Audio Stream Capture
Grab Songs from Any Streaming Service
Are you looking to record streaming music? Most streaming services don’t let you download songs to your computer. With Song Surgeon’s Audio Stream Capture (ASC), you can accomplish the same goal: create a clean, digital recording of any track as it plays on your machine—ready to save, organize, and edit in Song Surgeon. ASC works with popular services as a Spotify audio recorder and is compatible with Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Pandora.
Note: On both Mac and Windows, ASC may require a brief one-time configuration to work with your computer’s audio.
Why use Audio Stream Capture?
- Get a local copy when no download exists. If a site doesn’t provide a download button, audio stream capture lets you record the audio you’re already allowed to hear—right on your computer.
- High-quality digital sound. ASC captures the system audio stream, producing very good quality digital recordings. For the cleanest results, turn off notification and system sounds before recording so they don’t get captured alongside the music.
- One click to edit. When you’re done, you can open the result directly in Song Surgeon for tempo change, key change, looping, EQ, and more.
How it works (fast & simple)
- Set your level. In ASC, adjust the input volume to about 75–95%.
- Start playback. Go to your streaming site of choice and cue up the song you want.
- Record. Click Start in ASC, then play the song. When the track finishes, click Stop.
Review, Save, and Work in Song Surgeon
- Preview first. Tap Preview to confirm quality; if something isn’t right, click Start Over to discard and try again.
- Save your file. Choose Save or Save As. By default, ASC stores recordings here:
C:\Users\…\Documents\Song Surgeon 6\Audio Capture. - Open in Song Surgeon. Click Open in SS to begin editing immediately. (If you open without saving first, remember to Export from Song Surgeon to keep a copy.)
- Best practice: We recommend saving in ASC first, then opening in Song Surgeon.
Portable Audio with Full Song Surgeon Control
When you use ASC, you will be creating a standard audio file. It can be saved as a .wav or .mp3 file. This audio file can be used in the same way you would use other audio files. Once saved, it is fully portable and can be moved from your PC to your phone, or iPad or another device.
And of course, within Song Surgeon you can do all of those things SS allows you to do including:
- Change key, tempo, volume, EQ and more
- Insert Beat and/or tempo marker
- See the chords and/or notes for piano, guitar, uke, and mandolin
- Isolate and loops segments of a song in slow motion to learn more quickly
With Audio Stream Capture, Song Surgeon gives you a straightforward way to record streaming music you’re allowed to hear, saving it as a high-quality digital recording so you can study it, practice it, and make it part of your workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions: Audio Stream Capture
Is Audio Stream Capture compatible with all major streaming platforms?
Yes! Audio Stream Capture (ASC) works with virtually any platform played on your computer, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora, and web browsers. As long as you can hear the audio playing on your machine, ASC can record it.
How do I make sure my recorded music is clean and free of background noise?
Since ASC captures your computer’s system audio, it delivers high-quality digital recordings. To ensure the cleanest result, simply turn off system notifications, chimes, or other background app sounds before hitting record so they don't get captured along with your track.
What file formats can I save my captured audio in, and can I transfer them to other devices?
Recordings can be saved as standard .wav or .mp3 files. Once saved, these files are fully portable, meaning you can easily transfer them to your iPhone, Android, iPad, or any other device just like any standard music file.
Save Any Track for Practice
Turn Song Surgeon into your ultimate Spotify audio recorder. Easily record streaming music from Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube with one click, then instantly slow it down, change keys, or isolate chords.