How to Record Guitar in Audacity: Easy Step-by-Step Tutorial

Find out how to record guitar in Audacity with this straight-to-the-point step-by-step tutorial. This tutorial also looks at how to use guitar effects and plugins in Audacity.

The above guide also includes solutions to common problems people often have in Audacity.

If you find this tutorial helpful, please let me know in the comments so I know if I should make more of them (let me know what tutorial you would like to see).

Video Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:33 Connect Your Guitar
1:00 Set up Audio Device
2:43 Check Audio Levels
3:52 Record
5:03 Effects and Plugins
6:04 More Information

[viorelush]

I just can't believe how well you explained this. I never used any recording programs, but now I feel like I could do it easily. Wonderful tutorial!

[TheMichaelseymour]

thank you -as a seasoned home recording enthusiast, i have started in late 80s on tascam 4 track- then to a digital korg 12 trk - then a DAW cakewalk "music creator 5 " ...of which i used till couple of months ago - and my PC was FULL of original music ...i then went out and got a tascam 8 trk ...apx month ago...cant figure it out - took me years to get the cakewalk program down ...and for somebody with A.D.D ..
This is upsetting to now have to find a new DAW ...tried band lab last week ...not intuitive to me ....so THIS simple platform is going to keep me happy till i find something i like ...so BIG thnx ....really helping me as i am missing recording like mad vid

[mangsiginting]

After recording for 30 seconds, the sound I recorded becomes distorted. Please advise what to do. Thanks.

[paulo]

Very well-done, informative tutorial. Thanks.

[carambafunciona]

Thank you for the video, great advices!

[spencerjames]

Will this work if your guitar is connected to a pedal?

[crazystrings]

This channel has far less subscribers than it should have for the detail in every video plus the replies to the queries. Will try to spread it !

[crazystrings]

Thanks man you cleared a lot of stuff for me. But I have a question, I want to record acoustic guitar and a audio interface is not in my budget, so what would be better, a guitar pickup (mine doesn't have an inbuilt one) or a USB mic ?

[marspazz]

Every time I record, my recording doesn’t line up with the instrumental when I play it back

[AxelAlexK]

I have an M Track Duo interface. My issue is Audacity for some reason won't let me listen and record through the interface at the same time. If I select the interface as both the input and playpack device audacity just won't do anything when I hit record. If I use my computer speakers for the playback device it will work, but then I get lag so it's not usable. I'm trying to record a song with multiple parts...anyone have any ideas? This is driving me nuts.

[errolsim]

i connected a bass. i can only hear it on playback. is there a way i can hear it even when not on recording?

[almondjones]

Can I do this without an interface but just guitar to USB?

[markjoseph]

Cool tutorial bro❤️i have a question. Does irig 1 okay to use in audacity?

[exar]

Hey
When I plug in effects in audacity it ruins the whole track n messes up the noise n the whole thing goes to mute. The first time I did it was workin fine! I've reseted all the settings, uninstall n reinstalled the software n have checked every aspect of that'd come to mind if anyone else has dealt with this gimme a hint it's drivin me mental

[JesseOrSomething]

when i press play or record it resets amplitube to the default preset

[chronicallyacute]

Great video! I was just wondering if it would work with a regular iRig 2?

[nd]

Hi ! Thank you very much for this tutorial. But I still have a problem to record. Recording doesn't start because sounds doesn't arrive in Audacity. I use Zoom 505 II guitar on my interface Behringer UMC404HD, with headphone plugged in interface, and I hear the sound of my guitar, but no one signal appears on Audacity. Why ? I'm lost... 😥

[techdan]

Hi, great video. I was hoping you would go further into showing a recording sample. I can't figure out how to start recording from a select point in the track. Whenever i click record it starts recording at the end. If i press Shift + R then it starts recording from the beginning. I can't figure out how to record from the middle of a selected track. Any help appreciated.

[Breathemusic]

I have my scarlet hooked up to my computer (windows) with external speakers using bias fx 2 and its working fine. When i am in audacity i can record the guitar but it just sounds clean, and is not translating the tonal characteristics from bias fx 2 while recording. I also looked in plug ins and do not see anything related to bias or positive grid....PLEASE HELP?!!!

[Nteyrve]

I tried adjusting the buffering and latency compensation to get rid of latency but this did nothing no matter what i changed the buffering and latency compensation to. I still get delay and a horribly distorted signal. Any ideas?