Speaker Recording Software for Windows and Mac

Everyone knows you can use a microphone for recording audio, and a quality microphone is the best tool for a lot of different types of recording, but if you want to record something that you are listening to on your computer putting your mic next to your speakers is not going to get you the quality audio you can get with SoundTap Streaming Audio Recorder.

With SoundTap you can directly record audio from your computer, so you are capturing the same audio you hear being played through your speakers and saving it as an mp3 or wav file. So, with SoundTap installed on your PC or Mac you can record high quality digital audio from all kinds of places including:

• Record internet radio streams
• Convert formats with their own players to mp3
• Record VoIP phone calls or conference calls
• Save audio from streaming webcasts
• Grab the audio in online videos

And the list continues, so download SoundTap today to record sound from your computer and happy recording!

WavePad's Chicago Fire Cameo

If you're a fan of the new NBC show Chicago Fire and you have sharp eyes you might have spotted WavePad on the recent Two Families episode that aired on November 21st. For those of you not familiar with the show it is an intense look at the lives of the firefighters and paramedics Chicago Firehouse 51. One of the subplots of this rather intense Thanksgiving episode includes one of the firefighters deciding to put together a podcast, and there is a scene with him doing an interview with another one of the station 51 firefighters. As they are talking if you are familiar with the WavePad interface you might recognize it in the computer sitting on the table between them. For us this was an added excitement to add to the already action packed television show.

If you haven't seen it you may very well want to start following the heroes portrayed in Chicago Fire. And if you want to create a podcast of your own you will want to have WavePad Audio Editing Software on your computer.

Best Software for Making Music

Software Review Boffin recently reviewed MixPad multitrack mixing and recording software, adding it to their list of music making software titles. In the review they praised not only MixPad alone for being exceptional software, but noted that "the [high] standard is consistent with other NCH products that Software Review Boffin has audited before." The review also went on to say:

"With MixPad Multitrack Recording Software users are able to record instruments and vocals for their music production. Users will find it simple to rearrange, copy and integrate music to the intended state the user desires. Create audio productions within minutes of downloading is a great start for music making software."
  � Software Review Boffin

You can read the complete review of MixPad music mixing software from Software Review Boffin, or download MixPad today to test out the multi-track recording and mixing features for yourself. Also be sure to check out our other exceptional and award-winning, audio software or musician software titles for additional music making tools.

Record Skype Calls - Easy Audio & Video Call Recording

We have posted before about recording phone calls through a TRX personal call recorder, recording multiple phone lines across a business network with VRS call recording software, or even saving conversations with the Express Talk softphone�s recording feature, but with the advent of internet technology like Skype, what if you want to record a phone conversation on your computer?

Record Skype Audio Calls

The solution to recording your voice-over-IP calls is our SoundTap streaming audio capture software. With SoundTap you can record any audio that is played on or through your PC or Mac, making it easy to record both sides of your conversation; instead of only your microphone input. It is akin to tapping your virtual phone and you can save the audio in .wav or .mp3 format.

Record Skype Video Calls

For video, we suggest you turn to Debut streaming video recording software. Debut is a powerful video capture program that can grab video from virtually any source, including your screen. Make sure your Debut options are enabled to record both video and audio, and then you can easily record your video calls, including Skype, to play back or edit later.

Software for Radio

We already past 'R' in our A to Z software tour, but as a honorable mention after recording, here are a number of professional radio programs designed for specific tasks to help the small or start up radio station or podcaster. So if you are interested in creating or hosting your own audio content be sure to check out these radio applications to help you along the way:

BroadWave is an audio streaming software program designed to broadcast any audio connected to the sound input on the PC. It will also stream audio recordings and all BroadWave streams will play directly from the default web browser on any modern Windows or Mac computer.

VRS is a professional voice recording application that can be used radio station logging, recording multiple audio channels simultaneously with digital signal processing, automatic level control and a continuous recording mode to easily save a copy of all your broadcasts.

