# Transcribe > Transcribe a local audio recording and save it as a meeting note. Takes an audio file (mp3/m4a/wav), uploads to OpenAI Whisper, then produces a structured summary written via the `notes` skill schema in `~/work/notes/`. Default behavior: if no file given, picks the most recent recording in `~/work/recordings/`. Pairs with the `record-call` script in this skill's `scripts/` folder (Windows only). Use when asked to "transcribe this", "transcribe the recording", "summarize the call", "/transcribe", "what did we say on that call", or after running `record-call stop`. - Skill: `ryangalea23/transcribe` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 4 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add ryangalea23/transcribe` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/ryangalea23/transcribe/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Research & Search - Author: ryangalea23 (https://skillmd.com/u/ryangalea23) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/ryangalea23/transcribe --- # Transcribe Convert a local audio recording into a structured meeting note. Single-pass: Whisper API for the transcript, then synthesize the note inline using the `notes` skill's schema. This skill does not require any particular recording tool - bring your own recording (any tool that produces an mp3/m4a/wav file works). On Windows, `scripts/record-call.ps1` is included as an optional mic-only call recorder that pairs with it (see Recording with `record-call` below). ## Requirements - An OpenAI API key with Whisper access, available as the environment variable `OPENAI_API_KEY`. How you load that variable into your shell (a `.env` file, your OS's secret manager, etc.) is up to you - this skill just expects it to already be set when Claude Code starts, or readable from a file you point it at. - `curl` and `jq` (or PowerShell's JSON parsing) for calling the API and reading the response. - `ffmpeg` on PATH if you ever need to chunk a large file (see step 3), or if you use `record-call` (see below). - The `notes` skill installed alongside this one - transcribe writes into `~/work/notes/` using its filename and frontmatter format. ## Recording with `record-call` (optional, Windows only) `scripts/record-call.ps1` starts and stops a mic-only ffmpeg recording in the background and drops finished files straight into the recordings folder this skill reads from. There is no time limit: a recording you forget to stop keeps going until you run `record-call stop` or the disk fills, so check `record-call status` if you're not sure. It does not capture system/call audio, only your microphone - so it captures your side of a call, not the other person's, unless your setup routes both into one input device. ```powershell record-call start "team sync" # -> ~/work/recordings/2026-05-21_140530_team-sync.mp3 record-call stop record-call status record-call list record-call devices # list audio input devices ffmpeg can see ``` Install: copy `record-call.ps1`, `record-call.cmd`, and `_record-guard.ps1` (from this skill's `scripts/` folder) to a folder on your PATH, keeping all three together - `record-call.cmd` is a thin wrapper so you can type `record-call` instead of the full PowerShell invocation, and `_record-guard.ps1` is a background helper `record-call.ps1` spawns, not something you run directly. Env overrides: - `RECORD_CALL_DIR` - recordings folder (default `~/work/recordings`, matching this skill's default). - `RECORD_CALL_FFMPEG` - path to `ffmpeg.exe` if it's not on PATH. - `RECORD_CALL_MIC` - a substring to match your preferred input device name (run `record-call devices` to see what's available). Without it, `record-call` just uses the first device it finds - set this if you have more than one microphone. ## Inputs - **Audio file path** (optional). If absent, default to the newest `.mp3` / `.m4a` / `.wav` in `~/work/recordings/`. - **Meeting context** (optional). User may pass a meeting name, title, or "for the Tuesday call". If absent, infer from the recording filename slug; if still unclear, ask. ## Hard rules - **Never auto-save** before showing the proposed filename + frontmatter + summary preview and getting a "go". Same discipline as the `notes` skill. - **Always use the `notes` schema** for the output file (frontmatter + filename format defined below). Don't invent a new layout. - **Always confirm the meeting** if today's calendar has multiple events that could match - present a numbered list and ask. (This step needs a calendar tool wired up; skip it if you don't have one.) - **Preserve the raw transcript.