When I record audio I get a flat line/silence

If you get silence when recording audio, make sure you are selecting the proper input for your audio track. For example, if your audio interface has two inputs, the inputs that will most likely show up in Sonar as:

Left Input 1-2

Right Input 1-2

Stereo Input 1-2

If you are plugging into input 1 on your device, select Left Input 1-2. If you are plugging into input 2, select Right Input 1-2. If you are plugging into both, select Stereo Input 1-2.

If you are selecting the correct input in Sonar, but still recording silence, make sure the input on your sound card or audio interface is configured properly. Many external audio interfaces have physical Gain or Sensitivity knobs for their pre-amps. Many also have stand-alone control panels in Windows for controlling the input level and enabling Phantom Power, if necessary, for condenser microphones.

If you are using the internal sound card in your computer, make sure you are turning up the input level on your internal sound card:

1.	To open the Windows sound properties, right-click the small speaker icon near the system clock and select Sounds on the pop-up menu, or go to Start > Control Panel > Sound.

2.	Click the Recording tab.

3.	Right-click the input you are trying to record to and select Properties on the pop-up menu.

4.	Click the Levels tab.

5.	Adjust the slider to increase the amount of input signal.

 

More Frequently asked questions.