SoundRecorder

SoundRecorder Manual

Overview

SoundRecorder is a macOS application for production recording. It records BWF and WAV files with dependable timecode, production metadata, live monitoring, and a workflow that hands off cleanly to SoundPrepper. Key ideas  • Inputs and outputs are Core Audio devices. SoundRecorder supports up to 64 input channels, depending on the selected device.  • Files are written as BWF or WAV in mono or poly layouts. BWF mode also supports LR + ISO layouts for separate mix and isolated-track files.  • Metadata is written into BEXT and iXML chunks in BWF mode. Production metadata and channel names are locked while recording, post-roll, or finalization is active so the files keep the record-start metadata snapshot.  • Monitoring and routing stay separate from ISO recording. ISO tracks are recorded pre-fader; pan, volume, solo, and mute affect monitoring and mix routing, not the ISO source tracks.

Safety notes

SoundRecorder is designed to protect takes in the field, but you should still verify critical recordings and keep backups.  • Pre-roll and post-roll capture audio around the record button press so short lead-ins and tails are not missed.  • Safety splits and RF64 promotion / RIFF-safe splitting keep long takes below unsafe WAV size limits or promote BWF files to RF64 when needed.  • Recovery sidecars help repair unfinished SoundRecorder-created files after an unexpected exit. Recovery can patch container and data sizes from bytes already on disk, but it cannot recreate marker or metadata changes that only existed in memory.  • Disk durability checks warn about weak, degraded, or slow destination volumes. These warnings do not block recording, but they should be treated as a cue to choose a safer destination.  • Destination changes are blocked while recording, post-roll, or finalization is active so the active main and backup destination set stays stable.

Devices and file formats

Select a Core Audio input device, an output device for live monitoring, and one or more recording destinations.  • BWF mode writes BEXT and iXML metadata, supports markers, supports automatic RF64, and enables the LR + ISO layouts.  • WAV mode writes plain WAV audio with fmt/data chunks only. BWF metadata, markers, timecode metadata, LR + ISO layouts, and RF64 promotion are not written in WAV mode.  • Mono layouts create one mono file per recorded track. Poly layouts create one interleaved file containing all recorded tracks.  • BWF LR + ISO layouts create mix-track and ISO-track outputs for workflows that need a stereo mix plus isolated source tracks.  • Sample format can be 24-bit PCM or 32-bit float. Sample rates include 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, and 192 kHz.  • Recording destinations use macOS security-scoped access. The first enabled destination is the main destination; later enabled destinations are backup destinations.

Timecode

SoundRecorder supports several timecode sources:  • Wall clock — derived from the system clock.  • Manual — a user-entered start timecode, with Restart run, Free run, and Rec run modes.  • Audio LTC — linear timecode decoded from one selected audio input channel.  • MIDI MTC — MIDI Time Code decoded from a selected CoreMIDI source. Recording with Audio LTC or MIDI MTC requires a validated external lock at record start. If the source is missing, detecting, unstable, invalid, in holdover, or stale, SoundRecorder refuses to start the BWF recording instead of writing uncertain timecode metadata. MIDI MTC is system-common and not channelized, so SoundRecorder does not provide a MIDI MTC channel picker.

Metadata

BWF production metadata is embedded in BEXT and iXML chunks and can include:  • Project, scene, take, tape, circled/wild-track state, notes, user bits, and user info  • BEXT originator reference, UMID, coding history, and time reference  • iXML file-set identity, history, speed/timestamp, and track-list data  • Markers written as iXML sync points plus compatible RIFF cue/LIST marker data where possible  • Channel names for source, ISO, and mix tracks Production metadata fields and source/mix channel name fields are locked while recording, post-roll, or finalization is active. Marker labels and notes can be edited while the active recording segment is still open.

Monitoring and routing

Live monitoring provides per-channel control without changing what ISO source tracks capture.  • Arm controls whether a source or mix track is part of the recorded layout.  • Phase, solo, mute, pan, and volume affect monitoring and mix routing. They do not alter pre-fader ISO recordings.  • BWF mode can record armed ISO source tracks and armed Mix L/R tracks. Source channels can be assigned to ISO, Mix, or both.  • WAV mode records armed source channels as pre-fader tracks and hides BWF-only mix/assignment controls.  • Meters and clip indicators use the same display scale in the main app and the remote app.

Remote and controllers

SoundRecorder can be controlled from external surfaces and devices:  • iPhone / iPad remote app over a normal local IPv4 Wi-Fi/LAN connection advertised with Bonjour. The remote uses a pairing code and can control transport and channel state when the Remote App option is enabled.  • Simple MIDI CC for source-channel volume, pan, phase, solo, and mute.  • Mackie Control for transport, channel buttons, faders, V-Pots, markers, LEDs, scribble strips, meters, and motor-fader feedback.  • OSC over UDP for supported source-channel controls. Remote and controller input are optional and can be enabled from the Controllers tab.

Handoff to SoundPrepper

When SoundPrepper is already running on the same Mac, SoundRecorder can send finalized main-destination files directly to it for offload, metadata polishing, and reporting. Only finalized files from the main destination are sent. Backup destination copies are not sent, which avoids duplicate imports. The SoundPrepper import mode controls whether split-mono siblings are merged into one Production-table row or kept separate.

Keyboard shortcuts

These shortcuts are available from SoundRecorder's menus. Some commands are disabled when the current recording mode or transport state does not support them.

Transport

⌘ RRecord
⌘ .Stop
⇧ ⌘ SSplit the active recording
⌘ MAdd marker (BWF mode)

View

⇧ ⌘ HHide or show unarmed channels

Tools

⌥ ⌘ TOpen Timecode Compare (BWF mode)
⌥ ⌘ ,Open Advanced Settings