Q: Capturing audio in quicktime screen recording

So I just recently upgraded to Yosemite, and another program I was using to capture screen recordings with audio stopped working.  I thought I'd give quicktime a try so see if they've upgraded certain features on that app, and it appears they have, but I'm still having some trouble.

 

So I'm trying to do a screen recording while picking up audio from both the internal microphone, and audio from things playing on the computer itself (in videos, etc.).  Next to the record button it allows me to select internal microphone, and I can do an audio recording by itself just fine like this.  But when I attempt to do a screen recording it will pick up sound from the computer (from YouTube, or wherever), but it doesn't pick up the internal microphone.  Can anybody help me?

Your workflow is unclear here. You can only select one form of audio input at a time while making a screen recording using the QT X player. So...

1) Most users who use this app for screen recordings and want both mic and computer audio recorded select the "built-in mic" option, adjust mic and speaker levels so they are about equal but not causing feedback, then record the screen while playing and talking—i.e., recording both their voice and the speaker output through the mic input.

2) Better quality is achieved using software like soundflower to capture the computer audio directly internally during recording a then add the mic narration later in iMovie, GarageBand, or some similar app.

3) Best approach would be to check and see if there is an update for the software that stopped working under Yosemite if it supports simultaneous multiple audio input sources.

ok, you said to use soundflower, but soundflower hasn't been updated in ages, and is actually terrible with the mac when you are not recording.  Are there any other sound recording programs that are good for mac and QT X?

ok, you said to use soundflower, but soundflower hasn't been updated in ages, and is actually terrible with the mac when you are not recording.  Are there any other sound recording programs that are good for mac and QT X?

1) No, I actually pointed out the the original poster did not fully describe their workflow, that the problem may be an operator error in selecting/recording the audio input, that Soundflower was an option that allows the selection/combining of both Mic and System audio during a QT X player screen recording, or that other apps using either Soundflower or built-in audio capture routines are available. I personally don't use the QT X player and Soundflower combination because it requires the manual setting and resetting of the audio pipeline each time it is used while other apps like Screeny, ScreenFlick, Snapz ProX, Screenflow, etc. alter the audio pipeline from within the screen capturing app itself. It is up to each user to decide which workflow is best suited to their specific needs.

2) Soundflower only requires updating when Apple modifies the core audio routines. I believe the last major overhaul was initiated under Lion and completed under Mountain Lion and did not require any updating for Mavericks or Yosemite.

3) Like the OP, you have not indicated what "terrible" means to you above. Since you did not describe your workflow I do not know if you are complaining about the manual pipeline reprogramming requirement or audio quality due to the fact that you may not be reprogramming the pipeline at all and are still capturing the system audio via the built-in mic. (I.e., my captured audio quality is good but the QT X player workflow is a pain to use.)

4) Not sure what you mean by "other sound recording programs" in your post. The apps mentioned in paragraph 1 above are primarily for screen recording with an ability to capture both system and/or mic audio. Most can be used independently for audio capture if needed. Then there is a separate class of audio only capture apps like Apple's GarageBand, Ambrosia's WireTap Studio or Audio Hi-Jack Pro.

There is a better way to capture both the line-in and mic input on a Mac...create an Aggregate Device in the Audio Midi Setup application.

1. Launch Audio Midi Setup in your Utilities folder.

2. Under the Window menu, choose Show Audio Devices.

3. In the pane to the left, click the '+' at the lower left and choose Create Aggregate Device.

4. To the right under your list of Audio Devices, choose Built-in Microphone and Built-in Input (for your inputs) and Built-in Output (for your output) by checking the checkbox to the left of each.

Close Audio Midi Setup and now when you're using Garageband, for example, simply choose Aggregate Device for your audio input and output source and you'll be able to use both your microphone and the audio from your computer as inputs.

Hope this helps,

reidjazz

Hi Stephen

It seems that Apple makes this hard because of piracy concerns, but many of us need to do screen capture with audio for legitimate reasons.

I learned this clever workaround from ethan.brown.7927408 on instructables com:

Plug an auxiliary cable (male at both ends) into the headphone jack and the other end into the mic jack.

Set Quicktime Screen Recording to "line in"

Actually, re-reading your question, maybe this is not the solution for you.
But at least you know what to do if you just want internal audio recorded.

Walp, I was super excited to see your reply to this, re: MIDI, but to nob ultimate avail.  This MBP w/yosemite has no build-in input (presumably the audio the computer generates itself) and so I cannot bind it with my mic (in this case, a blue snowball for simultaneous recording as was natively available in mavericks.)  This is maddening.

You're halfway there with the aggregate device. You need to create an aggregate device of soundflower and your mic for input. Have Quicktime listen to this aggregate device and it will record both system audio and your mic. Next create a multi-output device (click and hold on the same "+" menu in Apple MIDI) of both Soundflower and your built-in output. Set this as your sound output.

Now sound will go out to both your speakers and the sound device (think virtual speakers) of soundflower. You'll hear system sounds.

Also, quicktime will listen to the virtual speakers of soundflower and the mic and record both.

You won't hear your own voice passing through to your own headset, but that's not a big deal for most people. I suppose you could set the system input for the aggregate and get the mic to pass through, but I haven't tried that.

I am new at recording. If I want to record a screen on the computer but do not want any room "noise"  how can I do this? Thanks

After installing soundflower, you should be able to make that the sound source for Quicktime and you'll get system sound with no room noise.

Check out Loopback from Rogue Amoeba Software.

Not the cheapest solution but Solid - Check it out.

http://rogueamoeba.com/loopback/

then you can decide but I bought it. Super solid and straight forward for audio capture.