How to Record Sound in Vista Without Stereo Mix

Stereo Mix may be undesirable when recording external audio input.

Stereo Mix is a great feature that enables computer users to capture and record all computer sounds from within the computer without the extra noise and static that occurs with speaker output. Stereo Mix is usually disabled by default in Windows Vista, but if you have enabled Stereo Mix and need to record audio that excludes computer sounds, you can disable Stereo Mix and use the Sound Recorder included with Vista for recording.

Things You'll Need

• Microphone plugged into a Windows Vista computer

Instructions

1. Right-click the "Speaker" icon in the taskbar notification area on the Windows Vista desktop and click "Recording devices" in the menu that appears.

2. Click the "Recording" tab in the "Sound" window that appears. Right-click on the "Stereo Mix" or "What U Hear" item in the list displayed and click "Disable" in the menu that appears.

3. Click the "Start" button on the Windows Vista desktop, and click "All Programs." Click "Accessories."

4. Click "Sound Recorder" in the menu that displays; the Sound Recorder window will appear.

5. Click "Start Recording" to record sound that is stored in a WAV file. Click "Stop Recording" once you have finished recording the audio you require.

6. Click the "File name" text box and enter a name for the sound recording file. Click the "Save" button.

References

• Microsoft Windows: Record Sound
• YouTube: How to Enable Stereo Mix in Vista and Set Devices