the section written Possibly Clipped Samples.

Head over to Effects>Diagnostics> DeClipper.

In the Preset section, select the Restore Heavily Clipped option.

Next, hit the Settings button, and adjust the Tolerance.

Hit the Scan button again, and you’ll see all the problems in your audio.
Click Repair all to fix your distorted audio.

Alternatively, you could head to Effects Rack and click on Filter and EQ, then FFT Filter.

Put the Preset option to Default settings. Take out a few of the frequencies where your audio is distorted.

Method 3: Video Editing Tools like VSDC

When it comes to removing distortion from audio, you can use video editing tools to fix this problem. VSDC is one of the non-linear editing applications that people use to remove audio distortion.

Follow the steps below to learn how to remove distortion from audio using VSDC.

Upload your footage to VSDC and right-click on it.
Select the Audio effects option, then choose Filters. Click on Gate.

You will see the Properties window. Here, you will find all the parameters that you need to fix your audio problems, including distortion.

The Gate filter allows users to control how fast and when the gate opens and what sort of sounds can get in.

Threshold: This is the level of the decibel at which the gate opens. Set it based on the loudness of the audio distortion.
Attack: This parameter defines how fast the gate will open. Essentially, the higher the attack value, the slower the gate opens. /li>
Knee: With this parameter, you can control the response of the compressor to the signal that’s crossing the threshold. That means you can apply compression with a delay or instantly.
Make-up gain: This increases the signal level after it has been processed.
Ratio: This value controls compression applied to the distortion. It defines how quieter the distortion will be after gating.
Reduction: This parameter defines the level of signal reduction will be.
Release: This value defines how fast the gate will close after opening. You can change the Release parameter to suit your preferences.

Method 4:Normalize Your Audio with Filmora Audio Equalizer

Filmora is a video editing software that you can use to shoot, edit, and share clips with other people. It provides an easy-to-use interface that has made it one of the most popular choices for independent filmmakers. Filmora also offers audio equalizer effects designed for professional sound designers who want to work on projects with their voice-over recordings.

You can normalize your audio with Filmora by following the three simple steps below:

Step 1. Open Filmora and Import your file

First, open up Filmora and open your audio file. It can be any format you have except MOV from Apple devices like iPhone or iPad. Then, select the Media tab on the top of Filmora’s main window to import your media file.

Step 2. Adjust the Levels

Next, click the Levels option on Filmora’s left panel, where you will find three options: Gain, Equalize, and Normalizer. You can use this to adjust your audio level to be loud enough without being too loud. The normalizer helps you ensure that your audio is at a consistent level throughout the recording. You can use it both for music or voice-over recordings.

Step 3. Export Your File

Finally, you may export it when you have made the necessary adjustments to your audio file. Just click the File tab in Filmora’s main window and select Export. Many options are available for exporting your media file, including an output profile setting where you may choose MP4, AVI, or WMV and upload to Facebook, Youtube, and Vimeo.

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Conclusion

● Normalizing your audio file is not a complicated process, but it does require some technical knowledge. However, your audio will sound excellent and professional if you follow the steps above. You can use Filmora’s audio equalizer effects to normalize your video.

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What Is Distortion in Audio?

You have probably heard the term distortion and would like to know what it is. Distortion is a common term in music production.

While there are many types of audio distortion, the most common one is clipping. It occurs when an audio signal is amplified beyond the maximum allowed unit in both analog and digital systems.