By default, OBS likes to cram all your audio into one big stereo file. That’s fine, until it’s not. But what if your game audio sounds like a jet engine compared to your voice, or everyone on Discord decides to whisper like a ninja? Don’t spend hours attempting to adjust volumes in post (spoiler: you’ll lose). Do record your audio tracks separately. Trust me, editing those levels later will be a walk in the park.
Yeah, let’s set things up so that never happens again.
ADVANCED AUDIO PROPERTIES
Right-click in the Audio Mixer and select “Advanced Audio Properties.”
![OBS advanced audio properties.](https://interfacinglinux.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/advenced-1-1024x852.webp)
TRACK SELECTION
Choose the tracks you want to record. In this example, I’m recording game audio on track 3 and microphone on track 2.
Note: Track 1 (the default mixdown track) remains selected for live streaming.
![OBS advanced audio track selection.](https://interfacinglinux.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/trackselection-1024x824.webp)
ADVANCED OUTPUT
Now head to Settings > Output > Output Mode and change it from “Simple” to “Advanced.”
![OBS advanced audio output settings.](https://interfacinglinux.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/advencedsettings-1024x824.webp)
RECORDING TRACKS
With Advanced Mode enabled, you’ll see a “Recording” tab. Select the tracks you want to record in the “Audio Track” section and click apply.
![OBS advanced audio track selection.](https://interfacinglinux.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/advancedaudiotracks-1024x824.webp)
ADJUSTING LEVELS IN POST
If everything went according to plan, your recorded video will boast two independent audio tracks for easy post-production adjustments. But wait, there’s more! OBS allows for recording up to 5 stereo channels or 10 mono tracks, giving you plenty of room to get up to something nefarious.
![Adjusting audio levels in Kdenlive.](https://interfacinglinux.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/kdenlive-1024x600.webp)
VERDICT
Recording multitrack audio in OBS is inevitable, so why not set it up now? Don’t worry, when (not if) you lose a few hours of recording due to a bad audio mix, this guide will still be here to help you out.
Have questions about your Linux setup? Feel free to ask away in the forums.
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