Can I record BIAB directly into Audacity ?

[Larry Lenhart]

Not sure if this question should be under the BIAB or under computer, since it primarily deals with the Audacity settings...i think ! Anyway, my question is can I play a BIAB on my computer and record it into Audacity, and if so what setting would I use...where is it on the Audacity screen...seems like there out to be an area for input, but all I can find is the microphone settings. I hope I am making myself clear on this. Thanks in advance for any help...I am hoping I am just one click away from being able to do this

[Doug Beaumier]

Audacity cannot read a BIAB file... so you need to make a WAV file of the song in BIAB.

Once you have your BIAB file completed, click on WAV and then click on Render to Wav. I usually put the WAV on the desktop for easy access, or BIAB will store it in a folder. Close BIAB and open Audacity. In Audacity click on File, Open... or File, Import, and open your WAV file in Audacity.

Another way to do it... some computers can be set to Record whatever audio is playing through the computer. That setting can be done in the control panel. If that's the case, you could open both BIAB and Audacity, click on RECORD in Audacity, and then go to BIAB click on Play to play the BIAB track. Audacity will record the audio as it's playing in BIAB. You will probably need to adjust the Record level on Audacity and the output level on BIAB.

[Larry Lenhart]

Ahhh thanks Doug...you are the best ! I new that I was close...before I just recorded it real time to my tascam digital and then plugged that in the usb port and imported it to audacity and then put that in my itunes and converted it to mp3,,,but this will save me some steps. Thanks so much ! BTW, looking forward to volume 3 of your lap steel courses ! I use vol 1 and 2 all of the time...they are great !! Thanks for taking the time to explain that to me.

[Pete Nicholls]

Actually, yes you can record what BIAB is putting in your audio system at the same time without having to save the BIAB file.

[Doug Beaumier]

Yes, that's what I explained in the second half of my reply. Same idea... play the audio on BIAB, and as it's playing, record it on Audacity or some other recording program. That would be an alternative to making a WAV file. Personally, I prefer making a WAV and opening it in Audacity.

Some computers, depending on the sound card, allow the user to control the recording level from the Audacity interface. Some don't, but you can control it in the computer's control panel, sound/recording properties.

[Jack Stoner]

If the PC has the "Stereo Mix" (also called System Mixer or What You Hear by Creative SoundBlaster) you can play a BIAB file and record it in Audacity.

You set Audacity to record from the System Mixer (or its alternate names).

To find out if you have it, go to the Control Panel/Hardware and Sound and finally the Sound Panel, Recording Tab. If you have it, make it the "default recording device". If its not shown, RIGHT click in an empty space in that panel and then click to show Disabled Devices and Disconnected Devices. If your PC system has the option it will now be shown and you can enable it and make it the default recording device.

This is how it will look:

[b0b]

I use BIAB to render the song as AIFF, then import the AIFF file(s) into Audacity. I'm using the Mac version 2012.5 of BIAB.