Separate game, Discord and music audio in OBS and recording tracks

A dictionary without difficult abbreviations

Step by step · 1–4

1. Action

   Record your current configuration and note which source captures the entire desktop.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   You have a reference point before changing the routing.

2. Action

   Check the system and version of OBS; Application audio capture requires support for this feature.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   You are not looking for an option that is not available on your system.

3. Action

   On supported Windows, add the Application Audio Capture source.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   You choose a specific program instead of the entire desktop.

4. Action

   Run the game and point to its window in the source properties.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   The meter reacts to the game.

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Step by step · 5–8

5. Action

   Add Discord in the same way if you want to regulate the conversation separately.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   Conversation has its own slider.

6. Action

   Add a music player app or Thunderstream as a separate source.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   Music has an independent track.

7. Action

   Disable global desktop capture if you capture the same applications separately.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   You can't record one sound in two ways.

8. Action

   Check to see if Game Capture or Window Capture is already capturing audio of the same game.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   No further copy is made.

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Step by step · 9–12

9. Action

   Play the game, conversation and music in sequence while observing the meters.

   ✓ After this step you will see

   Each attempt moves you on the right track.

10. Action

    Open Advanced Sound Properties.

    ✓ After this step you will see

    Path assignments are visible.

11. Action

    Assign all needed sources to track 1 as a common mix.

    ✓ After this step you will see

    A regular player will hear the full recording.

12. Action

    For example, also assign microphone to track 2, game to track 3, and talk to track 4.

    ✓ After this step you will see

    Separate materials are created for later assembly.

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Step by step · 13–16

13. Action

    In the advanced recording output, select the tracks you use and the format that supports them.

    ✓ After this step you will see

    OBS will actually save the selected channels.

14. Action

    Record a short rehearsal with sounds triggered one at a time.

    ✓ After this step you will see

    You can verify the assignments.

15. Action

    In the player or editor, switch tracks; don't assume they're all playing at the same time.

    ✓ After this step you will see

    You check the mix and isolated sources separately.

16. Action

    If you set Twitch VOD Track, assign the LIVE output and archive consciously according to the documentation.

    ✓ After this step you will see

    You know which sources go into the platform recording.

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The most common cause of an echo is two paths of the same sound

When Desktop Audio collects everything from your device, and you also add the game separately, the game may end up in the mix twice. Similarly, if your game capture already contains audio and you add another application source. Always check one sound and meters at a time.

The app audio capture described here is for supported Windows and OBS. In Linux, the separation method depends on the audio system used and the sources available. Do not copy a Windows manual if such a source is not available in your program.

VOD track and music rights

The separate Twitch VOD track technically allows you to decide what goes into the archive, but it does not give you a license to play the music publicly. Content can still be heard on LIVE and the platform's rules apply regardless of recording settings.

After changing tracks, check both your own file and your stream output settings. Recording and broadcasting settings can use different tracks. Name your sources clearly: Game, Voice, Talk and Music so you can easily spot the mistake.

An example you can reproduce

Example division: track 1 = microphone + game + conversation; 2 = microphone only; 3 = game only; 4 = conversation only. A regular player can only play one selected track. If you only hear a voice on track 2, that's the expected result, not the rest of the recordings.

What do you see on the screen and how to fix it

Fix one thing at a time and try the same thing again. If you change several options at the same time, it will be difficult to determine what solved the problem. Don't delete a working source or entire configuration just because one widget isn't responding.

If you still need help, write down the program name and version, platform, approximate time of trial, expected result, and what actually happened. Attach a dump without passwords, keys and full private links. This description is much more useful than just the "not working" message.

Last attempt before use on LIVE

1. Save the changes using the button assigned to the edited function. If there are separate forms, check each changed part separately.
2. Open the settings again and compare the most important values. Simply moving the slider does not always mean a permanent save.
3. Check the result outside the editor itself: on the target scene, in the recording, or in the reopened configuration.
4. If the function uses the platform, separately acknowledge the new handled event during the active LIVE. Don't expect the appearance test to confirm account authorization.
5. Save the working values ​​and make a copy before the next major change. Next time you start up, start with a quick check.

Frequently asked questions