Common questions

Can I record a guitar part, add a vocal, and make a finished song?

Yes. Record your guitar on one Track, return to the beginning, then listen to it while recording your vocal on another. Add more parts if you want, adjust their levels, pan and tone, then export a WAV or MP3.

The manual takes you through recording your first Track, adding another and exporting the finished mix.

What equipment do I need?

You need a Windows computer and an audio input for whatever you want to record. A laptop’s built-in microphone can get you started. You can also use a USB microphone or an audio interface with a microphone or instrument input.

For electric guitar, you can record an amp with a microphone, use the USB output of an amp or modeller, or connect through an audio interface. Your equipment provides the guitar sound; Field Four records it.

Field Four can record one input to a mono Track, or two channels from the same device to two Tracks. You can also record audio playing on your computer.

See Audio Input Setup for choosing your input.

Which versions of Windows does it run on?

Field Four runs on 64-bit Intel and AMD PCs with Windows 10, version 2004 or later, or Windows 11. Most hands-on testing has been on Windows 11.

You can install it free from the Microsoft Store, which also handles updates.

How does Field Four keep overdubs in time?

Field Four compensates for audio delay so new recordings line up with the Tracks you are playing along to. It uses timing reported by your audio device, with optional calibration to measure your particular setup more precisely.

With devices that report their timing accurately, recordings can stay in sync without a separate calibration. Automatic calibration and Calibrate by Playing provide two ways to measure the route when needed.

To hear yourself while recording, use HEAR INPUT or your audio interface’s direct monitoring, if it provides it. When using direct monitoring, leave HEAR INPUT off to avoid hearing yourself twice.

The timing calibration section explains both methods.

Can I use a backing track or a drum loop?

Yes. You can import a WAV file, or choose Computer Audio to record sound playing on your computer. That could be a drum machine app, a drum machine running in your web browser, or another backing source.

Once you have recorded or imported the backing, add your own parts on the remaining Tracks. Mono audio uses one Track; stereo uses two.

For a repeating rhythm or a count-in, include it in the backing audio. Field Four records and plays that audio as a continuous performance, so prepare enough for the length of the song. It does not have a built-in metronome.

What happens if I make a mistake?

You can record a part again, or replace a section by punching in and out while the Track plays.

A retake or punch-in replaces the audio you record over. To keep an earlier version, use Save As to make an independent copy of the Reel before trying something different.

There is also Undo Erase, which restores the most recent Track erase while that undo remains available. It applies to erasing a Track, rather than recording over one.

See Punching In and Out for replacing part of a performance.

What happens when all four Tracks are full?

You can bounce several parts onto one Track to make space, or use Mix to New Reel to continue on another Reel.

Mix to New Reel records your current mix onto one mono Track or two stereo Tracks in a fresh Reel, leaving the other Tracks empty. Your source Reel remains intact, with its separate parts available if you want to return to them.

You can keep building this way: record some parts, make a mix, then add more.

Can I move my recordings into a DAW?

Yes. Every recorded Track is stored as an ordinary WAV file, so you can bring the individual parts into another recording program.

You can also export a finished mono or stereo mix as a 24-bit WAV or a 320 kbps MP3.

A saved Field Four Reel consists of a small .f4r file and a matching Tracks folder. Keep them together when moving or backing up a Reel. If you want to edit the WAVs elsewhere, work on copies so the original Reel remains usable.

Is Field Four free? Does it need an account or an internet connection?

Field Four is free, with no subscription or paid upgrade. You do not need a Field Four account.

Recording and playback work offline. Your audio stays on your computer, in the Reel folder you choose. The application contains no advertising, analytics or telemetry.

Installation and updates are handled through the Microsoft Store. The website’s visitor statistics are separate from the application.

Read the privacy information for the details.

How does it fit alongside a DAW?

Field Four gives you a simple way to play, layer parts and make a song, with the recorder’s controls in front of you. You can finish the recording there or take the WAV files into a DAW later.

A DAW provides more scope for editing and arranging recordings, sequencing instruments and using plugins. Field Four keeps the recording process small enough to learn by making something.