← StreamCraft73 Classroom

Lesson

Audio Tracks

When we listen to audio from the PC the typical source of that sound is from either the speakers or headphones the computer views as “Default” most of the time.

While there is nothing wrong with this, it is when we attempt to separate the “source/program” that we will run into issues. Since 95% of computer users will just click next/install/agree when adding a program or application to the computer then the computer will set up the permissions of that program to whatever the default settings (or in this case sources) are.

The default settings should be what your “Master volume” options are

which tend to be more specific based on the user. You might see Headphones as your output and RealTek Mic as your input and these are going to be different since not every person has the same devices or preferences. That being said any and all images will be from my computer and are just for reference only so don’t get overwhelmed just follow along and I am pretty sure you will understand this in the end.

*This will be based on OBS directly and not the third party app/programs

When you open up OBS your PC will activate the Output/Input

[Screenshot in the original Google Doc]

In OBS since we want to “control” what is heard and how it is heard in the stream (Live) and Video on demand (VOD) so we need to first look at the Main settings under Audio

[Screenshot in the original Google Doc]

  • Since we are going to control (or attempt to control) we want to select Disabled for ALL Global Audio Devices and have your Monitoring Device set to how you Listen to audio from your PC.
  • Be sure to press the Apply button once you have the settings done

The next thing we want to do is in the Settings area still go to Output

[Screenshot in the original Google Doc]

  • You will want to make sure the Twitch VOD track is checked and then choose a track number. 1 is the default and really easy to remember that anything moving forward that has track 1 selected will be included in the VOD kept on Twitch
  • (IF you don’t have this option it is because you are sending your stream to a third party provider and not directly to Twitch)
  • Audio Track is the one that will go out live to your stream
  • Be sure to press the Apply button once you have the settings done

Now things get tricky (sort of) because as you set up the Audio properties for each application you have to select a “device” that OBS is listening to for that source which goes back to your main PC audio preferences. If all your programs use the system “Default” then no matter what track you select OBS will technically see each track as the same device so we need to tell the PC where we want each of the programs output to go.

If you use any of these programs when not streaming then just know you will not hear the audio unless you change it back

In your main PC audio preferences just find the program you want NOT to be part of your VOD, in this case I am going to use Spotify as an example.

With Spotify open you will see it in the preferences and we can choose a specific output

I have a few different options to choose from and in this case I am going to use the Røde Unify Drivers from the Røde Unify material found here in the classroom.

I am going to tell my computer operating system to send all audio from Spotify to the “Music Output (Røde UNIFY)”

In OBS when I add the “Audio Output Capture” Spotify the device I am going to select is VoiceMeeter Input (Voicemod Virtual Audio Device (WDM))

[Screenshot in the original Google Doc]

Now Spotify will show up as a different source in the Mixer and will be different then the audio from my other sources

[Screenshot in the original Google Doc]

Now we want to tell OBS what audio track we want Spotify to be attached to so we need to select advanced audio options and since we don’t want the music to end up in the VOD we UNCHECK track 1

If you have your Monitoring device in OBS set to your PC Master Audio output device then if you “monitor” spotify while streaming that same audio is going to be heard via that device (like your Speakers or Headphones) so we need to make sure in OBS we are detailed in where we get audio from.

I am using the Unify virtual drivers because they are easy to follow as examples

  • Music - Spotify
  • Virtual - Streamerbot
  • Chat - Discord

And I am using the Outputs only so I have control of them in OBS and have control of the tracks.

Since I have each source added and none of them use my system Master output when I have the “Monitor and Output” option selected I can listen to say Spotify while streaming.

If you listen to Spotify on your PC other than when you stream you will have to be sure that the system output is back to your listening device. I don’t use Spotify on my PC other then when streaming so it never changes, however Discord I do have to change that output (or have the Unify software open)

Before you go live and want to check to make sure only the selected tracks make it to your VOD be sure to do a test recording but make sure the record settings match your VOD ones

Uncheck the audio track(s) you do NOT want in your video. In the example I used, anything on Track 1 is going to your VOD so uncheck tracks 2-6. If you have it set correctly then if you do a test stream and record it everything should sound normal while recording but when you play the recording back your music from track 2 should be missing.

For reference this is what mine looks like

SB_General is my bot and on the Virtual Output of the Rode UNIFY drivers and since it plays copy right music I don’t want that in my VODs

[Screenshot in the original Google Doc]

PLEASE if you have any questions or need help just ask. I don’t use every type of software but I will give it my best to walk you through any of this.