Mac OSX

Record system audio

Details

How to record system audio

appleIf you need to record sounds directly from your Mac, this article describes using the free BlackHole application with OS X 10.15 Catalina.

Download

Start by downloading BlackHole.

  1. Visit the readme for BlackHole.
  2. Click the download link for the latest version (BlackHole.v0.2.6.pkg at the time of writing).
  3. Now you can run the downloaded .dmg file to install.
  4. You will initially need to allow the install to proceed by visiting System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
  5. You will then need to revisit System Preferences > Security & Privacy.

 

Multi-Output device

You can create a multi-output device that will allow you to output up to 16 channels of audio in to one output.

  1. Go to Applications > Utilitites > Audio MIDI Setup.
  2. Go to Window > Show Audio devices, if the Audio Devices doesn't load automatically.
  3. Click the plus and choose Create Multi-Output Device.
  4. Make the following settings for your newly created Multi-Output Device
    1. Master Device: Built-in Output.
    2. Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz
    3. Use: Select: Built-in Output first and then BlackHole 16ch.
    4. Drift Correction: Select BlackHole 16ch.
  5. Right-click your Multi-Output Device and select Use this device for sound output.

 

Record System Audio

  1. Open digital audio workstation (DAW) such as Logic Pro and set input device to BlackHole.
  2. Set track to input from channel 1-2
  3. Play audio from another application and monitor or record in Logic.

 

Route Audio Between Applications

  1. Set output to BlackHole in sending application
  2. Output audio to any channel
  3. Open receiving application and set input BlackHole.

 

Thanks for visiting,
Steven