Recording a Skype Call Using GarageBand, SoundFlower, and LineIn

Andy Rush on Jul 17th 2009

View Mobile Version (iPhone, iPad, etc.)

Ingredients

1 – A Macintosh Computer connected to the Internet (the Macintosh computer will come with the iLife software, including GarageBand)

1 – The Skype software

1 – The Soundflower software

1 – The LineIn software

Directions

UPDATE! This document has added some clarifications that may help people who were having issues.

  1. Start by going into the System Preferences (Apple Menu>SystemPreferences…) Click on the Sound icon.
  2. On the Sound Input tab, select the input you are recording with. In our case we have a USB headset with a microphone. On the Sound Output tab select “Soundflower (2ch)”
  3. Open the Skype software and choose the Preferences (Skype Menu>Preferences). Click the Audio icon. Choose “Soundflower (2ch)” as both the audio input and audio output.
  4. Open up the Garageband program and choose the Preferences (GarageBand>Preferences). Click the Audio/MIDI icon. Choose the audio output that you wish to hear the GarageBand output from, again, in our example we’re using the USB headset. The Input should be set to SoundFlower (2ch)
  5. Finally open up the LineIn program. In the Input from field select the microphone you are using. Once again, we’re using the USB headset. In the Ouput to field select “Soundflower (2ch)” and then make sure to click the Pass Thru button.
  6. You are now ready to record in GarageBand. Start a new Podcast project. Depending on your version of GarageBand the wording can be different, but in GarageBand ’08, from the File Menu select New and choose Create New Podcast Episode.
  7. Again, using GarageBand ’08, you will be presented with four new tracks. A Podcast Track, a Male Voice track, A Female Voice track and a Jingles track. You will record your microphone and the Skype Call on the Male Voice track. Be sure to turn on the (audio) Monitor in the Track Info area of GarageBand. You may also want to adjust the volume level in Skype for the callers
  8. If you have all of the above settings correctly set, you should see the audio level indicators move when you speak into the microphone AND when people on your Skype call are talking. If that is the case then you just need to click the record button in GarageBand, and then begin your “show”.

Thanks to Ahmad Humeid’s blog post which was the inspiration for this screencast – here is a summation of the settings to make this all work.

GarageBand:
Audio output: Built in Audio
Audio Input: Soundflower (2ch)

Skype:
Audio output: Soundflower (2ch)
Audio input: Soundflower (2ch)

System Preferences/Sound:
Output: Built-in Audio
Input: Audio line in (I am using a Mic)

LineIn Application:
Input from: Built-in Audio: Line In (ie the Mic)
Output to SoundFlower (2ch)

Dont forget to click the ‘Pass Thru’ Button in LineIn.

Filed in Audio,podcasting | 6 responses so far

6 Responses to “Recording a Skype Call Using GarageBand, SoundFlower, and LineIn”

  1. # Recording a Skype Call for a Podcast for Free* (Mac) | New Media Centeron 20 Jul 2009 at 10:13 am

    [...] other way to record a Skype conversation is the method we outline on our Digital Media Cookbook site. Essentially one person does the recording of all of the [...]

  2. # Danon 28 Oct 2009 at 12:11 pm

    Hey Andy,

    That was a very clear and helpful presentation.

    Unfortunately, the “recipe” does not seem to be working for me. I have a Mac and I did all of the sound settings as you have instructed. The one difference is that I am using a desk microphone without headsets. In other words, I am not using a USB output. Instead, I want/must use the built-in speakers as the output (I figured I would just plug a set of headphones into the headphone jack of the computer itself to avoid echo/interference). I’m wondering whether this minor difference is the reason why the “recipe” is not working for me.

    The problem is that my input on Skype is working, meaning my voice can be heard, but I cannot hear anything (whether it’s the dial-up, ringing, or the voice of the person whom I am calling). Same goes for my firefox output. For example, I couldn’t hear your presentation until I readjusted the system’s sound settings to the way it was originally.

    Any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong? I’m trying to start a podcast and I am brand new at this stuff, so I am all out of ideas. Please feel free to send me an email at your convenience if/when you see this post.

    Thanks!

    -Dan

  3. # Danon 28 Oct 2009 at 1:01 pm

    Andy,

    As soon as I change the system preferences output from Built-In to Soundflower Ch. 2, that’s when I lose sound. I’m hoping that this is a helpful piece of information.

    -Dan

  4. # Paulon 22 Mar 2010 at 5:31 am

    curious to know which headset you are using for your mac, i currently have a macbook and i would like to buy a somewhat inexpensive headset for podcasting but everything either seems to expensive or just bad quality. would like your input thank you very much

  5. # Paulon 22 Mar 2010 at 5:32 am

    oh and i am also using snow leopard if that makes any difference

  6. # Andy Rushon 22 Mar 2010 at 7:51 am

    I am using a Sennheiser USB headset. It has the capability to also do analog input/output which comes in handy when I just want to monitor something from the audio line out port. Less expensive headsets are available from Logitech or Plantronics.

Trackback URI | Comments RSS

Leave a Reply