Elmira Cancelada (elmira@tangotales.com)
Host of Tango Tales on Portsmouth Community Radio
September 2007
Elmira Cancelada (elmira@tangotales.com)
Host of Tango Tales on
September 2007
It IS really easy.
Just give yourself some time to play with the software.
What is Audacity? Do I need any other software with it?
What hardware do I need to mix my show?
What does Audacity create when I record and mix my show?
Adjust the quality of your voice on future recordings
Basic steps for mixing the show
Edit verbal bloopers and long pauses
Add music and other audio files
Idea for recording phone interviews with Audacity any time
To adjust the time position of a track in relation to other tracks
To fade-in and to fade-out music (or any audio track)
What is Audacity?
Do I need any other software with it?
Audacity is a free shareware for recording and mixing audio tracks from different sources.
You can download and install it from http://audacity.sourceforge.net. Choose earlier, more stable version (not beta).
You can export mixed tracks from Audacity into a WAV file. WAV file is large, but it is suitable for putting on CD and playing in the studio. Export WAV function always worked better in Audacity.
If you want to export the mixed tracks into more compact MP3 files, you might need to download and hook up some plug-ins.
Also, there is a number of audio conversion software packages, which will allow you to convert WAV into MP3 files of different resolutions (resolution for on-line archives should be lower for comfortable listening)
Warnings
‡ Audacity is a space monger. 20 min project can take almost 1 GB.
‡ Audacity slows down and sometimes crashes if you mix more then 12 tracks. SAVE FREQUENTLY.
‡ It is the best to keep each project no longer than 30 min of several mixed tracks.
Back to TOC
What hardware do I need to mix my show?
Condenser microphone (like in the studio) with a stand
Amplifier (also called ‘voice warmer’. I use Tube Ultragain MIC200 by Behringer, which I bought for $50 at Junky Daddy’s).
Cords (mike – to - amplifier, amplifier – to - audio-in)
Decent quality earphones (I have Berhinger HPS3000, which costed me $20 at the above mentioned store)
Figure 1
What does Audacity create when I record and mix my show?
When you initially open Audacity, its window is blank.
Each time you press Record button (red circle), Audacity creates a new track with the recording of your voice. Also, it creates a new track each time you import an audio file (MP3 or WAV; it is done by selecting Project -> Import Audio).
Audacity’s window will appear to you as a bunch of separate tracks after you record your voice and import other audio tracks. You are free to move those tracks along the time line, cut them down, change volume, do fade in/outs.
However, when you export the Audacity tracks into WAV (File -> Export WAV…), Audacity will merge all the tracks into a single track.
Save Audacity project frequently (File -> Save Project).
The Audacity project will appear in the directory you saved it in as WhateverIsName.AUP and additional directory WhateverIsName_data. The additional directory _data is a database of sound segments, DO NOT DELETE IT while you still need your project.
Audacity Track
Audacity track has a little gray area with controls on the left side.
Next to X symbol is the name of the track. Click on it and type the name you want. If you import audio, the track will have the name of the imported audio file.
Next to the track name there is a triangle. If you click on it, you will see two important functions – Move track up and Move track down. If you select one of those commands, the track will jump up or down vertically above/below the next track.
There are also Mute and Solo buttons. They are self-explanatory for DJs. However, whatever the state of the track is, when you export your final project into a WAV file, the Audacity ignores Mute and Solo (get rid of the unwanted tracks before exporting into WAV!)
Warning
Do not press X symbol. It is not close, it is DELETE!
Adjust the quality of your voice on future recordings
Adjustment of recording volume and sound quality of your voice can be done with the voice amplifier. After you hook up all the hardware, record your voice, listen back and adjust the controls on the voice amplifier.
When you reach the quality of sound you like, leave the amplifier settings as is.
The rest of adjustments will be done in Audacity: it will be mostly volume adjustment via Effect -> Amplify… function.
Figure 2
Basic steps for mixing the show
1. Prepare the script/outline
2. Select music (CDs, MP3s)
3. Record your voice, edit it
4. Create fade-in, fade-outs between musical pieces and/or voice
5. Export project into WAV file
6. Burn CD
Tips
I prefer to mix separate 15-20min segments (one Audacity project per segment): Part1, Part2, Part3, etc. In this way, you can easily comply with the station’s requirements to announce hour/station id/calendar every 15-20 min without pausing your prerecorded show.
Edit verbal bloopers and long pauses
1. Click on Selection Tool.
2. Click on the track which you want to edit.
3. Select the part to delete and click Cut icon (scissors)
How to select a part of the track: left-button click the mouse, keep it pressed and drag it along the track to the point where the selection should end. If you click Play button, if will replay the selection. If you click Cut, it will delete the selection.
Tips
Audacity understands the same keyboard short-cuts as any editing software:
Ctrl-C copy
Ctrl-V Paste
Ctrl-Z undo the last action.
Add music and other audio files
It is the easiest if your music is in MP3 or WAV.
Use Project -> Import Audio to import the outside file. Once imported, it shows up as just another track in the Audacity project.
If the audio file is in the format unknown to Audacity and can not be imported to Audacity, play it on your computer’s media player and record it in Audacity. See Record from internet & computer’s music player.
Tips
If you want to import a file, just drag-and-drop MP3 and/or WAV file into Audacity window.
Record from internet, internet phone or computer’s music player
Basically you can record any sound which comes through your computer’s soundboard: music played on iTunes, Windows Media Player, internet phone conversation (alas, ONLY the party you call to), internet streaming audio.
1. Select Stereo Mix in Input Type drop-down menu (Fig. 1)
2. Record the source (Buttons: red circle – start, yellow square – stop)
Tips
· Record for a few seconds from the source and adjust the volume of recording (slider with loudspeaker, Fig 2)
· If for some reason recording is not working, reselect Stereo Mix from the dropdown.
Figure 3
Idea for recording phone interviews with Audacity any time
Sometimes your interviewees are not available during your show time. Here is how I rigged the phone interview recorded with Audacity and Skype (or any other on-line phone service). Skype, by the way, is very cheap.
Warning
Alas, only your interviewee’s voice will be heard and recorded.
Both you and your interviewee have to have two phones. You dial one phone normally (for asking the questions) and another phone via Skype (for listening and recording answers). You interviewee uses two phones, too – for listening the questions and for answering into the phone dialed by you via Skype.
Or
You can e-mail the questions in advance, dial the interviewee via Skype and record his answers. You will be able to hear your interviewee through computer speakers.
For the recording instructions see Record from internet, internet phone or computer’s music player
Mixing voice and music tracks
To adjust the time position of a track in relation to other tracks
1. Click Move Track tool (Figure 4)
2. Select the track
3. Press the left button on your mouse and drag the track to the appropriate time position
To fade-in and to fade-out music (or any audio track)
1. Click Control Fade-in/Fade-out tool (Figure 4)
2. Select the track
3. Click on two spots on the blue border surrounding the track (beginning & end of fade-in/fade-out). You can move each spot vertically and horizontally to adjust the duration and steepness of sound change.
4. Select the segment you are working with and press Play to listen to results. If you are not happy, repeat the steps. To move the tracks see the section above.
Tips
If you select just one spot on the blue border and move it down to ‘shrink’ the track, you are adjusting the volume of the whole track. This way of adjusting the volume of the track is more flexible than Effect -> Amplify function. 
Figure 4
Exporting the ready audio mix
1. Save the project
2. Select File -> Export as WAV…
3. Choose name and directory of the exported single file
Tips
You can export separate tracks by selecting File -> Export Multiple.
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