How to Record SOUND from Computer Speakers

This trick will help you to record any sound that is coming from computer speakers. For exmple if you want to save only sound from Youtube movie or just record song from winamp internet radio. The method records sound almost with no losses of sound quality. You will need:

  1. One 3.5 mm stereo audio cable. Your computer speakers probably are connected with it but if not, buy it from your local store. 3.5 mm audio cable
  2. Any audio recording program of your choise (it can be Nero Wave editor, Windows Sound Recorder, other) recorders nero and sound recorder from windows

At first connect your computer's in and out jacks with the 3.5mm audio cable.

in out

in out connected

Now open the recording program and set it ready to record sound. Press record button and quickly load the source of sound which you want to record (press play Youtube movie or internet radio radio).

Explanation. The connected in and out jacks acts like a microphone but the sound loss is minimal because it doesn't go through the air, only small fraction is lost in transmision through the 3.5mm audio cable. You can't save only sound from Youtube movies, internet radio, game tracks or else sources without special technique or software. But this trick fools the computer because it doesn't know that it's recording itself. So when you are done with recording press stop and edit audio file in the editor window (cut silence from beginning or add some sound effects).

nero soundwave
IMPORTANT! If you do everything as explained and no sound records make sure you enabled recording option from your Volume Control. Go to Start->All programs->Accessories->Entertainment->Volume control->Options->Properties->Recording tab->Check Line in

recording properties

Related reading: Save Flash Games Save flash elements with FF Save movies from Youtube Flash from sites saving

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This really helped! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Great tip, I have wanted this info for a long time! I am greatful

Anonymous said...

how do you plug two 3.5 mm cable to the computer in & out jacks? There is only one 3.5 mm cable of speakers. My speakers have one 3.5 mm cable. So do I need one more or ? how do you do it?

Mankosas said...

You need ONLY one 3.5mm cable. Some speakers have integrated 3.5 mm cables so you can't use it. Notice that using this recording technique you won't hear anything because out jack is sending sound to in jack directly and no speaker is in between.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, however, I found better way to record sounds from the internet other programs and internet itself while listening to the music.
Just like you said, I tried sound recorder and changed the setting in the volume control. For example, i used mono and stereo mix to record sound my computer itself like media player while i listen to it. and then I changed the setting in the recording to line in to record from youtube videos again when i listen to it. It worked great. Only thing is its capacity is so much. It is not like mp3. but it works great. I can edit it in the sound record just by cutting the beginning and end where the song needs fix. That's all.

Anonymous said...

Oh i meant computer programs like media player, winamp etc on the previous post