Aug 29,2019 • Filed to: Record Audio • Proven solutions
Command: open /Applications/Audacity.app/Contents/MacOS/Audacity Hope you found this video helpful! Basically, Audacity is a type of open-sourced and free digitalised audio editing software which can also act as a recording application. Talking about the platforms where it is available, Audacity is, perhaps, the best recording software which is available on all major operating systems, for example Apple OS, Windows and different other operating systems. This article has told you how to fix the problem that Audacity is not recording on Windows or Mac. As an open-source audio solution, Audacity is popular around the world. However, it is not a perfect audio recorder and the setup process is complicated. (Mac OS 10.13 Catalina users will need to use uTorrent’s web interface instead as the app isn’t 64-bit.). Amateur Mac recording engineers have known about the power of Audacity for years. The newest version of MacOS has seemed to cause Audacity to flat line every time you hit the record button. Luckily there is a way to solve this issue with o.
When using Audacity to record or edit audio files, you may encounter some problems. The following are the 5 common Audacity troubleshooting on recording and editing and the solutions on how to solve them.
Part 1. 5 Common Troubleshooting on Using Audacity
1. 'Error while opening sound device'
When you are using Audacity on Windows operating system, you may get an error that says, 'Error while opening sound device'. You are likely to experience this problem when using Audacity for recording or editing for the first time and there are no input devices showing in the toolbar. It could be because of a problem with Audacity or your operating system.
To solve it, you will need to check Audacity settings by going to Help, and then Audio Device Info. Another way to check the sound settings in this application is by going to Transport, and then 'Software Play-through (on/off)', and then make sure that this setting is disabled. If Audacity is okay, you can try checking the operating system settings and make sure that sound settings are enabled. You should also make sure that sound device drivers and firmware are up to date.
2. Echo or Delays When Listening To Recordings
This problem is usually caused by Software Playthrough. It causes a delay of the active recording input because of the amount of time that it takes before reaching your microphone. However, Software Playthrough has its benefits too. You will find it to be useful when the recording device and playback device are different.
To get rid of the echo or delays while listening to what you have recorded, you will simply need to turn off Software Playthrough. You can do this by going to Edit, and then Preferences, and then Recording, and then 'Software Play-through (on/off)'. Make sure that the tick is removed to turn off Software Play-through.
3. Recordings Fading Out or Sounding As If They are Recorded In a Hole
You are likely to get this problem when you are using Windows machines. It can also happen occasionally on newer Mac machines. It is usually because of the sound device of the machine that you are using trying to apply a corrective enhancement or effect on the audio file.
Audacity Not Recording Moving
To solve this problem on a Windows machine, the following is what you will need to do.
Step1. Locate the Speaker icon on the computer and then right click on it.
Step2. Choose Recording Devices in order to open Recording tab of 'Sound'.
Step3. Right click over the microphone that you are using to record, and then choose Properties.
Audacity Not Recording On Mac
Step4. Look for the Enhancements tab and then disable the sound effects that may be contributing to the problem.
On a Mac PC, you will need to navigate to the Apple Menu, and then choose System preferences. After that, go to Hardware, and then Sound. Under the 'Input' tab, make sure that the 'Use Ambient Noise Reduction' check box is marked.
4. Track Not in Sync with Previous Ones
This problem occurs when you are trying to make on overdub recording, which simply refers to listening to a track while you are still recording another one. The computer cannot figure out what is being recorded at the exact same time that you sing to the beat. In an attempt to correct this latency, Audacity automatically pushes the track that is already recorded backwards when the recording process is over.
To fix this issue you will need to make sure that your sound device drivers' are up to date. You should also make sure that the sound drivers are specifically meant for the particular operating system or computer model that you are using. You can also fix this issue by going to Effects in Audacity. And then change the recording speed accordingly.
5. Recording Keeps Pausing Automatically
This problem might occur if 'Sound Activated Recording' is enabled accidentally. It is found under the Transport Menu. It might also occur if the active recording input is set somehow below the required threshold level at which the recording must begin.
To solve this problem, you will simply need to make sure that 'Sound Activated Recording' is disabled. To do this, you will need to go to Transport in the menu bar, and then look for 'Sound-Activated Recording (on/off)'. Make sure that it is off. You can also fix this issue by reducing the 'Activation level' or increasing the recording level by going to Transport, and then Sound Activation Level.
Part 2. The Best Audacity Alternative to Record Music
iMusic is an all-in-one music manager tool, facilitating you to download music and playlists from over 3000 sites, transfer music among iPhone, iPad, iPod, iTunes and Android phones, record any audio you’re playing, clean up and fix iTunes Library (delete duplicate and broken tracks, get cover and tags, fix ID3 tag, etc). iMusic is a must-have music downloader and manager pro for music lovers to discover and download music, or backup and rebuild iTunes Library even from a Windows PC. iMusic has separate versions for both Windows PC and Mac, which is fully compatible with the latest Windows 10 and macOS 10.13 High Sierra.
iMusic - Best Audacity Alternative to Record Music from Any Music Sites
- Download music from more than 3000 music sites such as YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, Vevo, Hulu, Spotify, and much more through copying and pasting the URLs.
- Transfer music between a computer, iPhone, iTunes Library, iPad, iPod and Android phones making it easy to share songs.
- Record music from radio stations and streaming sites and gets the identification of the songs including the title, album artist, and genre.