From recording to editing and mixing your audio, interviews, music and voiceovers you won't want to be without our favorite duo, WavePad audio editor and MixPad multitrack mixer both are available for your Windows PC or Mac, and for recording and editing on the go you can also download Pocket WavePad on your iPhone or iPad, perfect for those coffee shop interviews and more.

Want to share a snippit of audio from something else online with your listeners? Save streaming audio as an mp3 or wav file on you computer with the use of SoundTap streaming audio recorder to rip the audio you hear playing on your computer. And you can always visit our full arsenal of radio software for additional radio tools and applications.

Something to Talk About

Below is a word cloud generated from our posts here on the NCH Software: Do More with Software blog. There is no real surprise that we talk a great deal about "you" and "software," but is there anything you would like us to write about and cover more in the future?

R is for Recording Software

NCH Software ABCs Series

Recording is another commonly needed feature. If you are anything like my family you have lots of things you save and hold on to and recording software is just one way to create digital copies of things you want. From recording voice overs and audio dictation to music and videos we have the software that you need. Whether you are digitizing a recording you have on another media, like a vinyl record or VHS tape, or recording something brand new, browse our complete recording software collection for the program perfect for your recording needs.

• RecordPad gerneral audio recording
  
• WavePad audio recording and editing
  
• MixPad multi-track audio recording and mixing
  
• SoundTap streaming audio recorder
  
• Express Dictate voice/dictation recording
  
• VRS multi-channel audio recording
  
• Golden Records analog audio recording
  
• Golden Videos analog video recording
  
• Debut video recording
  
• EyeLine video surveillance recording
  

<<< Previous: Q is for Quick

Next: S is for Sharing >>>

The TIVO of Internet Recording

One of the great things about TIVO is that you schedule recording times and then you don't need to worry about missing your favorite show. Since Debut video recording software is perfect for capturing all digital video from, streaming video to video of your screen, you can easily turn Debut into a personal internet recording TIVO system by schedule recordings for when you are away from your computer.

Start by setting up your recording as you normally would by selecting your screen for the input, and setting the recording area. Then click the Schedule button followed by Add to set the date and time for your new scheduled recording. Once those details are saved all you need to do is make sure you leave the window or website you want to record cued up on your screen so it will be recorded at the appointed time. When you return the recording(s) can be found in the Find & Play list by clicking the Recordings button on the toolbar.

If there is something that you want your computer to record, while you are sitting at your desk or while you�re away, download Debut screen capture software today.

Easier Than Ever Audio Mixing

When you�re mixing an audio project, you want things to be as simple as possible. Some great new features have been added to the latest version of MixPad recording and mixing software making it easier to use than ever.

To help you quickly make changes to the tracks in your projects - like adjusting the volume of tracks, adding effects, or using a VSTi - we've added a "mixer" view that opens in a separate floating window so you can still see the tracks. You can move the mixer anywhere on your desktop, or minimize or close it when you don�t need to use it. The mixer includes faders for each track along with a Master fader so you can control the volume of your entire project. Along with the faders for each track, the mixer has controls to:

• Pan a track right or left
• Arm a track to record
• Mute or Solo a track
• Open the Effects Chain to add, modify or delete effects
• Adjust the Audio Options
• Add a VSTi for a MIDI track

Another improvement you're sure to like is the ability to change the colors of the waveforms in each track. Use this feature to help organize your project. For example set your drum tracks to blue, your guitar tracks to green, and your vocal tracks to yellow. Now, at a glance, you can see where things are located in your project. It�s simple to change the colors of each track using the controls on the mixer, or just right-click on a track and select "Track Color" from the menu

Other enhancements you�ll find in the new version of MixPad multitrack mixing software include presets for effects, and an easier way to delete fade points. So if you mix audio, you will definitely want to check it out.

Do More with Audio - Blog Carnival April 9, 2012

Here are this edition's entries to Do More with Audio:

Hina Azille presents How to Record Professional Quality Vocals With a Normal Mic, saying, "The big tip to recording good vocals, is learning to recognize peaks/clips/�the red� whilst recording. Understanding and recognizing the warning signs while you are recording will help ensure that you get the cleanest vocals possible. This Hub covers how to record the cleanest vocals, applying effects and the difference between mixing and mastering."

