WaveGrab

Windows audio recorder that captures system audio and microphone simultaneously using WASAPI

Features • Why WaveGrab • Installation • Usage • Build

---

Features

• WASAPI Loopback - Records system audio from any output device (speakers, USB headsets, Bluetooth)
• Microphone Mixing - Combines mic input with system audio in real-time
• Universal Compatibility - Works with USB, Bluetooth, and built-in audio devices (unlike Stereo Mix)
• Independent Volume Controls - Separate sliders for system and microphone levels
• Real-time Visualization - Waveform display and level meters during recording
• MP3 Export - Automatic conversion to MP3 after recording
• Mini Mode - Compact always-on-top window while recording
• Pause/Resume - Pause recording without creating multiple files
• Persistent Settings - Remembers your device selection and preferences

Why WaveGrab?

Windows doesn't natively support recording microphone and system audio together. Existing solutions have drawbacks:

Solution	Problem
Stereo Mix	Doesn't work with USB/Bluetooth devices
VoiceMeeter	Complex virtual driver setup
OBS Studio	Overkill for audio-only recording
Paid software	Unnecessary cost for a simple task

WaveGrab solves this with a lightweight, single-purpose app using Windows WASAPI loopback - no virtual drivers, no complex setup.

Installation

Option 1: Download Release

Download the latest WaveGrab.exe from Releases.

Option 2: Run from Source

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/wavegrab.git
cd wavegrab

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
.\venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Run
python src/main_gui.py

FFmpeg (Required for MP3)

For MP3 conversion, download FFmpeg and place both ffmpeg.exe and ffprobe.exe in the bin/ folder, or add them to your system PATH.

Usage

1. Select Loopback Device - Choose which output device to record (what you hear)
2. Select Microphone - Choose your mic input (optional)
3. Adjust Volumes - Set levels for system and mic independently
4. Click REC - Start recording
5. Click STOP - Stop and save as MP3

Tips

• Use Test button to check audio levels before recording
• Mini Mode keeps a small window on top while you work
• Recordings are saved with timestamp: recording_2025-01-25_143022.mp3
• Config is saved automatically - your settings persist between sessions

Build from Source

Requirements

• Python 3.12+
• Windows 10/11 (64-bit)

Build Executable

# Activate virtual environment
.\venv\Scripts\activate

# Install PyInstaller
pip install pyinstaller

# Build
.\build.bat

The executable will be created in dist/WaveGrab.exe.

Tech Stack

• Python 3.12
• PyAudioWPatch - WASAPI loopback support
• NumPy - Audio processing and mixing
• soundfile - WAV file I/O
• pydub - MP3 conversion
• Tkinter - GUI

Project Structure

wavegrab/
├── src/
│   ├── main_gui.py      # Entry point
│   ├── devices.py       # WASAPI device enumeration
│   ├── recorder.py      # Audio capture
│   ├── mixer.py         # Stream mixing
│   ├── config.py        # Settings persistence
│   ├── mp3_converter.py # FLAC to MP3 conversion
│   └── gui/
│       ├── app.py       # Main window
│       ├── controller.py# Recording logic
│       └── widgets.py   # Custom UI components
├── assets/              # Icons
├── requirements.txt     # Python dependencies
├── build.spec          # PyInstaller config
└── build.bat           # Build script

License

MIT License - feel free to use, modify, and distribute.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to:

• Report bugs
• Suggest features
• Submit pull requests

---

Made with Python and WASAPI