How to Set Up Dual Audio for Streaming: Game & Music Separated

Quick Answer

To set up dual audio for streaming with game and music separated, you need a virtual audio router like Voicemeeter Banana combined with OBS Studio's multiple audio track system. This lets you send game audio to one recording track and music to another, giving you full independent control over both in post-production or for your stream mix.

Why Dual Audio Matters for SA Streamers

Streaming games with background music creates a copyright headache. Twitch and YouTube regularly mute VODs when licensed music is detected. By separating game audio and music onto different tracks, you can mute just the music track on your VOD while keeping your full game audio intact, which is exactly what large SA gaming channels do to protect their content library.

Beyond copyright protection, dual audio also means your editor can balance levels in post without destructive re-renders. If your in-game audio peaked during an intense firefight, you can fix just that track without touching your music layer.

The setup requires no expensive hardware. A mid-range gaming PC running Windows 10 or 11 handles the processing load of Voicemeeter alongside a full stream with ease. South African streamers on Telkom, Vodacom, or Openserve fibre connections will not see any added latency from running a virtual audio mixer.

Step-by-Step Dual Audio Configuration

Here is how to configure the setup from scratch:

Step 1: Install Voicemeeter Banana. This free virtual mixer creates multiple virtual audio inputs and outputs that Windows and OBS can both see. Set your game's audio output to "VoiceMeeter Input" and set your music player (Spotify, YouTube browser tab, etc.) to "VoiceMeeter Aux Input."

Step 2: Configure OBS audio tracks. In OBS, go to Settings > Audio and add both Voicemeeter Output and Voicemeeter Aux Output as separate audio capture sources. Then in your recording output settings, enable tracks 1 and 2. Assign game audio to track 1 and music to track 2.

Step 3: Set stream mix separately. In OBS's Advanced Audio Properties (right-click any audio source), you can set which tracks each source appears on. Send both sources to track 1 for your live stream but only game audio to track 2 for VOD safety.

Step 4: Monitor with headphones. Route your headphone output through Voicemeeter so you hear both streams blended naturally while gaming. A decent headset like those available from Evetech ensures you can hear your game mix clearly without bleeding audio between channels.

FAQs

Do I need a dedicated sound card for dual audio streaming?

No. A standard motherboard audio output is sufficient for dual audio streaming using Voicemeeter Banana. A dedicated DAC or sound card helps with audio quality but is not required to achieve track separation.

Will this setup work with Discord voice chat?

Yes. Set Discord's output to a separate Voicemeeter input channel and assign it to its own OBS audio track. This lets you include or exclude Discord audio from your VOD independently of game and music tracks.

Does Voicemeeter Banana add latency to my audio?

Voicemeeter introduces a small buffer delay, typically 10 to 15 milliseconds, which is inaudible during normal gaming and streaming. If you notice lip-sync issues with your webcam, add a matching audio delay offset in OBS to compensate.