Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is a popular tool for live streaming and recording videos. It is a free and open-source software that allows users to capture and mix audio and video sources. However, sometimes you may want to separate audio sources in OBS to have more control over your audio output. In this article, we will discuss how to separate audio in OBS and why it is important.
Why Separate Audio in OBS?
Separating audio in OBS can be useful in many situations. For example, if you are live streaming a game and want to add background music, you can separate the game audio and music audio to adjust their volume levels independently. Similarly, if you are recording a podcast or a video tutorial, you may want to separate your microphone audio from your computer audio to edit them separately.
How to Separate Audio in OBS
There are two main ways to separate audio in OBS: using audio filters and using virtual audio cables. Let’s discuss each method in detail.
Using Audio Filters
The first method to separate audio in OBS is by using audio filters. Audio filters are built-in tools in OBS that allow you to modify the audio output of a source. Here’s how to use audio filters to separate audio in OBS:
- Open OBS and add your audio source (e.g., microphone, game audio, music audio) to your scene.
- Right-click on the audio source and select “Filters” from the context menu.
- In the Filters window, click on the “+” button to add a new filter.
- Select “Gain” from the list of filters and click “OK”.
- Adjust the gain slider to set the volume level of the audio source.
- Repeat steps 3-5 to add more filters for other audio sources.
- Click “OK” to close the Filters window.
By using the Gain filter, you can adjust the volume level of each audio source independently. You can also add other filters, such as Noise Gate, Compressor, and EQ, to further modify the audio output.
Using Virtual Audio Cables
The second method to separate audio in OBS is by using virtual audio cables. Virtual audio cables are software tools that allow you to route audio between different applications or devices. Here’s how to use virtual audio cables to separate audio in OBS:
- Download and install a virtual audio cable software, such as VB-Audio Virtual Cable or Voicemeeter Banana.
- Open OBS and add your audio sources to your scene.
- Open the virtual audio cable software and create two virtual audio cables.
- Set one virtual audio cable as your default playback device and the other as your default recording device.
- In OBS, go to “Settings” > “Audio” and set the “Desktop Audio Device” to the virtual audio cable that you set as your default playback device.
- Set the “Mic/Auxiliary Audio Device” to the virtual audio cable that you set as your default recording device.
- Adjust the volume levels of your audio sources in OBS.
By using virtual audio cables, you can route the audio output of each source to a different virtual cable and then record or stream each cable separately. This method gives you more control over your audio output and allows you to edit each source separately.
Conclusion
Separating audio in OBS can be a useful technique to have more control over your audio output. By using audio filters or virtual audio cables, you can adjust the volume levels of each audio source independently and edit them separately. Whether you are live streaming a game, recording a podcast, or creating a video tutorial, separating audio in OBS can help you achieve a better audio quality and a more professional result.
