Audacity

Audacity

Audacity is an audio editing software that works with Macintosh, Windows and Linux operating systems and is available for free download at SourceForge.net.
It is installed on all computers at University of Washington Bothell, including the Digital Media Lab.

Available Tutorials: 

• User Interface

• Import Single Files

• Import Multiple Files

• Saving Project File

• Adjusting Audio Levels

• Adding Effects

• Creating Fades

• Moving Clips

• Copy and Pasting

• Cutting and Pasting

• Delete Sections Of A Clip

• Zooming

• Exporting

User Interface:

At the top of the screen is the top menu, click one to reveal more options. Below the top menu is your toolbox. Below that is the timeline where you will edit your audio.



Importing Single Files:

1) From the top menu, click on FILE > IMPORT > AUDIO.


 
2) Choose and click on the file that you wish to import, then click OPEN.



3) The importing process will begin. A  pop up window will tell you how long the import will take.



4) You should have waveforms on your timeline like the picture below.



Importing Multiple Files:

1) From the top menu, click on FILE > IMPORT > AUDIO.



2) Choose multiple files by holding the COMMAND (on Macintosh) or CONTROL (on Windows) key, and click on each file. After selecting your files, click OPEN.



3) A pop up window will report the estimated finish time.



4) You should then have multiple waveforms on your timeline.



Saving Project File:

1) From the top menu, click on FILE > SAVE PROJECT AS.



2) A pop up window will explain that you are saving a file that only Audacity can open. This means you will only be able to make edits to this project in Audacity. Click OK.



2) Click on the WHERE drop menu to show more save locations.



You can see the WHERE drop menu in the picture below. I chose to save to the desktop.



To the far right of the SAVE AS box, click on the triangle drop menu to show more save locations.



Next time you save click on FILE again, but this time click on SAVE PROJECT. This will save your file using the location and name you designated earlier.



Adjusting Audio Levels:

1) To the left is the area where you can raise or lower the sound levels. The top area is where you can see the loudness of the audio file.

 
  2) You can adjust the levels in the box on the left. If you drag the top slider towards the plus, your audio will get louder. If you drag it towards the minus it will get quieter. If you drag the bottom button towards the R it will play your audio through the right track. If you drag it towards the L it will play the audio through the left track.

Clips that are too loud will cause distortion on your audio clip. The red sections on the volume meter show audio clipping.



Adding Effects:

1) Click EFFECT. I chose the effect PHASER.
 

 
2) Most effects have an adjustments pop up. Type in the desired values or drag the sliders left or right on the line. Click OK.
 

 
The effect is now set and cannot be adjusted further. You may only add other effects on top of it. If you don’t like the effect you can undo it from the top menu EDIT > UNDO. Below you can see the before and after of the waveform from the effect I chose.
 
Before:
 

 
After:



Creating Fades:

1) Use the selection tool highlight an area near the beginning of the clip. (For a reminder of how to do this, see the Copy and Pasting section.)



2) From the top menu, click on EFFECT > FADE IN.



This is what the waveform will look like afterwards.



3) To fade out, highlight an area at the end of the clip.



4) From the top menu, click on EFFECT > FADE OUT.



The waveform will be faded out  like the picture below.


 
Moving Clips:

1) Select the TIME SHIFT TOOL. It looks like two triangles facing opposite directions with a line connecting them.



2) Click and hold on the file to be moved. Move it back and forth on the timeline. If you need more room to move it you can zoom out. (For a reminder of how to do this, see the Zooming section.)

Before:


 
After:

3) To move files up and down between tracks, from the top menu select TRACKS > ADD NEW > STEREO TRACK.



4) Then click and hold on the track, and pull it down to the track below.



Copy and Pasting:

1) Have the SELECTION TOOL selected.



2) Highlight the area to copy. Click on the timeline and drag your mouse over the clip until you have highlighted the area to copy.



3) From the top menu select EDIT > COPY.



4) Click on the timeline to place your new clip, a black line will mark your selection. From the top menu select EDIT > PASTE.



Below is an example of what your pasted waveform will look like.



Cutting and Pasting:

1) With selection tool highlight an area of the clip. (For a reminder of how to do this, see the Copy and Pasting section.)



2) From the top menu select EDIT > REMOVE AUDIO > CUT.



3) Now click on the location on your timeline where you want to paste your clip. From the top menu select EDIT > PASTE.
 


Delete Sections of a Clip:

1) With selection tool, highlight an area of the clip.



2) From the top menu, select EDIT > REMOVE AUDIO > DELETE.



Zooming:

1) From the top menu, select VIEW > ZOOM IN.



2) From the top menu, select VIEW > ZOOM OUT.



Exporting:

From the top menu, select FILE > EXPORT.






Click on the format box to reveal a menu.
Click on the file type you want, I chose to export my project as an .MP3 file.



I chose to export my file to the desktop.



For a a more specific list of locations to export to, click on the drop menu to the right of SAVE AS. Below is an example of clicking the SAVE AS drop menu.



Below is an example of clicking on the OPTIONS button.
This will bring up specific adjustments for that file type. When you’re done, click OK.



3) After you click SAVE, you will be asked to edit the metadata.
Type in the correct information then click “OK”.



4) The export will begin, and a pop up window will report the estimated finish time.