Daryl Sams presents The Art of Mixing Songs posted at Edgar Allen Floe, saying, "Tips I've learned over the last 15 years as a studio engineer."

Yelin george presents 10 Songs Whose Lyrics We Get Wrong, saying, "Have you ever come across the lyrics to a favorite song and realized you�d been singing it wrong for years? It�s happened to me � several times, in fact. If you�ve ever discovered that what you were singing wasn�t what the artist was singing, then you will no doubt appreciate this list."

Joe Hannigan presents Recording Classical Music: Microphones and Multi-tracks posted at Joe Hannigan's blog Weston Sound Blog, saying, "My take on why we record music with more than just two microphones."

John presents Podcasting Teaches Valuable Lessons to Homeschoolers posted at The Wired Homeschool, saying, "The ways which podcasting can help your student in their education."

Michael Walsh presents Understanding Audio Effects posted at Sounds Defy Gravity, saying, "Even if you are just starting out on your audio production journey, you�ve likely come across audio effects including delay, reverb, distortion, compression, phase, flange, pitch-shift, ring modulators or filters. This article will help familiarize you with these terms and what they do."

Varosound presents The Many Shapes of Delay posted at Variety of Sound, saying, "There are quite a number of different types and applications for audio delay effects that open the door to a wide range creative effects that can lead to a complete deconstruction of the original sound."



That concludes this edition of Do More with Audio. If you have an audio story to share or advice, tips or tricks to share, we hope you will submit your audio posts and articles to the next edition.

Super Features: Debut Video Capture

Debut Video Capture Software is one of the most feature-rich video capture programs available, allowing you to capture video from a variety of sources, including your screen, webcam, network camera, or external devices. If you haven�t had time to explore all the amazing ways Debut can make recording video easier for you, we�ve made a list of highlights.

• Add a text caption to your video. Choose the placement, enter the text, change the font, the font color, and add background color to make the text stand out. Be sure to add your caption before recording starts. (more ways to add text to video)
• Add a watermark to your video to ensure you get credit for the video. Choose a watermark image that isn�t too large, adjust the transparency, and set the alignment. The margin percentage controls how far away the watermark is from the edge. Again, be sure to add your watermark before recording.
• Create a time-lapse video. Station your camera and click the Edit Output button. On the tab specific for the type of camera you are using, make sure the Enable Time-lapse checkbox is checked. You can specify how often a frame is captured: the closer in time the images are taken to each other, the smoother your video will look. For a more choppy outcome, space images out further.
• Capture a window or custom area. This is a very useful feature if you want to focus on one area of your screen, rather than the entire thing. Click the selection icon in the lower right corner, next to the caption, color, and watermark buttons. You can then drag the cursor to select a recording area, or highlight and select a specific window on your screen.
• Schedule recordings. If you need to record while you're away from your computer, set up a scheduled recording. Click the Scheduler button on the toolbar to set a recording time.
• Click the Edit Output button to resize the final video or to change the frame rate. Remember that a smaller size and a lower frame rate will make the file size smaller.
• You can specify the file format for the recording from the Record as drop menu. Select the file type, or select which device you are making the recording for.

If you need to edit your recordings after they have been recorded, we recommend you use VideoPad Video Editing Software. With VideoPad, you can edit multiple screen captures or webcam recordings together, add background music and narration, and compile the final product in a format for viewing on your computer, television, portable device, or on the internet.

