Recording pc audio using usb interface?

[BurnInNeverland]

So I have a cheap audiobox 2x2 usb interface and have been looking at the Focusrite 2i4. I already use it as the primary driver and audio output for my computer's audio so that I can use my monitors as speakers for general music listening/audio for anything else on my computer.

My question is can I route the audio from my pc out through say the first jack on my interface and then back in the 2nd input as audio in to record the sound to my DAW (using Reaper on PC).

My purpose in this is to be able to track guitar covers with the actual song in the background, specifically for songs I do not own the music/mp3s for and use streaming services to listen to them.

Never mind copyright laws and all that, but is this possible?

 

[TedEH]

An easier way to do it would be to use something like Audacity that can record the currently playing audio without wiring anything up. Then throw that into Reaper or whatever you use and do your cover on top of that.

 

[Winspear]

TedEH - that's actually a feature on some soundcards. If you can do it on Audacity, you can do it on any DAW. You would use your windows soundcard as the driver and hope that it displays "What U Hear" or "Stereo Mix" as an available input. If it doesn't, too bad.

And in that case, yes, you can use a cable. You would need to use both jacks (or headphone with a Y split cable) to get L and R if you want a stereo mix. You'd use TRS cables and set the input level to Line.

 

[BurnInNeverland]

So I was able to configure it in Reaper.

Options -> Preferences -> Device. Set Input device to the soundcard on the computer or whatever, in my case it shows Realtek High Definition Audio then my Output device set as Primary Sound Driver.

The only problem I have now is that for the windows sound configuration I have it set up to use the USB interface to handle all the audio. It will only record if I switch the windows sounds back to the built in soundcard (Realtek Audio). But then I don't get to hear the sound playback.

Anyone know how to get it to record the sound without switching the sound settings for windows?

 

[Winspear]

You'd need the cables for that I'm afraid. Is it essential to hear the playback? Make sure the meter level is ok, hit record, play the song, save the file, switch back to interface drivers and get on Could pop some headphones in the built in soundcard for this purpose if you want?
If you are streaming via youtube, you can just use a youtube audio ripper website by the way

 

[TedEH]

I just mentioned Audacity cause it's worked for me in cases where drivers or whatnot made it difficult or impossible to configure in other programs (like Reaper or something), but yeh, you're right otherwise. Also, having audacity set up to record that way leaves your Reaper settings untouched. Just comes down to personal workflow at that point.