A hand with your next take

Support.

From the first connection to the finished album, here’s how to get the most out of Capture.

When asking for help, include your macOS and Capture versions, audio-interface model, selected sample rate and channel pair, and what happened. For monitoring issues, include the output device and any message in Technical diagnostics. Please leave your Discogs token out of screenshots and messages.

Download and install

Download Capture 0.2.1 for macOS, unzip the archive, and move After2AM Capture to your Applications folder. This universal build supports Apple Silicon and Intel Macs running macOS 14 or later.

The SHA-256 companion file is available if you want to verify the archive. In Terminal, with both files in the same folder, run shasum -a 256 -c After2AM-Capture-0.2.1-macOS-universal.zip.sha256.

What you need

A Mac running macOS 14 or later.
A Core Audio input device with a stereo input, such as a Scarlett audio interface.
A connected source: a turntable, CD player, cassette deck, reel-to-reel player, or another stereo source.
For a turntable, an appropriate phono preamp between the cartridge and the interface’s line input, unless your turntable already supplies a suitable line-level output.
Space for the uncompressed side masters and exported FLAC files, on your Mac or an external drive.

Set up stereo monitoring

Connect your source to the audio interface. Set the analog recording level on the interface; Capture has no software gain control.
Open Capture and grant audio-input access when macOS asks. If access was denied, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
Select the input device and stereo channel pair in the monitor.
Choose the output in macOS, then click Start Monitoring. Selecting an input in Capture does not change your Mac’s system-wide input.
Watch the stereo meters. The outlined peak LED holds briefly; Peak Memory keeps the highest level from the current monitoring run. Click a channel’s peak number to release that maximum. The clip indicator is cleared separately.

The input and output can use different sample rates. Capture converts the monitoring signal automatically while the recording keeps the input’s native rate and integer resolution.

Create an album capture

Click Capture in the monitor to open the separate Album Capture window, then choose New Capture.
Enter a Discogs Release ID, search with your personal Discogs token, or fill in metadata manually. Check the edition, side assignments, track order, and artwork.
Choose the audio source and where to save the project. External SSD storage is supported. Each .a2capture folder keeps metadata, local artwork, original CAF masters, waveform caches, and an Exports directory together.
Select a physical side, choose Record Side, and play the source. When the side finishes, choose Stop Recording.

Input-device and channel selection are locked during recording. Closing the Capture window keeps the project and active recording running; click Capture to return. Quitting the app finalizes the active take.

Review and mark the tracks

Zoom into the waveform and add or drag numbered track starts. 1 / START sets the first track’s start; END sets the last track’s end. Start times and track lengths update as you drag.

Use Listen before/after to audition a boundary. A side with four expected tracks needs three internal boundaries. Move the outer handles to trim unwanted audio, or choose Reset side trim from the waveform context menu to restore the original edges. All these changes leave the master untouched.

If you recorded the wrong physical side, drag its tab onto the correct side’s tab, or use Swap recording with in the side’s context menu. Recordings, trim, and boundaries move together. Expected track lists stay in album order, so check the markers after a swap.

Export a side or an album

Choose Export Side or Export Album and select a destination. It can be inside or outside the project. Capture exports FLAC at the master’s sample rate and bit depth, with track and album metadata, numbering, source tags, and the local cover embedded.

The boundary count must match the expected track count. Each export uses a fresh folder, so you can refine your edits and export again without replacing the master.

Common questions

I can’t hear the input.

Check the interface’s analog input level, the stereo pair, audio-input permission, and Capture’s mute state. Confirm that Start Monitoring is active and macOS is using the intended output. The app starts with monitoring stopped.

Can I listen through AirPlay or HomePod?

Capture follows the default Core Audio output reported by macOS, rebuilding the monitor route when that output changes. AirPlay and HomePod routes depend on macOS exposing them as the default output. HomePod switching still needs validation in the real listening setup.

Why has a recording stopped?

Input-device changes, unsupported formats, input stalls, and writer or queue errors stop capture and retain the available master. Review the interruption reason, audition the take, and explicitly accept an incomplete recording before export.

Why is export blocked?

Check that the side has a nonempty, completed recording and that the internal boundary count is one fewer than the expected tracks. An interrupted take needs explicit acceptance. Export Album requires every side to be ready.

Does Discogs need to stay connected?

No. Release metadata and artwork are copied into the project. You can reopen, edit, and export it offline. Artist/album search needs a personal token; a specific Release ID lookup can work without one. Tokens are stored in macOS Keychain.

Does Capture restore clicks or detect songs automatically?

The current workflow uses manual track markers. It does not include click removal, silence detection, automatic track naming, AI processing, corrective EQ, or music-library management.

Your recordings and privacy

Your projects and audio masters stay in the storage location you choose. Read the privacy page for details about local files and optional Discogs requests.