editing audio files using audacity

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  • 8/3/2019 Editing Audio Files Using Audacity

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

    1

    Editing Audio Files Using Audacity

    Audacity is a computer program for digital audio editing. You can use Audacity to record

    sounds directly, to edit your audio files, and to export your edited audio files into many standard audio

    file formats.

    Getting Start with Audacity

    1. From the Start menu, select All Programs >Audacity

    2. Understanding Audacity interface

    - Menu bar: for choosing commands

    - Control toolbar: for basic tool selection andplayback control

    - Meter toolbar: showing input and output audiolevels

    - Mixer toolbar: for input/output volume control

    - Edit toolbar: for shortcuts used in editing

    3. To create a new audio project, click on File >Save Project As Then specify the folderwhere you want to save your project and type inyour file name.

    4. To open an existing Audacity project file, clickon File > Open Then select the file you want

    to open.5. To import an audio file developed in otherprogram, you can drag the file from its originalfolder and drop it in Audacity window. You canalso import an audio file from the menu bychoosing Project > Import Audio

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

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    6. Adjusting the preferences

    6.1 Go to menu, select Edit > Preferences

    6.2 Adjust settings in each tab

    - Audio I/O: select appropriate recording andplayback devices

    - Quality: adjust sound quality

    Sample Rate: the rate of sound recording higher sample rate produces better soundquality in terms of sound frequency (Standardaudio CDs use 44100 Hz sample rate)

    Sample Format: the amount of data used torepresent each sound higher bit producesmore dynamic sound quality in terms of volume

    (louder loud and softer soft) (Standard audioCDs use 16-bit format)

    - File Formats: adjust functions forimporting/exporting files

    Choose Make a copy of the file before editingto avoid trouble when you lose the original file.

    Select appropriate exporting file formataccording to your operating system.

    - Keyboard: adjust keyboard shortcuts

    - Mouse: adjust mouse actions

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

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    Basic Recording

    1. Preparing to record

    1.1 Create a new project

    1.2 Select an appropriate recording device

    from the Audio I/O preferences menu.

    2. Recording

    2.1 Press the red Record button to startrecording. Notice the moving microphonemeter during recording.

    2.2 Press the blue Pause button to pauserecording. Press it again to resumerecording.

    2.3 Press the yellow Stop button to stoprecording.

    3. Checking your record

    Click the green Play button to listen to yourrecorded audio session.

    4. Saving your record

    To save your recorded audio session, go tomenu. Select File > Save Project.

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

    5

    Basic Sound Editing1. Selecting a portion of an audio file for editing

    1.1 Click on a selection tool.

    1.2 Go to the audio track. Click the mouse at

    the point that is the beginning of your selection.Hold the mouse button, drag it to the end point,and then release the button. The selected partis the darker area in the audio track.

    1.3 To extend the selection, hold down the[Shift] key and click on the point on the audiotrack that you want to extend your selection to.

    1.4 To extend the selection to the beginning orthe end of the file, go to menu, select Edit >Select, and then choose an appropriateextension option.

    2. Cutting and pasting

    2.1 To cut, go to menu, select Edit > Cut. (Or

    click button on the edit toolbar.)

    2.2 To paste the audio segment that you justcut, go to the audio track to select the pointwhere you want to insert the cut audio segment.

    From the menu, select Edit > Paste. (Or click

    button on the edit toolbar.)

    3. Silencing (making the selected sectionbecome silent)

    After making a selection, go to menu, select

    Edit > Silence. (Or click button on the edittoolbar.)

    4. Trimming (deleting everything but theselection)

    After making a selection, go to menu, select

    Edit > Trim. (Or click button on the edittoolbar.)

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

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    5. Splitting (separating the selected section intoa new track)

    After making a selection, go to menu, selectEdit > Split. Audacity will create a new audiotrack for this audio section, while silencing theselected section from the original track.

    To listen to only this splitted audio section, go toits audio track (below the original track), andselect Solo. Then click a play button.

    6. Undo and Redo

    6.1 To undo your last action, go to menu, select

    Edit > Undo. (Or click button on the edittoolbar.)

    6.2 To redo your action, go to menu, select Edit

    > Redo. (Or click button on the edittoolbar.)

    7. Adjusting volume

    7.1 Select an envelope tool from the controltoolbar.

    7.2 On the audio track, click on the point whereyou want to adjust the volume. Audacity willshow white dots called control points markingthe amplitude envelope at that point.

    7.3 Drag the control points in the vertical axis toadjust the volume at that point.

    - Drag control points away from the midline toincrease volume- Drag control points toward the midline todecrease volume.

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

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    8. Time shifting (Moving one audio track tooverlap with another track)

    Time shifting is a useful tool to eliminateunnecessary silence without causing aninterruption in sound continuity.

    8.1 Splitting the audio track at the point you

    want to make a time shift.

    8.2 Select a time shift tool from the controltoolbar.

    8.3 Click on the splitted audio track and drag itto overlap appropriately with the original track.

    9. Mixing

    When you have many audio tracks, you can mixthem down to one or two tracks using the QuickMix function.

    9.1 Select the audio tracks that you want to mixtogether. (Hold down the [Shift] key to make aselection on multiple tracks.)

    9.2 Go to menu, select Project > Quick Mix.

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

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    Adding Audio Effects

    1. Adding audio effects

    1.1 Select the audio segment that you want toadd an effect.

    1.2 Go to menu. Select Effect.

    1.3 Choose an appropriate effect from the list.

    Amplify: Change the volumeBassboost: Enhance the bass frequenciesChange pitch: Change the frequency withoutchanging the tempoChange speed: Change playback speed(which will also increase the frequency)Change tempo: Change the tempo (playback

    speed) without changing the pitchCompressor: Make loud parts become softerEcho: Make sound echoEqualization: Boost or reduce specifiedfrequenciesFade in/out: Gradually increase/decreasesound volumeNoise removal: Clean up recording noiseRepeat: Repeat the selection multiple times

    1.4 Click on preview button to check the result

    of the effect before applying.

    1.5 If you are satisfied with the way the effectsounds, click OK.

    2. To removed an applied effect, go to menu.Select Edit > Undo.

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    University of Illinois at Chicago C. Iramaneerat

    TITUS: Teacher Infusing Technology in Urban School February 2006

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    Exporting Your Project

    1. Exporting a selected part of your project

    1.1 Selecting the part of an audio trackthat you want to export.

    1.2 From menu, select File > ExportSelection as WAV, MP3, or Ogg Vorbis asyou like.

    1.3 Specify your file name and click Save.

    2. Exporting the whole project

    2.1 From menu, select File > Export asWAV, MP3, or Ogg Vorbis as you like.

    2.2 If there are multiple audio tracks inyour project, all tracks will be mixed by theQuick mix function before being exported.You can click OK to acknowledge thisprocess.

    2.2 Specify your file name and click Save.

    3. Export multiple files

    You can export each track into individualfile without combining it with other tracksby exporting your project into multiple files.You can also use this option to split a longrecording into multiple CD tracks.

    3.1 From menu, select File > ExportMultiple...

    3.2 Specify the file format and location,then click Export.