Help · article 1 of 9

Make your first take

Set up your input, open your music, and record a take you can listen back to.

What you need

Use a Mac running macOS 14.4 or newer. For guitar or bass, connect through a USB audio interface and use wired headphones. You can also try recording with the built-in microphone.

The two permissions

Follow the recording setup prompts. The permissions you need depend on the source of the music:

• ·Microphone: your instrument. This is how Afinar hears what you play, through your interface or the built-in mic.
• ·System audio: the music. macOS calls it Screen & System Audio Recording; Afinar uses it for sound only, never your screen. The song you play along to is captured straight from the source, not through a mic, so it lands in your take exactly as you heard it.

If you decline one and change your mind later, both live in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

The delay measurement

Follow the guided timing measurement for your audio input. If you change interfaces or your takes sound late, run the recording setup again from Settings.

Check your signal

Play a few notes and check the input meter. If it does not move, check your device, input channel, cable, and interface gain. Turn on monitoring and adjust the listening level through your headphones.

The first take

Open a tab or lesson page, or import a score and attach music. Press Record, start the music, and play along. Press Stop when you’re finished, then select the saved take to listen back.