Audio Tracks being weird

[Dougson]

So I've tested this in both Streamlabs OBS and OBS in the latest versions (2/5/21). Whenever I try to record in 2 audio tracks only 1 gets recorded. I have gone and made sure my headphones are track 1 and my microphone is track 2, AND I made sure that the first 2 tracks are being recorded in the output tab. So I have everything that should be there to work normally, but it does not work. I can only assume there is a Windows setting that has gone wack. I have 2 audio sources enabled on windows, (My monitor speaker and my headphones). and I have 1 microphone source enabled.
So my problem is that whenever I record with the two tracks only 1 of them actually is played in the video after I stop recording. I can tell that my microphone is picking up because I setup something to where when I speak, headphone output volume goes down. I'm thinking it's a windows problem. If anyone can help I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[FerretBomb]

Audio tracks do NOT play concurrently on playback. Think of them as language tracks on a DVD.
If you want an audio track where both the microphone AND desktop are audible at the same time, you'll need to have an audio track that both of them are checked on, not just the individual discrete audio tracks.
Example, I have Track 1 set up with both my Mic and Desktop. Track 2 is my Desktop only. Track 3 is my Mic only. So if I'm editing the video later in an NLE suite, I can use the discrete tracks on 2 and 3 to separately master each audio element. If I just want to watch the recording as-is, I set my video player to play the baked-together audio on track 1.

If you are playing the recording back in VLC, you can right-click on the video window, go to Audio, and choose which of the audio tracks to play back.

 

[MadFordpetal8]

I'm a total newbie, and I'm not good at this whole software thing (i have so little idea what I'm doing, I can't even ask for help correctly). can you explain how in the settings this is supposed to look? like, where I'm supposed to go and what buttons I'm supposed to click? i had to watch a half an hour video by a gamer on youtube to set up most of the settings, clicking along with the guy as he talked because i have bo idea what any of this means.

 

[FerretBomb]

I'm a total newbie, and I'm not good at this whole software thing (i have so little idea what I'm doing, I can't even ask for help correctly). can you explain how in the settings this is supposed to look? like, where I'm supposed to go and what buttons I'm supposed to click? i had to watch a half an hour video by a gamer on youtube to set up most of the settings, clicking along with the guy as he talked because i have bo idea what any of this means.

In the Advanced Audio Properties, you have six tracks. Six checkboxes for each audio source. If it's checked, that audio source goes to that track.
To have a unified AND discrete track available for each, you'd want to do something like have your Desktop audio with tracks 1 and 2 checked. Then have your microphone with 1 and 3 checked. That way both audio sources go to track 1 (so you can hear both at once on that track), just your desktop will be on track 2, and just your mic will be on track 3.

99.999% of YouTube 'settings guides' are absolutely awful. Generally it's best to just open OBS, go to the Tools menu, and run the Auto-Configuration Wizard.
If you would like to learn more about using OBS, I'd suggest watching through the Nerd or Die OBS Video Tutorial series. They go through most of the important stuff, to get new users up to speed.

 

[Dougson]

In the Advanced Audio Properties, you have six tracks. Six checkboxes for each audio source. If it's checked, that audio source goes to that track.
To have a unified AND discrete track available for each, you'd want to do something like have your Desktop audio with tracks 1 and 2 checked. Then have your microphone with 1 and 3 checked. That way both audio sources go to track 1 (so you can hear both at once on that track), just your desktop will be on track 2, and just your mic will be on track 3.

99.999% of YouTube 'settings guides' are absolutely awful. Generally it's best to just open OBS, go to the Tools menu, and run the Auto-Configuration Wizard.
If you would like to learn more about using OBS, I'd suggest watching through the Nerd or Die OBS Video Tutorial series. They go through most of the important stuff, to get new users up to speed.

Ok so I have mine setup like this now. Destop Audio tracks 1 & 2. Microphone tracks 1 & 3. I can hear both on the MP4 and I can turn down track 1 and have two separate tracks in my recording software now. Thank you so much! The answer was right there in front of me lmao

 

[MadFordpetal8]

okay, so i did that, and it sort of works. but although i can finally hear the game audio, it is still super quiet on the video itself. however, i have not been able to try it on vlc or a video editing software yet, so idk if the other 2 tracks are available. when I've tried before, the video editing software only gave me 1 audio track, even though it was supposed to record more than that. I'm recording in mp4 format. (i have not yet had a chance to watch those videos, but i did save the playlist for later...i am a college student and this is just a hobby, so i don't necessarily have much time to dedicate to this :( )

does anyone have a good fully free video editing software they'd recommend? i have lightworks, i just haven't made the free account they require to use it. also,

I'm recording to post on youtube (hence my need to record in mp4 format).

 

[FerretBomb]

okay, so i did that, and it sort of works. but although i can finally hear the game audio, it is still super quiet on the video itself. however, i have not been able to try it on vlc or a video editing software yet, so idk if the other 2 tracks are available. when I've tried before, the video editing software only gave me 1 audio track, even though it was supposed to record more than that. I'm recording in mp4 format. (i have not yet had a chance to watch those videos, but i did save the playlist for later...i am a college student and this is just a hobby, so i don't necessarily have much time to dedicate to this :( )

does anyone have a good fully free video editing software they'd recommend? i have lightworks, i just haven't made the free account they require to use it. also,

I'm recording to post on youtube (hence my need to record in mp4 format).

DaVinci Resolve is generally well-liked, and is free. I use Vegas, which comes up for cheap on Humble Bundle fairly regularly.

DO NOT RECORD TO MP4. If you need MP4s, after recording to MKV go into OBS' File menu, Remux Recordings. This will re-containerize the video into an MP4 and takes seconds. MP4 is NOT a recording-safe format, and most video editing programs hate the MP4s that OBS outputs natively anyway.

VLC is free and open-source. It takes seconds to download and less than a minute to install.