What it does
The DAW records live audio from your computer's microphone or audio interface directly onto a track. Plug in a guitar, bass, or keyboard through an interface, or use a USB or built-in mic for vocals, and the take lands on the timeline as a normal audio clip you can trim, move, and mix.
Recording captures lossless raw audio (uncompressed PCM), so a clean direct instrument keeps its full tone and dynamics.
Record in three steps
- Position the playhead where you want the take to start.
- Click the red Record button in the transport bar. If no track is armed, the DAW creates a new audio track for the take. Grant the browser microphone permission the first time.
- Play or sing, then click Record again to stop. The take appears as a red clip on the track.
Playback starts automatically when you record, so you can perform along to whatever is already on the timeline.
Input settings
Right-click the Record button to open the input panel:
- Input Device - pick which microphone or interface input to record from. Useful when you have both a built-in mic and an external interface connected.
- Input Mode:
- Instrument (raw) - for guitar, bass, and keys. The browser's echo cancellation, noise suppression, and auto-gain are turned off so the signal is captured exactly as it comes in, preserving tone and dynamics.
- Voice - for vocals and spoken word. Re-enables the browser's echo, noise, and gain cleanup for a cleaner spoken result.
- Input Level - a gain trim for the incoming signal if it is too quiet or too hot.
- Latency offset (ms) - see below.
- Monitor input - hear yourself through the speakers while recording. Off by default to avoid feedback. If you turn it on, use headphones so the mic does not pick up the playback.
Latency compensation
Every computer has a small round-trip delay between the sound you play and the sample the browser records. Without correction, a note you play on the beat would land slightly late on the timeline.
The DAW measures your input and output latency automatically and shifts each take earlier so it lands where you played it. For an exact fit to your specific interface, nudge the Latency offset (ms) field in the input panel:
- If your recordings still sit a touch behind the beat, increase the offset (pulls the take earlier).
- Most audio interfaces land somewhere between 5 and 30 ms.
- Record a few bars against a metronome or a drum loop, then adjust until the take locks to the grid.
Recording over a backing track
A common workflow is to lay down a bed first, then perform over it:
- Drag a song from your gallery, or generate an instrumental in the AI Music tab, onto a track.
- Turn on the Metronome if you want a click, or just play to the bed.
- Arm a new track and hit Record. You will hear the bed while you play.
- Swap the AI bed out later if it was only a scratch guide.
See The Library: samples, SFX, and AI generation for generating a bed to record against.
Arming a specific track
Each track header has an R (record-arm) button. Arm a track first if you want the take to land on that exact track rather than a new one. Only one track records at a time.
Troubleshooting
"Microphone access denied" The browser blocked mic access. Check the site permissions (the padlock icon in the address bar) and allow the microphone, then reload.
"No microphone found" No input device is connected or the browser cannot see one. Check that your mic or interface is plugged in and selected as an input in your operating system.
My take lands late (or early) Adjust the Latency offset (ms) in the input panel. Increase it to pull takes earlier, decrease it if they land ahead of the beat.
I hear an echo or howl while recording Monitoring is on and the mic is picking up the speakers. Switch to headphones, or turn Monitor input off.
The recording is very quiet or distorted Raise or lower the Input Level trim, and check your interface's gain knob. For instruments, make sure you are on Instrument (raw) mode.
Where to go next
- Tracks and clips - trim and arrange your take
- The Library: samples, SFX, and AI generation - generate a bed to play over
- Effects and rack - shape the recorded sound