Answers.Body: <p>With <code>1:0</code> you're including the video input from <em>FaceTime HD Camera</em>. Try:</p>
  
  <pre><code>ffmpeg -f avfoundation -i ":0" output.wav
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This only selects audio device <code>0</code> which is <em>Soundflower (2ch)</em>.</p>
  
  <p>See <a href="https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-devices.html#avfoundation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">avfoundation input device documentation</a> for more info.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-04-25T17:08:23.000Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-04-25T17:08:23.000Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: llogan
Body: <p>I installed <a href="https://github.com/mattingalls/Soundflower" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Soundflower</a> with <code>brew cask install soundflower</code> and I see it listed:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$ ffmpeg -f avfoundation -list_devices true -i ""
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] AVFoundation video devices:
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [0] FaceTime HD Camera
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [1] Capture screen 0
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] AVFoundation audio devices:
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [0] Soundflower (2ch)
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [1] Built-in Microphone
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [2] Soundflower (64ch)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I found several threads on recording the screen without system sound (<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/35590500/ffmpeg-record-output-audio-for-mac">one</a>, <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19828236/how-to-record-audio-with-ffmpeg-on-linux">two</a>, <a href="https://superuser.com/questions/1154806/how-can-i-record-audio-from-the-microphone-with-ffmpeg">three</a>) and one about <a href="https://askubuntu.com/questions/682144/capturing-only-desktop-audio-with-ffmpeg">recording audio on Linux with ALSA</a>. I could not find how to record audio only, without video.</p>
  
  <p>I also tried this command to record the audio along with the screen <code>ffmpeg -f avfoundation -i "1:0" ~/Downloads/Screen.mov</code>, and I got an error <code>Conversion failed!</code>.</p>
  
  <p>How can I record system sound to a file with FFMPEG?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-04-22T17:31:35.130Z
Comments.Text: Try `ffmpeg -f avfoundation -i ":0" output.wav`. If it fails provide the complete log.
Comments.UserDisplayName: llogan
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-04-25T07:32:26.983Z
Comments.Text: Yes, it worked, and it was that simple. Can you write an answer?
Comments.UserDisplayName: emonigma
Tags: <ffmpeg>
Title: How to record system sound without video?
UserDisplayName: emonigma
ThreadText: # How to record system sound without video?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-21)
  
  I installed [Soundflower](https://github.com/mattingalls/Soundflower) with `brew cask install soundflower` and I see it listed:
  
  ```
  $ ffmpeg -f avfoundation -list_devices true -i ""
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] AVFoundation video devices:
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [0] FaceTime HD Camera
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [1] Capture screen 0
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] AVFoundation audio devices:
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [0] Soundflower (2ch)
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [1] Built-in Microphone
  [AVFoundation input device @ 0x7f9a32515e80] [2] Soundflower (64ch)
  
  ```
  
  I found several threads on recording the screen without system sound ([one](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/35590500/ffmpeg-record-output-audio-for-mac), [two](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/19828236/how-to-record-audio-with-ffmpeg-on-linux), [three](https://superuser.com/questions/1154806/how-can-i-record-audio-from-the-microphone-with-ffmpeg)) and one about [recording audio on Linux with ALSA](https://askubuntu.com/questions/682144/capturing-only-desktop-audio-with-ffmpeg). I could not find how to record audio only, without video.
  
  I also tried this command to record the audio along with the screen `ffmpeg -f avfoundation -i "1:0" ~/Downloads/Screen.mov`, and I got an error `Conversion failed!`.
  
  How can I record system sound to a file with FFMPEG?
  
  **Tags:** ffmpeg
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Try `ffmpeg -f avfoundation -i ":0" output.wav`. If it fails provide the complete log.  
  > **username_0**: Yes, it worked, and it was that simple. Can you write an answer?  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2019-04-25. Score: 1 | Accepted answer
  
  With `1:0` you're including the video input from *FaceTime HD Camera*. Try:
  
  ```
  ffmpeg -f avfoundation -i ":0" output.wav
  
  ```
  
  This only selects audio device `0` which is *Soundflower (2ch)*.
  
  See [avfoundation input device documentation](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-devices.html#avfoundation) for more info.
  
  
  ---
  
  