Before you start recording, it's important to choose the right settings for your recording needs. This article walks you through selecting your camera and microphone, enabling Studio Sound and transcription, adding speaker labels to your audio inputs, and adding multiple audio inputs when using an external recording device.
Recording walkthroughs
Check out our how-to guides on Recording audio, Recording video, or Screen recording in Descript.
Set audio input levels
Descript uses your system's input volume for recording. Learn how to adjust input volume for macOS or how to adjust input volume for Windows. If you are using an external audio device — such as an audio interface or mixer — make sure you to adjust the input volume on the device. Please consult the device's documentation for adjusting audio input levels.
Recording into the script, replace a selection or a new layer
You can record content in a composition in three different ways:
- Record into script — Left-click to place the playhead cursor where you'd like to start recording into the Script.
- Replace selection — Highlight a portion of the script to record over any selection and replace it with a new recording.
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Record new layer — Select any scene by clicking the Scene overlay in the Timeline or by clicking the Slash mark in the Script to record into a new layer.
Once you make a recording in your composition, the recording will be stored as a project file in the Project panel.
Are you using external recording gear?
Before getting started, it's always good practice to double-check cable connections if you are using an external microphone, camera, or other A/V devices.
Before recording in Descript
Here are a few things you’ll want to check before recording:
- Select to record Audio only, Camera, or Screen.
- Click Settings and make adjustments to your recording settings, such as manually setting the transcription language, camera resolution, and screen resolution. Learn more about recording settings.
- Select your camera and/or microphone from the dropdown menus.
- Place the playhead in the Script track to record new material into the script, highlight the Script to replace existing material, or select a Scene to record a new layer.
Multiple audio inputs
If you are recording using a device that supports multiple audio inputs — like an audio interface or mixing console — you will need to ensure the mixing console is only using one output or you can see this page for more details on recording from multiple devices: How to record multiple USB mics or devices at the same time on MacOS