** Write it to `~/work/recordings/transcripts/.txt` alongside the structured note. Useful later, cheap to keep. - **Don't chunk silently.** If the file is >24 MB, tell the user, then split with ffmpeg into ≤20-minute chunks before uploading. ## Procedure ### 1. Resolve the audio file - If user passed a path → use it. Confirm it exists. - Else: `Glob ~/work/recordings/*.{mp3,m4a,wav}`, sort by mtime, pick newest. Tell the user which file you picked: *"Transcribing the latest: `2026-05-21_140530_team-sync.mp3` (12 min, 4.3 MB). Different file?"* ### 2. Pick / confirm the meeting Parse the filename slug for hints (`team-sync`, `1on1-with-sam`, etc.) and, if you have a calendar tool wired up, check today's calendar for matching events. Present matches: ``` Today's meetings near this recording: 1. 2:00 PM - Team sync (Taylor, Jordan) 2. 4:30 PM - Standup (Morgan, Casey) Which meeting was this? (or 'none' to fill manually) ``` On a number: prefill `title`, `people`, suggested tags from attendee firstnames. On "none": ask the user for title + attendees. ### 3. Check file size and chunk if needed ```bash size=$(stat -c%s "$file" 2>/dev/null || powershell -c "(Get-Item '$file').Length") ``` - ≤ 24 MB: upload as-is. - > 24 MB: tell the user the file is too large for a single upload, then chunk with ffmpeg into 20-minute segments at the same encoding: ``` ffmpeg -i "$file" -f segment -segment_time 1200 -c copy "$dir/chunk_%03d.mp3" ``` Upload each chunk separately, concatenate transcripts in order with a `[chunk N]` marker between them. ### 4. Call Whisper Read the API key from the `OPENAI_API_KEY` environment variable (or wherever your setup stores it): ```bash key="$OPENAI_API_KEY" ``` Upload: ```bash curl -s https://api.openai.com/v1/audio/transcriptions \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $key" \ -F file=@"$file" \ -F model=whisper-1 \ -F response_format=verbose_json \ -F language=en ``` `verbose_json` gives us segments + timestamps. Parse with `jq` or PowerShell. If the response is `Thanks for watching!` / Japanese / something obviously empty: warn the user the recording was likely silent (mic muted, wrong device, no audio). ### 5. Save the raw transcript Write the full transcript text to: ``` ~/work/recordings/transcripts/.txt ``` With a small header (file, duration, model). Cheap insurance - never re-pay Whisper for the same file. ### 6. Synthesize the meeting note Read the transcript inline (use the conversation, not a tool). Produce a structured summary in this shape: ```markdown ## Summary 1-3 sentence high-level. What was this call actually about? ## Key decisions - ... ## Action items - [ ] @who - what - by when (if mentioned) ## Open questions - ... ## Raw transcript See `~/work/recordings/transcripts/.txt`. ``` Tone: terse, bullet-heavy, no editorializing. If a section has nothing, omit it (don't write "N/A"). ### 7. Confirm and write Show the proposed: - Filename (matching `notes` schema: `YYYY-MM-DD_meeting_.md`) - Full frontmatter block - The summary body In one block, then ask: *"Save to `~/work/notes/2026-05-21_meeting_team-sync.md`? (y / edit / cancel)"* On "y": `Write` the file. Confirm path back to user. On "edit": ask what to change, redo from step 6. On "cancel": don't write. The raw transcript at step 5 is still saved. ## Frontmatter Match `notes` exactly: ```yaml --- type: meeting date: 2026-05-21 title: Team sync tags: [#acme-corp, #taylor, #jordan] people: [taylor, jordan] source: recording: --- ``` `source:` carries the recording path so the user can later trace back to the audio. The transcript file is also implied by the recording stem. ## When to ASK vs DECIDE - **Ask:** which meeting (if multiple plausible matches today), missing attendees, ambiguous title. - **Decide:** file picked from `latest` default, summary structure, tag suggestions from attendee firstnames (then confirm at step 7). ## What this skill does NOT do - No system/call-audio capture - `record-call` is mic-only, so it gets your side of a call, not the other person's. Bring your own mp3/m4a/wav from another tool if you need both sides. - No speaker diarization - a single-track recording only captures one side clearly unless your recording setup captures both. - No automatic Slack/email forwarding of summaries - output is the meeting note file, full stop. - No real-time transcription - strictly post-call. - No re-transcription of the same file unless explicitly asked (the raw `.txt` from step 5 is the cache).