Recording BlackHole with Ableton Live
This guide shows you how to record audio from BlackHole into Ableton Live. Once your audio is routed to BlackHole, you can record it onto an audio track for editing, mixing, or use in your projects.
This guide assumes that BlackHole has already been configured as the output for the audio you want to record. For example, you might have your browser, media player, or another application sending audio to BlackHole.
Configure settings by clicking Live > Settings (or press Command + ,)
Set Audio Input Device to BlackHole 2ch (2 In, 2 Out)
Toggle Arm Recording on your selected audio track.
Select 1 / 2 Stereo Channel
Start Recording from your active audio source by clicking on the Record button or F9 (Fn+F9)
In this guide, we're recording audio from a YouTube video whose output has been set to BlackHole 2ch. The same steps apply to any application that outputs audio through BlackHole.
- Make sure BlackHole 2ch is selected as the Audio Input Device in Ableton Live.
- Verify that the audio track is armed for recording.
- Confirm that the track's input is set to 1/2 Stereo.
- Check that the source application is actually sending audio to BlackHole.
- Restart Ableton Live after installing BlackHole.
- If the device still doesn't appear, restart your Mac.
- Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
- Go to Privacy & Security → Microphone.
- Ensure Ableton Live is allowed to access the microphone.
- Restart Ableton Live if necessary.