Applies to Audacity and all Focusrite USB audio interfaces
This guide walks you through how to setup your Focusrite audio interface in Audacity for recording. To learn more about how to use Audacity, see Audacity's Help Centre:
Windows
- Open Audacity on your computer.
- In the toolbar, click Audio Setup → Audio Settings...
In the Audio Settings tab, set the Host to MME, Playback Device to Speakers (Focusrite USB Audio) and Recording Device to Analogue 1 + 2 (Focusrite USB Audio).
- Set the Channels to 1 (Mono) or 2 (Stereo), depending on the audio source being recorded.
Set the channel configuration to Mono if you are recording with a single microphone or a mono instrument such as a bass or guitar connected to input 1.
Set the channel configuration to Stereo if you are recording with a stereo pair of microphones or a stereo instrument such as a keyboard or synthesiser connected to inputs 1-2.
It is not possible to record only Input 2, as Audacity is a WDM application. You can choose to record either Input 1 or Inputs 1 and 2. See this article on how to use the additional inputs of your interface with Audacity: Expose/Hide Windows Channels for non-ASIO Windows apps.
Next, see How to set up an audio track to record below.
macOS
- Open Audacity on your computer.
- In the toolbar, click Audio Setup → Audio Settings...
In the Audio Settings tab, set the Host to Core Audio, Playback Device to Scarlett 2i2 4th Generation and Recording Device to Scarlett 2i2 4th Generation.
- Set the Channels to 1 (Mono) or 2 (Stereo), depending on the audio source being recorded.
Set the channel configuration to Mono if you are recording with a single microphone or a mono instrument such as a bass or guitar connected to input 1.
Set the channel configuration to Stereo if you are recording with a stereo pair of microphones or a stereo instrument such as a keyboard or synthesiser connected to inputs 1-2.
It is not possible to record an input without Audacity also recording the inputs that come before this. For example, when recording the signal coming into input 6 of your interface, Audacity requires you to record inputs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Next, see How to set up an audio track to record below.
How to set up an audio track to record
- In the top menu bar click Tracks → Add New → Mono or Stereo track, depending on the audio source being recorded.
- In the toolbar, make sure the Recording Level is set to 100%.
- Click Record
in Audacity's transport to start recording.
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