Alex Ruben
Step-by-Step Guide to Recording Audio on Your Mac
Step 1: Recording Audio with Voice Memos
Your Mac is equipped with the Voice Memos app, a convenient tool for capturing high-quality audio recordings that you can easily share. This app also allows you to record in Lossless format to ensure optimal sound quality. As this is a fundamental application, make sure your macOS is up-to-date to prevent any issues.
Step 1: Launch the Voice Memos app on your Mac.
Step 2: If prompted, grant Microphone permission to the app to proceed.
Step 3: Hit the Record button located in the bottom-left corner to commence your recording. For the highest quality, choose a quiet environment (though not necessarily a film-like quiet) for your audio capture.
Create a dedicated folder for your recordings by clicking the New Folder option found in the sidebar.
Afterward, select the newly created folder from the Sidebar to organize your audio recordings effectively.
Step 4: When you’ve wrapped up your audio recording, right-click on the file name to explore additional options. You can share, edit, or trim the recording as needed.
How to Record Lossless Audio with Voice Memos on Mac
To record audio in Lossless format using the Voice Memos app on your Mac, follow these steps:
Step 1: Launch Voice Memos, then click on Voice Memos in the upper-left corner, and select Settings.
Step 2: Under Audio Quality, choose the Lossless option.
You may also activate the Location-based Naming feature for your recordings if desired.
Step 2: Recording Audio with QuickTime Player
Another built-in application for audio recording on your Mac is QuickTime Player. If you’ve neglected this tool in favor of other software like VLC, it’s time to give it a fresh look. QuickTime Player can record not just audio but also your screen. In our experience, we found it produced slightly superior audio quality when paired with a USB microphone compared to Voice Memos.
Follow these instructions to record audio using QuickTime Player:
Step 1: Open QuickTime Player, then right-click the application icon in the Dock and select New Audio Recording.
Step 2: Click the Record button to begin your recording. You can also click the dropdown menu to select the microphone you want to use. By default, your Mac’s built-in mic is pre-selected.
Step 3: After recording, simply stop the process and close the recording window.
Step 4: Enter a file name for your recording, choose the location for saving it, and click Save.
You have the option to delete the file and redo the recording if you’re not satisfied with the first try.
Step 3: Recording Audio with GarageBand
The next built-in application is GarageBand, a classic tool that has evolved with updates. Here’s how you can utilize GarageBand to record and store your audio files.
Step 1: Open GarageBand, select Empty Project, and then click Choose.
Step 2: Choose either Mic or Line and click on Create.
Step 3: Select Input at the bottom and then pick your preferred input microphone.
You can click the Circle icon adjacent to Input to toggle between mono and stereo recording; a single circle indicates mono, while two circles indicate stereo.
If using headphones, activate the Monitoring option to hear your voice while recording.
Step 4: Turn off the Metronome options to avoid unwanted beats in the background.
You can also opt to display Time instead by choosing it from the dropdown menu at the top.
Step 5: When your microphone levels are visible, click the Record button to initiate recording.
Step 6: After completing the recording, click the Pause button to stop the recording process.
Step 7: Select the Share option in the top Menu Bar, then choose Export Song to Disk.
Step 8: Input a file name, select the desired audio format, and then hit Export to save your audio file.
Images Credits: Guidingtech.com