Recording Screencast Tutorials with Debut

Guest post by Dalvin Aboagye

I'm sort of what you call a tech-oriented person and usually know my way around tech products. I maintain a YouTube channel dubbed Tech Time HD where I review and critique products sent by a myriad of companies, and cover tech rumors and news sometimes as well. I first started out on YouTube doing tutorials, so I needed a screen recording software solution to make these screen casting tutorials. I tried other software such as Cam Studio and Fraps but they didn't cut it for me. I stumbled upon Debut Video Recording Software whilst browsing Google. My first impression when I installed it was that it was a bit gimmicky and I wasn't impressed with the user interface, but after a couple weeks of using Debut I took back everything I said. The UI is very easy-to-use and intuitive, it doesn't gobble up on system resources as much as other programs I had tried, it supports a wide variety of video formats and has a great set of features�even the free version. I found myself hooked and would recommend it to anyone and everyone who needs to record a screencast, capture card or webcam. You won't regret downloading the trial, and you surely won't regret buying the software. My only wish is that the watermark feature was included in the free version, but it's a small price to pay for such great recording software.

NCH Software ABCs

We have put together a series of posts looking at many different aspects of NCH Software and what you can do with software. The gimmick is an A-Z tour of our software, but we�re confident it will thoroughly introduce you these different facets of the NCH Software world.

A is for Audio B is for Business C is for Converters D is for Dictation E is for Easy F is for FTP G is for Graphics H is for Hardware I is for International J is for Jams K is for Keep L is for Live M is for Mobile N is for New O is for Optimize P is for PDF Q is for Quick R is for Recording S is for Sharing T is for Typing U is for Utilities V is for Video W is for Web Access X is for eXpress Y is for YouTube Z is for Zip

First: A is for Audio >>>

Create a Time-lapse Video with Debut

You've seen videos that condense hours and hours of time into a short clip: a flower blooms in 30 seconds, or a city scene showcases the busy flit of people and traffic as the shadows of buildings move slowly across the street.

You can easily create your own time-lapse video using your webcam and Debut video capture software. Here is what you need to do:

1. Click the Edit Output button and select the devices tab.
   
2. Select the option to Enable Time-lapse.
   
3. Specify how often you want an image to be taken. For the charactaristic choppness of many time lapse videos, space image captures apart by a minute or longer. For a smoother result, take captures at shorter intervals.
   

When your recording is finished, it will be saved as one video clip rather than a series of images, so you can watch the time fly by in a resulting video.

Next, to turn your time-lapse into something really worth sharing, add a title screen using VideoPad video editor. Keep in mind that VideoPad can also do other time manipulations, such as speeding up or slowing down your video footage, in case you want to fine-tune your time-lapse results.

Upgrades to MixPad Music Mixer include VST plugin support

For recording your band, creating voiceovers, or mixing music, MixPad Multitrack Audio Software has always been a valuable tool. It's both easy to use, and robust enough to handle your biggest audio production projects. And most recently MixPad has had some significant updates that include a tabbed interface for quick access to all of the music mixing and editing features, VST plugin support to apply extended effects to your projects, improved selection making mixing even faster and improved effects chain allows you to apply non-destructive effects to individual tracks. All of these upgrades are available now with the same great small download size to get you working on audio production projects in mere minutes without taking up your valuable disk space.

Record Your Own Audio Book

Books on tape have been around a long time, when I was younger we would sometimes get an audio book to listen to in the car on a long trip. Now that people carry mp3 players almost everywhere there is no reason to wait for a road trip to listen to a good book. And, like ebooks, there isn't the pressure to sell huge volumes that is inherent when publishing a printed book, so it is much easier to get into. In fact with just some audio recording software and a high quality microphone you can get started recording your first audio book.

Once you have decided to record an audio book you can start getting prepared. You want to be very familiar with the text. Read first and record second. You can do some editing of the audio after recording, but you want to keep that to a minimum and keep a flow to the prose. Being familiar with the text will help you keep a steady pace. Keep your pace in check, you don't want to zip through it fast so that the listener can really appreciate and hear everything you are reading. In addition to keeping that slow pace, be sure to add pauses after sentences and paragraphs, and beware being monotone. Try to breathe some life into your reading, no one will want to listen to you drone on in a flat voice. Another suggestion would be to consider printing out a hard copy of the book. Unbound, single-sided pages will make page turning easy.

