Recording

Audio Settings

Sonidata gives you full control over your recording format with three independent settings in **Settings → Audio**:

Unsupported combinations are automatically hidden based on your device and connected microphone hardware capabilities.

Input Gain

Adjust recording level in **Settings → Audio → Input Gain**:

1. 1dB scale from -∞ to +12 dB with 0.5 dB steps
2. 2Double-tap the slider to reset to 0 dB
3. 3Uses hardware gain for external interfaces; falls back to digital (vDSP) gain for the built-in microphone
4. 4Caption indicates whether hardware or digital mode is active

Record Ready / Monitor Mode

Optional pre-record monitoring that lets you check audio levels before committing to a recording:

1. 1Enable in **Settings → Audio → Record Ready**
2. 2The center button now has a **3-state flow**: idle → monitor → record → stop
3. 3In monitor mode, a gradient background (green → yellow → red) acts as a visual level meter
4. 4Choose between VU and Peak ballistics in Settings
5. 5The tab bar shows an **amber indicator** while monitoring

How to Record

1. 1Tap the **center record button** (red circle) on the bottom tab bar.
2. 2A **recording panel** appears at the bottom with a live waveform, timer, and format badge.
3. 3Tap the **stop button** to finish recording.
4. 4The **Naming View** automatically opens so you can tag the recording immediately.

Recording Indicator

While recording, the **record button pulses with a red glow** on the Naming and Settings tabs — a subtle reminder that a session is active even when you're working in other parts of the app.

Live Activity (Lock Screen) *(New in Build 13)*

When a recording is in progress, a **Live Activity** appears on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island showing:

1. 1A **live timer** with the current recording duration.
2. 2The **recording name** being captured.
3. 3A **red dot** indicator so you never forget a session is running.

The Live Activity starts automatically when you begin recording and disappears when you stop — no setup required.

Stereo Recording Modes *(New in Build 14)*

Sonidata supports four recording modes, selectable in **Settings → Recording → Stereo Mode**:

1. 1**True Stereo** with the built-in mic automatically configures the stereo polar pattern and portrait input orientation.
2. 2**M/S Stereo** uses the real-time DSP engine to decode Mid and Side signals into a stereo file.
3. 3Per-microphone settings (mode, polar pattern, stereo width) are saved and restored automatically when you reconnect a mic.

Recording Tips

1. 1The app records in the background — you can switch to other apps without stopping.
2. 2The waveform display shows real-time audio levels so you can monitor your input.
3. 3A **waveform-style stereo meter** overlay shows levels from -60 to +6 dB with green/yellow/red zones, peak hold indicators, and 60Hz refresh rate. The meter persists when navigating between tabs.
4. 4Files are saved to the app's Documents folder with a default name like `New Recording 2026-02-28_14-30-00.wav`.
5. 5New recordings are **instantly visible** in your library — no need to wait for a file scan.
6. 6You can rename them immediately using the Naming View, or tag them later from the file list.

Audio Device Selection

Independent control over recording input and playback output in **Settings → Audio → Audio Routing**:

1. 1**Input Device**: Select any available microphone (built-in, USB, Bluetooth). Your selection is saved by device UID and automatically restored when reconnected.
2. 2**Output Routing**: Choose between Automatic, Speaker Preferred, or Bluetooth A2DP
3. 3Hardware capabilities (sample rate, bit depth, stereo) are re-evaluated per selected input device

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