BlackHole: Virtual Audio Driver
BlackHole is a modern MacOS virtual audio driver that allows applications to pass audio to other applications with zero additional latency.
Download Installer
Funding
Sponsor: https://github.com/sponsors/ExistentialAudio
Current Funding: $126 per month.
Goals
- $50 per month. Create installer for BlackHole 2ch that will work along side BlackHole 16ch. (in progress)
- $100 per month. One new detailed setup guide for each DAW. May: Logic Pro X June: GarageBand
- $200 per month. One video tutorial per month.
Table of Contents
- Features
- Easy Installation Instructions
- Usage Examples
- Advanced Installation Instructions
- Uninstallation Instructions
- Feature Requests
- FAQ
- Wiki
Features
- Supports 16 audio channels.
- Customizable to 256+ channels if you think your computer can handle it.
- Supports 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, and 192kHz sample rates.
- No additional driver latency.
- Works on macOS 10.10+ including macOS 10.15 Catalina
Easy Installation Instructions
- Download Installer
- Close all running audio applications
- Open and install package
BlackHole is also available using brew cask install blackhole
For more details visit https://github.com/ExistentialAudio/BlackHole/wiki/Installation
Visit the Wiki for application specific setup.
Usage Examples
Record System Audio
- Setup Multi-output Device
- In
Audio Midi Setup
->Audio Devices
Right-click on the newly created Multi-output and select "Use This Device For Sound Output" - Open digital audio workstation (DAW) such as GarageBand and set input device to "BlackHole"
- Set track to input from channel 1-2
- Play audio from another application and monitor or record in your DAW.
Route Audio Between Applications
- Set output driver to "BlackHole" in sending application
- Output audio to any channel
- Open receiving application and set input device to "BlackHole"
- Input audio from the corresponding output channels
Advanced Installation Instructions
- Build driver in Xcode
- Copy BlackHole.driver to
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL
- Restart CoreAudio with terminal command
sudo launchctl kickstart -kp system/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod
Uninstallation Instructions
- Delete BlackHole.driver by running
rm -fr /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/BlackHole.driver
NOTE: The directory issystem/Library
notuser/Library
- Restart CoreAudio with terminal command
sudo launchctl kickstart -kp system/com.apple.audio.coreaudiod
Need more help? Visit the wiki.
Feature Requests
If you are interested in any of the following features please leave a comment in the linked issue. To request a features not listed please create a new issue.
- Sync Clock with other Audio Devices
- Output Blackhole to other Audio Device
- Add Support for AU Plug-ins
- Inter-channel routing
- Record Directly to File
- Configuration Options Menu
- Support for Additional Bit Depths
FAQ
Why isn't BlackHole showing up in the Applications folder?
BlackHole is an audio interface driver. It only shows up in Audio MIDI Setup
, Sound Preferences
, or other audio applications.
How can I listen to the audio and use BlackHole at the same time?
How can I change the volume of a Multi-Output device?
Unfortunately macOS does not support changing the volume of a Multi-Output device but you can set the volume of individual devices in Audio MIDI Setup.
How can I use BlackHole with Audacity in Catalina?
Audacity is not compatible with Catalina. But there might be a work around.
Why is nothing is playing through BlackHole?
-
Check
System Preferences
->Security & Privacy
->Privacy
->Microphone
to make sure your digital audio workstation (DAW) has microphone access. -
Check that the volume is all the way up on BlackHole input and output in
Audio Midi Setup
. -
If you are using a multi-output device, due to issues with macOS the Build-in Output must be enabled and listed as the top device in the Multi-Output. https://github.com/ExistentialAudio/BlackHole/wiki/Multi-Output-Device#4-select-output-devices
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/HAL/
?
Where is Chances are you are looking in ~/Library/
or user/Library/
instead of /Library
.
Can I integrate BlackHole into my app?
BlackHole is licensed under GPL-3.0. You can use BlackHole as long as your app is also licensed as GPL-3.0. For all other applications contact me directly at devinroth@existential.audio.