OBS Multi Track Audio Setup

2023-11-06 20:58:20Z (last updated 2023-11-11 22:03:33Z)

NOTE: There is a guide on the OBS project website which is basically this blog post. You can use that if you want.

"Multiple audio track recording guide" on the OBS project website

Introduction

In OBS Studio, you can have up to 6 audio tracks, all of which can be recorded into the recorded video file.

OBS Studio

With separate audio tracks, you can have things like your computer sounds, microphone sounds, and music, all on a separate audio track, allowing you to individually mess with each audio track post-production.

Now, how do you do audio tracks?

Advanced Audio Properties

Look at your Audio Mixer dock.

It should have some audio outputs, having your computer and microphone audio (or maybe something else). To make them separate into audio tracks, click on the 3 dots menu and click "Advanced Audio Properties".

Now you should see a new window for the Advanced Audio Properties. Next thing is to manage the audio tracks each audio thing outputs to.

Selecting audio tracks for audio outputs

Tip: Video players (and video services) default to using the first audio track (footnote 1), so use the first audio track for all audio you want to have by default (computer, mic, and music audio combined), and use the rest for whatever you want (unfiltered mic, only computer audio, etc.).

(footnote 1: Well, from at least what I can tell. The default track seems to be the first track, but that could be different for different files. But using the first audio track has worked for me.)

In my case, I want to include a filtered microphone output, and my computer audio in my video for viewers. I do not want to include an unfiltered microphone output to the viewers by default.

That means I would have to include my computer and filtered microphone into Audio Track 1. The rest of the 5 tracks I can just use for whatever, like a dedicated audio track for computer sounds, filtered microphone, and unfiltered microphone (for better post-production quality, if there even is any kind of post-production).

So for me, it was something like this: My computer sounds and microphone output to Audio Track 1, along with 3 dedicated audio tracks for each output. The unfiltered microphone (named "Mic/Aux Unfiltered" in the picture) does not output to Audio Track 1, which is quite important, because I do not want it included in the default audio track.

Your actual setup may differ from mine. That's fine, as long as it works for you.

Video output settings

After doing the checkboxes, you should also do the same for checkboxes in your video output settings. Select the audio tracks you want to save, which should be the audio tracks you used and selected in the Advanced Audio Properties.

In Simple mode for Output mode, you can tick boxes.

In Advanced mode for Output mode, you can tick boxes in the Recording section, and name the audio tracks in the Audio section.

Selecting audio track for streaming

(Applicable to advanced output mode only)

For streaming, you can only choose 1 audio track to stream.

If you followed the earlier tip, you can just use audio track 1. If you didn't follow the earlier tip, determine or create an audio track where all the audio you want is combined into 1 track. Then select that track.

Recap

OBS Audio Tracks can be helpful to separate different audio outputs from one another. What you do is tick boxes in Advanced Audio Properties and Audio Tracks in your output.

public inbox (comments and discussions)

public inbox archives

(mailing list etiquette for public inbox)