How to record guitar or any instrument in your browser DAW
To record a real instrument in your browser: plug your audio interface into your computer first, open the Tracks studio, add an audio track, arm it, and pick your interface from the input list when the browser asks for microphone permission. From there it records exactly like a vocal take — count-in, levels, mix, export — no install and nothing uploaded.
Why this works: a browser only sees "audio input"
A browser doesn't know the difference between a laptop mic and a $300 audio interface — it just sees a list of input devices. When you plug in a USB audio interface (or a USB mic, or an audio-to-USB cable), it shows up in that same list. So the workflow for recording a guitar, a bass, a synth's line output, or a room mic on a drum kit is identical to recording vocals: connect the hardware, grant the browser permission, pick the right device, and record.
This means you don't need a native app or a plugin to get real instruments into Tracks. If your interface has working drivers for your OS and shows up as a system audio input, the browser can use it.
1. Connect your interface before you open the tab
Plug your audio interface into your computer and connect your instrument to it — a guitar or bass into an instrument (Hi-Z) input, a keyboard or synth into a line input, or a mic into an XLR input for room or amp recording. Do this before you open the studio, or refresh the page after connecting, so the browser's device list picks it up.
2. Arm a track and select the right input
Add an audio track in Tracks and arm it for recording. The first time you record, your browser prompts for microphone permission — this is the same permission browsers use for any audio input, interfaces included. If your system has more than one input device, check your browser's site settings (or the OS sound settings) to confirm the interface, not your built-in mic, is selected as the active input.
3. Set your level on the interface, not in the browser
Gain staging happens on the hardware. Turn up the interface's input knob while playing at your loudest passage, and watch the interface's own meter — you want a strong signal that never hits its red clip light. Do this before you hit record in Tracks; the software can't fix a signal that already clipped going in. Once the hardware level looks right, Tracks' input meter is there to confirm it, not to set it.
4. Record with a count-in
Turn on the count-in so you land on beat, then press record and play your part over the rest of the arrangement. Just like vocal takes, you can record multiple passes of the same section and they stack on the same clip — useful for guitar and bass parts where you want to comp together the cleanest phrases from a few takes.
5. Mix the instrument in
A DI'd guitar or bass usually needs more shaping than a mic'd source. Start with EQ: cut low rumble below where the instrument actually sits, and carve out any boxy buildup in the low-mids. A compressor evens out pick or finger dynamics so the part sits consistently in the mix. If the part feels thin next to programmed tracks, a touch of the built-in reverb or delay send can glue it into the room with everything else — and if the tone itself needs shaping, the creative FX (chorus, phaser, bitcrusher) work on a recorded instrument track the same as they do on a synth.
For a full breakdown of EQ, compression, and reverb decisions, see the guide on mixing a track.
6. Export
Bounce the finished song to WAV or MP3, or export the instrument as its own stem if you're finishing the mix somewhere else. Recording, mixing, and export all run locally — your performance never leaves your device.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need special software to use an audio interface with a browser DAW?
No. If your interface works as a standard input device on your operating system, the browser can select it directly — no drivers or plugins beyond what the interface already needed to connect to your computer.
Can I record a guitar plugged straight into my computer without an interface?
You need something to convert the instrument's line-level signal into something your computer's audio input accepts — a proper audio interface, or a mic in front of an amp. A guitar cable alone into a headphone jack won't produce a usable signal.
Will latency be a problem?
Latency depends mostly on your interface and its buffer settings, not on the browser. A dedicated USB audio interface with a reasonable buffer size performs the same in a browser as it would in most desktop software.
Is this free?
Yes — recording, mixing, and exporting in Tracks are free, with no account required. You only need your own instrument and interface.
Record your first instrument take
Free, in your browser. Just bring an interface.