Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most people in the U.S., the easiest way to manage multiple scenes is to build a simple scene deck in StreamYard, then switch layouts with a single click while you record or go live. If you need deep, file-based control (nested scenes, custom stingers, hotkeys), an OBS setup on a capable computer is the next step.

Summary

• Treat scenes as a story: plan an opening, demo, and close, then map each to a reusable layout.
• StreamYard gives you a browser-based scene deck on every plan, so you can rehearse and switch with one click. (StreamYard Help Center)
• OBS offers powerful scene and transition controls, but it takes more setup and hardware tuning. (OBS)
• Loom is great for quick solo recordings, but it only offers simple capture modes, not a full multi-scene workflow. (Loom Support)

What is a “scene” in screen recording, and why does it matter?

A scene is a pre-built layout: which camera is visible, which screen is shared, what graphics are on top, and how everything is arranged.

Think of it like slides in a deck:

• Each scene = one moment in your story.
• Switching scenes = advancing the slide, without fumbling with window sizes mid-recording.

Most modern tools support some flavor of scenes:

• StreamYard: browser-based Scenes that bundle layouts, guests, and visual assets into a one-click deck. (StreamYard Help Center)
• OBS Studio: desktop Scenes composed from Sources (windows, displays, images, cameras, etc.). (OBS)
• Loom: simple capture modes (Screen + Camera, Screen only, Camera only) rather than a full multi-scene system. (Loom Support)

If your recording ever feels chaotic—windows popping in and out, audio levels jumping—it’s usually a sign you need scenes.

How do you manage multiple scenes in StreamYard?

For most people, StreamYard is the most straightforward way to manage scenes because everything happens in the browser studio.

1. Start from your story, not your software

Outline your segments:

• Scene 1 – Cold open: camera only, branded overlay, lower-third title.
• Scene 2 – Product tour: screen share as the focus, small camera, logo.
• Scene 3 – Q&A or recap: bigger camera, chat or notes off-screen.

2. Build your scene deck inside StreamYard

In the studio, open the Scenes panel and create a New Scene for each segment. You can pick a starter layout like Speaker view, Group discussion, or Media presentation, then tweak it.

Each Scene can bundle:

• Assigned cameras and guests
• A chosen layout and position for each source
• Backgrounds, overlays, and banners
• Video clips or other visual elements (StreamYard Help Center)

Because Scenes are linked to Brands, any scene deck you create under one brand is available across that brand’s studios, which makes it easy to reuse the same structure for recurring shows and recurring screen recordings. (StreamYard Help Center)

3. Use StreamYard for presenter-led screen recordings

At StreamYard, we designed the studio around clear, presenter-led recordings:

• Screen sharing that you can see and control while you talk
• Independent mic and system audio control, so you can mix voice-over and app sound
• Local multi-track recordings on paid plans for better post-production reuse
• Both landscape and portrait outputs from the same session, which is helpful when you want YouTube, LinkedIn, and Shorts/TikTok cuts from one take
• Branded overlays, logos, and live-applied visual elements so your recording already looks “produced”
• Presenter notes visible only to you, so you never have to show your script
• Multi-participant screen sharing for collaborative demos

Practically, that means you can:

• Host an interview, share your screen, and show a deck—each with its own Scene.
• Record once, then reuse your local tracks to cut shorts, reels, or polished explainers without re-recording.

4. Rehearse your switches

Before you hit Record or Go Live:

• Walk through your entire scene deck.
• Say out loud what you’ll cover in each scene.
• Practice toggling overlays and banners on and off.

Because switching is one click in the Scenes panel, you can stay focused on your delivery instead of on window juggling.

How do you manage multiple scenes in OBS Studio?

If you’re comfortable installing software and fine-tuning settings, OBS gives you very detailed control over scenes and transitions.

1. Understand Scenes and Sources

OBS is built around two core concepts:

• Sources: individual inputs like display capture, window capture, images, text, webcams, or capture cards. (OBS)
• Scenes: collections of sources arranged into a composite layout.

You might create scenes such as:

• "Full Screen Demo" – full display capture, hidden camera.
• "Picture-in-picture" – display capture plus a resized webcam in the corner.
• "Slides" – window capture of your deck with a larger camera.

2. Use Studio Mode for safe switching

OBS includes Studio Mode, which lets you edit a scene in a Preview window and only push it live when you’re ready. When you click Transition, your previewed scene becomes the program output. (OBS)

This is powerful when:

• You need to change a text label, crop, or source without your audience seeing the tweak.
• You want to confirm the right window is active before you switch.

3. Set up transitions and hotkeys

OBS ships with transitions like Fade and Cut, and you can configure more advanced options like stingers. (OBS)

You can also:

• Bind hotkeys to specific scenes.
• Trigger quick transitions without touching the mouse.

This is ideal if you’re recording gameplay or high-paced demos and need frequent, precise scene changes.

4. Organize large scene libraries

If you produce for multiple shows or clients, use Scene Collections. A collection saves the entire set of scenes and sources, so you can switch between fully different setups (different logos, layouts, and sources) with one menu change. (OBS)

That flexibility comes with responsibility: you’re managing local storage, encoding settings, and CPU/GPU load yourself. Many creators find that for straightforward presenter-led recordings, StreamYard’s browser studio gets them to a publishable result faster.

What about Loom—can it handle multiple scenes?

Loom is designed for quick async videos more than complex scene-based production.

Instead of scenes, Loom gives you capture modes:

• Screen and Camera
• Screen Only
• Camera Only (Loom Support)

You can:

• Switch between Screen Only and Screen + Camera while recording.
• Choose which display or window to capture.

However, there are some important limits for multi-scene-style work:

• You can’t record two monitors at once or switch between monitors mid-recording. (Loom Support)
• There’s no scene deck where you pre-build layouts, assign overlays, and rehearse transitions.

For quick “here’s what I’m seeing” clips or async feedback, that’s usually fine. But if you want a structured, branded walkthrough with predictable layout changes, StreamYard or OBS will feel more natural.

How should you choose between StreamYard, OBS, and Loom for scene management?

Here’s a simple way to decide based on how you actually work.

Choose StreamYard when:

• You want to keep everything browser-based, without heavy installs.
• You care more about clean, presenter-led recordings than about deeply custom transitions.
• You like the idea of a scene deck you can reuse across recurring shows and recordings. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Your team prefers opening a studio link and recording together, instead of managing individual local setups.

Because StreamYard pricing is per workspace instead of per user, U.S. teams often find it more cost-effective when multiple people need to collaborate, especially compared with tools like Loom that bill per user.

Choose OBS when:

• You want full control over encoders, formats, and hardware.
• You’re comfortable tuning settings and maintaining a recording PC.
• You need advanced features like nested scenes, granular source filters, or file-based stinger transitions.

Use Loom alongside, not instead of, scenes when:

• You mainly send quick, link-based screencasts.
• You don’t need structured multi-scene layouts, overlays, or a scene deck.

A common pattern is: plan and record flagship tutorials or webinars in StreamYard or OBS, then use Loom for fast follow-up clips and internal explainers.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard Scenes for most multi-scene recordings; you’ll get faster, repeatable results with less setup.
• Add OBS if you hit the ceiling on transitions or need advanced local control and don’t mind the extra complexity.
• Use Loom for quick async captures, not as your primary multi-scene production tool.
• Whatever tool you choose, map your scenes to your story first—software is easiest to manage when it’s following a clear narrative.