User Guide

Getting started

NovaStudio 8.7 is a browser-based four-track recorder. Your songs are stored locally on your device - in a folder you choose when your browser supports it, or in the browser's own device storage when a workspace folder is not available. Chrome/Edge on desktop and Android are fully supported; Safari/iOS support is available using the browser's built-in storage.

No account is required and nothing is uploaded to a server. The first time you use the app you pick a workspace folder (or let the browser manage storage), create a song, and start recording.

Workspace & songs

• If you see Choose workspace folder, click it and pick or create a root folder. When the browser's own storage is used instead, this step is skipped.
• Open the Song manager to create a new song or open an existing one.
• Each song is stored as its own folder when a workspace is chosen, or in the browser's own device storage when one is not available. You can delete a song from the Open tab.

Recording

• Arm a track by pressing its R button.
• Press REC to enable record mode, then PLAY to start.
• Only one track records at a time. Recording overwrites whatever was on the armed track.
• Click Enable, then use the Input dropdown to choose your mic/audio interface and the Gain slider to boost quiet sources like acoustic guitar.
• The browser's noise suppression and auto-gain are disabled so instruments come through cleanly.
• Tick Monitor to hear the live input while recording. It's off by default - only enable it on headphones, or the mic will feed back through your speakers and hiss/howl.
• For the tightest sync, record with headphones. The app requests low-latency audio and auto-compensates for the reported output plus microphone latency, and the Latency control lets you fine-tune it - drag the slider or type an exact value (0–300 ms) in the box next to it (see Tips).
• Enable the CLICK button on the transport to hear a metronome while playing or recording. Set the BPM box to your tempo - it defaults to 120 BPM and is off by default.

Monitoring & latency compensation

Latency is the small delay between when you play a note and when you hear it back through your headphones or speakers. NovaStudio asks the browser for the lowest possible input and output latency, then measures the reported delay and trims that many samples from the start of each new take.

Most of the time this keeps overdubs aligned automatically. If a take still sounds late or early against the backing tracks, use the Latency offset in the input bar. Positive values move the take earlier (trim more from the start); the number is in milliseconds and is saved per device. Small changes of 10–30 ms are usually enough.

Leave Monitor off unless you are wearing headphones. On laptop speakers the live input will feed back, causing a high-pitched whistle or low hum that can ruin a take and damage your ears.

Performance advice

• Record a rough guide track first, even if it is simple. It gives every overdub a timing reference and makes it much easier to stay in time.
• Leave headroom. Aim for peaks around -12 dB to -6 dB so a loud transient does not clip. You can always raise the fader later; clipped digital audio cannot be repaired.
• Record in a quiet room and face away from reflective surfaces. Hard walls and windows create echoes that muddy the mix.
• When overdubbing, use one ear of the headphone free or keep the click volume low so you can hear your own timing and intonation naturally.
• Do multiple takes. You can re-record over the armed track until you are happy, then move on to the next layer.

Click track

• Toggle CLICK on the transport to turn the metronome on or off. The first click of each four-beat measure is a higher-pitched accent so you can hear where the bar starts.
• Set the BPM box to your tempo - 20 to 300 beats per minute, defaulting to 120 BPM.
• Use headphones when recording with the click track. The click is played through your speakers so it is not mixed into the take, but if it is loud enough your microphone can still pick it up and bleed onto the recording.

Mixer basics

The mixer is where the separate tracks become a balanced song. Each strip has a vertical fader for level, a pan knob for stereo placement, and mute and solo buttons.

• Fader: sets the track volume. Start with every fader near unity and bring the loudest element down rather than pushing quiet tracks up.
• Pan: places the sound left or right. Panning similar instruments away from each other creates width and keeps the mix from sounding crowded.
• Mute (M): silences a track. Active mutes are amber.
• Solo (S): plays only the soloed track. Active solos are yellow. Multiple solos can be active at once.
• On mobile, swipe the mixer horizontally to reach all tracks.

A good rough mix usually has the lead element (a vocal or main instrument) loudest, with rhythm and chord parts supporting it. Bass and low-frequency parts sit more central, while higher-pitched parts can be panned out to the sides.

WAV vs MP3 export

When the song is balanced, press Export mix to render a final stereo file. You can choose between two formats:

• WAV: uncompressed, full-quality audio. Use WAV when you plan to master the track elsewhere, submit it to a distributor, or keep an archive. Files are larger.
• MP3: compressed audio that is much smaller and easy to share. Use MP3 for demos, email attachments, or uploads to streaming and social platforms. The default bitrate gives good quality for voice and music.

With a workspace folder the exported file is saved into the song folder; otherwise it is downloaded or shared to your device. On iOS/Safari the share sheet may appear so you can save the mix.

Exporting & saving

• Press Save song to write the project metadata and WAV files to your workspace or to the browser's own device storage.
• Press Export mix to render a final stereo WAV or MP3 mixdown. With a workspace folder the mix is saved into the song folder; otherwise it is downloaded or shared to your device. On iOS/Safari the share sheet may appear so you can save the mix.

Troubleshooting

• No input signal: make sure you have selected the correct input and raised the Gain slider. Some audio interfaces need their own hardware gain knob turned up too.
• Recording sounds late or out of sync: adjust the Latency offset in the input bar. Add a small positive value (10–40 ms) until the new take lines up with the existing tracks.
• Hiss, hum, or howl while recording: turn Monitor off or use headphones. The microphone is picking up the speakers. Also check that gain is not too high.
• Click track bleeds into the recording: lower the click volume or switch to headphones. The click is not recorded directly, but it can be picked up by the mic.
• Clipping or distortion: lower the Gain or move the fader down. Digital clipping happens when the signal exceeds 0 dB.
• Songs or files disappear: if you did not choose a workspace folder, data lives in browser/device storage which can be cleared automatically. Export your mixes and back them up regularly.

Tips

• If a freshly recorded track plays back later than the others, raise the Latency value (drag the slider or type it in the box) until they line up. The setting is remembered between sessions, so calibrate it once per device.
• Hearing a loud hiss or howl while recording? Turn Monitor off (or switch to headphones) - that's the mic picking up your speakers.
• Recording with the CLICK track? Use headphones so the click does not bleed into your microphone.
• If the meter barely moves while recording, raise the input gain before the fader.
• Keep backups: your files are only on the device - in the folder you chose or in the browser's own device storage. Browser/device storage can be cleared automatically to free up space, especially on iOS/Safari, and the app cannot recover it. Export and back up your mixes regularly.