How to Record Rap in Audacity Over a Beat

Audacity is free and works on Windows, Mac and Linux. It's not a full DAW like FL Studio or Logic Pro, but for recording rap over a beat it gets you a long way. You just need to get a few settings right. Here's how.

1. Choose your mic in Audio Settings

Open Audacity's preferences and go to Audio Settings. There you choose:

• Host: on Windows, according to Audacity, MME is the default and works with the most devices. On a Mac there's only Core Audio.
• Recording device: your audio interface or USB mic.
• Recording channels: set this to 1 (Mono). You have one voice, so mono is enough.

2. Put your beat in the project

Import your beat through File, Import, Audio, or just drag the file into Audacity. Don't know the tempo of the beat? Find it with Beat Lab.

3. Make sure you hear the beat while recording

Turn on Hear other tracks while recording. You'll find it in the recording preferences and in the Transport menu. According to the manual, your other tracks then play along when you hit record. With this off, you won't hear the beat.

4. Record on a new track

If you just hit record, Audacity may add your recording to the end of your beat on the same track. According to the manual, Shift + R records on a new track. You can also turn on Record on a new track in the recording preferences. Then the record button always does that.

5. Hearing yourself

Audacity has an option to hear your mic back through the computer: Software playthrough. According to the manual, you'll hear some delay with it. If your interface or USB mic has a headphone jack with direct monitoring, use that and leave Software playthrough off. Also read how to fix latency when recording vocals.

6. Set your gain

Set your gain on your interface or USB mic. Rap your loudest part and watch the recording meter in Audacity. If you hit the red, turn it down. Read distorted recording? How to prevent clipping.

7. Is your voice behind the beat?

Does your recording sound slightly late when you play it back? Then latency is involved. It takes a moment for your voice to be converted and written to your track. Audacity's manual calls that recording latency, and says it's often around 130 milliseconds on consumer equipment. That's why Audio Settings has Latency compensation. The manual describes a test to find the right value. A quick fix: nudge your recording a little earlier until it lines up with the beat.

8. Export

Done? Export your voice as a WAV through the File menu. Mute the beat if you only want to export your vocal, for example to get it mixed.

Want to do more, like effects while recording? Also look at how to record vocals in REAPER or how to record rap in BandLab. Need a beat? Browse all beats.

FAQ

Is Audacity free?

Yes. Audacity is free and works on Windows, Mac and Linux.

Why can't I hear the beat when I record?

Turn on Hear other tracks while recording. Then the beat plays along when you hit record.

Why does my recording end up after the beat?

Then Audacity is recording on the same track. Use Shift + R, or turn on Record on a new track in the recording preferences.

Source: the Audacity manual.