Audio Recording and Editing with Audacity

Audacity is a free, open source, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. You can use Audacity to:

• Record live audio.
• Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.
• Edit Ogg Vorbis, MP3, and WAV sound files.
• Cut, copy, splice, and mix sounds together.
• Change the speed or pitch of a recording.
• Can import WAV, AIF, AU, MP3, and Ogg Vorbis audio formats.
• Can export audio in WAV, MP3, and Ogg Vorbis formats.

Downloading and Installing Audacity

• Go to Audacity site at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/
• Select your operating system to download the latest version of the free Audacity sound editor.

Downloading and Installing the MP3 Encoder

Windows

1. Go to the LAME download page.
2. Click on any link from the list of identical "lame-x.xx.x" links.
3. When you have finished downloading LAME, unzip it and save the file lame_enc.dll under Program Files/Audacity.
4. The first time you use the "Export as MP3" command, Audacity will ask you where lame_enc.dll is saved. Browse to the Program Files/Audacity directory and select the lame_enc.dll and click OK.

Mac OS 9 or X

1. Go to the LAME download page.
2. Download the version of LameLib for your operating system.
3. When you have finished downloading, use Stuffit Expander to extract the files. (This may happen automatically.)
4. Save the file called "LameLib" anywhere on your computer.
5. The first time you use the "Export as MP3" command, Audacity will ask you where LameLib is saved.

Three basic rules of Audacity

1. One clip per track
2. Audacity always records to a new track
3. Edit/duplicate will not create a new audio file

Using Audacity

• Audacity Interface

• Basic Tasks
  • Create a new project
  • Check the Preferences
  • Record audio
  • Import an audio file
  • Play the selection of audio
  • Save a project
  
  
• Basic Editing
  • Select
  • Copy
  • Cut
  • Paste
  • Delete
  • Trim/Crop
  • Silence
  • Undo
  • Zoom
    
    
• Processing Audio
  • Voice-over
  • Time-shift
  • Quick mix
  • Special effects
  • Split an audio
  • Export audio
    
    
• Burn Audio CDs

Resources

• Audacity Quick Reference
• Audacity Online Manual
• Audacity Wiki
• Editing Audio with Audacity (* Required Reading)

Last updated: October 19, 2006 Copyright © 1994 - 2007 Dr. Steve Yuen. All rights reserved.