Once you are prepared you just need to schedule yourself a chunk of quiet time to sit down and start recording. You can estimate the total amount of time you will need by timing how long it takes you to read through a single page and multiply by the number of pages. For a longer book you might want to break it out into more than one sitting. A good choice for audio recording is WavePad Sound Editor. By recording directly into an audio editor like WavePad you can easily go in to the recorded audio file when you are done recording to cut out any places you might have stumbled or make any other adjustment that might be needed like amplifying or equalizing the audio file or eliminating any background noise that might have crept in. And if you recorded in more than one session you can merge the files together before publishing your final mp3 file and sharing it with the world.

Record DJ Mixes Live

The ability to not only save a playlist but record a DJ mixing session to an audio files was a highly requested feature for Zulu DJ Software for a long time running. Now that this feature has been added, we want to give you a quick look at how you can put it to good use for recording your DJ mixes:

Between the two decks there is a Recording indicator, just above the cross-fader. If you click on this indicator with nothing queued in the deck it opens the Recording Options dialog where you can set the output format, destination folder and file name. With your options set once you are ready to start recording click the indicator again to start or stop recording. The recording indicator will blink while recording is in progress. Note if you don't use the date-time stamp to name your recordings you will need to specify a new format, folder, or file name to avoid overwriting your previous recordings.

That is all there is to it. For quick access to your recordings you can open the destination recording folder from the file menu. Then you will be all set to share, save or edit your recorded DJ mixes with WavePad.

Record Video from Anywhere

Debut Video Capture Software records and captures video from webcams, recording devices, and from your computer screen. It�s great for recording tutorials you can post to online sites such as YouTube, for making company messages, for recording streaming video, and more. See for yourself how easy it is to get started capturing and recording videos in this Debut video tutorial:

Mac Video Capture Software

I am thrilled to announce that Debut video capture software is now available for Mac as well as for Windows. I have long appreciated the features of Debut for recording video from a webcam or video screen capture, even capturing video from an external video capture device. We use Debut in our office on a regular basis to record video clips for the developers to show them bugs when testing products and recording video clips for our tutorial videos.

While I have used the Windows version of Debut numerous time, and even turned several friends and family members on to Debut (Ask Dad: Debut is a Simple Solution ), since I have a Mac at home I too have anxiously awaiting the release of the Mac version for those numerous occasions when it would be the perfect solution for grabbing a video clip. Now that my wait is finally over I hope that other Mac users out there will be as excited as I am about this addition to our Mac software line-up. Download Debut video capture software today and let us know what you think.

7 Programs You Can't Live Without

Prism Video Converter If you've ever had trouble opening a video file, you need Prism. Prism will let you quickly convert any troublesome video files into a more manageable format. With more formats supported than any other video converter, you'll be hard pressed to come across a video file that Prism can't handle.

Switch Audio Converter There are a lot of different audio file formats out there, and a lot of places you might want to keep your favorite music, from CDs and iPods to your computer or online, just to name a few. Make sure you always have the right format for every song and every application with the Switch Audio Converter.

FastFox Typing Expander Ever find yourself typing the same things over and over? FastFox can be a huge helping hand at home or at work. Use keyboard shortcuts to expand to anything you commonly write, and save time inserting signatures in email, filling out online forms, and writing long responses to customer questions.

Debut Video Capture Whether you want to transfer the video from a camcorder to your computer, are trying to record a video from your webcam, or even recording your screen, Debut is your single software solution for capturing video.

Express Burn Disc Burning Software Burn pictures, home movies, resumes, portfolios, or back up your files to CDs, DVDs and even Blue-Ray discs in a variety of file formats with Express Burn. Simply drag, drop and burn.

PhotoStage Slideshow Creator Bring your digital photos to life and share your favorite memories with family and friends. Tell a compelling story, display your best images, or show off your proudest moments. PhotoStage lets you combine images, video clips, music and narration in a fun and dynamic fashion.

WavePad Audio Editor No list would be complete without one of our all-time favorites: WavePad. WavePad is the perfect application for any audio project in the sound studio or at home. The easy-to-use interface will have you up and running quickly with all the powerful tools you need at your fingertips.