- It acts as a management toolbox that lets you manage iPad, iPod, iPhone and Android phones iTunes Library through options like backup iTunes, recover iTunes Library, fix iTunes music tags and covers as well as remove music DRM protection.
- 1 click to transfer downloaded music and playlist to USB drive to enjoy in car.
- Ability to burn downloaded songs and playlists to CDs easily.
Step 1: First go to download iMusic and then install it on your Mac PC. After that, you will need to launch it, find the 'Record' interface.
Step 2: Now, click on the big right button to get ready to record the music. Find the file that you would like to record the audio from, and then play it. The file could be on applications such as iTunes or Spotify, or it could on a web page. You can also record the audio directly from a microphone.
Step 3: When you play the music, the software will automatically detect the music and start recording it. Click 'LIBRARY' menu, then the record icon on the left side to check out the recorded songs. They are all there. To add them to iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Android phones, check them > click export icon > select device to transfer (a device should be connected to the computer first).
Get the Audacity not recording issue but don’t know how to fix it?
Audacity is a very popular multi-track audio editor and recorder which allows you to online music, broadcast, lectures, and more with high audio quality. This open-source audio recorder offers a free way to capture online audio tracks on Mac and Windows computer. However, many users complain about the Audacity not recording audio problem on the internet. Are you facing the same situation?
Audacity not recording is one kind of common problem that occurs on lots of users. Especially for Mac users, they may easily get a flat line and no sound while using Audacity to capture sound on Mac. This guide will share 3 useful ways to help you get rid of the Audacity not recording problem.
Part 1. Get Audacity Alternative to Fix Audacity Not Recording
You should know that, besides the Audacity, there are a large number audio recording software offered on the internet. So, when you face the Audacity not recording situation, you can select another audio recorder to replace Audacity.
Here we strongly recommend the powerful Screen Recorder for you to record any online music and audio track played on your computer. It has the capability to capture high quality audio from system audio card. It also enables you to record your voice from microphone or external speaker.
- Capture any streaming music from SoundCloud, Spotify, Vevo, and more.
- Record any audio track on Mac and Windows PC with high sound quality.
- Capture computer audio from microphone, speaker and system audio card.
- Powerful editing features to edit captured audio and adjust output sound effect.
- Record online music, videos, meetings, 2D/3D gameplay, webcam, calls, and more.
Step 1. Whether you are using a Mac or Windows PC, you can download the Audacity alternative on your computer for the audio recording.
Step 2. Choose the Audio Recorder feature to record any online audio on your computer. It also provides you with screen recording and screenshot features.
Step 3. When you enter the main interface of the Audio Recorder, you can adjust the audio recording source. If you don’t want any background noise, here you can turn on System Sound and turn off Microphone option.
Step 4. Now you can play the audio and then click on REC button to start the audio recording. You are given the full control of the recording process.
Step 5. After recording, you are allowed to preview the captured audio file and edit it. You can freely trim the recording file based on your need. After that, you can click the Save button to save it on your computer. The recorded audio can be saved in any popular audio format including MP3, AAC, M4A, FLAC, WMA, and more.
As you can see from above, this Audacity alternative also has the capability to record online videos, meetings, game playing and more with high image and sound quality.
Part 2. Enable Recording Device to Fix Audacity Not Recording
When there is no available recording device, you are more likely to face the Audacity not recording issue. So, when you get the problem, you should first check if there are available options listed in the Recording Device. Here you can enable the recording device to make your Audacity work normally.
Step 1. Open Audacity and locate the Speaker icon in the system tray, right click on it. Then choose the Recording devices option.
Step 2. Select the Recording tab and then right click on its window. Now you need to check the Show Disabled Devices and Show Disconnected Devices.
Part 3. Adjust Audio Host and Sample Rate to Fix Audacity Not Recording Audio
In some cases, the Audacity not recording problem is caused by that Audacity is configured to use a sample rate or audio host. You can try adjusting the audio host and sample rate to bring the Audacity audio recording feature back to normal condition.
The default audio host for Audacity is MME (Multimedia Extensions). It guarantees that any audio sources on the computer can be input and recorded. So, you should ensure your audio host is MME.
Besides, you should also make sure you are using a right sample rate. Audacity will capture a recording file with no sound if you are using a sample rate that can’t be supported by computer sound card. The sample rate is in the bottom-left corner. There are 2 sample rates offered in Project Rate, Hz option, 44100 Hz and 48000 Hz. If the Audacity cannot record audio, you can switch these two sample rates.
Part 4. FAQs of Audacity Not Recording
Question 1. How do I fix the recording delay in Audacity?
Many reasons will cause the recording delayed in Audacity. When you get the audio recording delay issue in Audacity, you can check and choose the Track Control Panel of the remaining track. After that, you can click the Record button and record again.
Question 2. How to record voice with Audacity?
To capture your own voice with Audacity, you should enable the microphone option in the Audacity Preferences. After that, you can record voice in Audacity with ease.
Question 3. How do I change the recording device in audacity?
To change the recording device in Audacity, you can click the Device toolbar and then chose the Recording Device option from the drop-down list.
Conclusion
When you face the Audacity not recording issue, or the Audacity output a recording file with no sound, you can use the methods above to fix the issue. If you have any better method to make the Audacity audio recording, please share it in the comment with other readers.