# Record

### From Audacity Development Manual

To record:

- Set the Recording Device,
- monitor and then adjust the recording level,
- then press the red Record button.

  Correct adjustment of level before recording is essential to avoid noise or distortion.

1. Set the Recording Device either in the Devices section of Preferences or in Device Toolbar.
2. Click in the Recording Meter to start monitoring as in the following image:
3. Singing or playing the loudest part of what you are recording, adjust the recording level using the right-hand slider on Mixer Toolbar:
   so that the moving Meter Toolbar bars do not get too close to the right-hand edge of the meter.
4. Optionally, turn on Transport > Software Playthrough (on/off) (so it has a check mark) to hear what the recording will sound like.

   | Don't enable Software Playthrough when recording computer playback because it creates echoes. To hear what a recording of computer playback will sound like, make a test recording to check the level before recording for real.

5. Press the red Record button to record for real.
6. Audacity will record until you stop the recording using the yellow Stop button.

To record a specific length of time:

1. Use Tracks > Add New to create a new track if there are no tracks yet
2. Drag-select a region in an existing track or choose the selection to be recorded in Selection Toolbar
3. Ensure Transport > Overdub (on/off) is enabled (on) which is its default setting, then press Record to record in a new track.

Alternatively, try Timer Record.

More help at:

- Tutorial - Your First Recording for recording microphones, guitar or keyboard
- Tutorial - Copying tapes, LPs or minidiscs to CD
  - Recording with USB turntables or USB cassette decks
- Troubleshooting Recordings: Frequently Asked Questions
- Recording Tips on the Wiki

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