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Audacity: record, import & export on
Windows & Macintosh platforms
Audacity is an open-source application to edit sound files and convert them to various formats. It is freely
available to the public for download.
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the reproduction of
copyrighted material. The person using this equipment and software is liable for any infringement.
To install Audacity, download from https://www.audacityteam.org/. To work with many audio file
types (i.e. OGG, ac3, and audio from video) download the FFmpeg plug-in [NOTE: versions previous
to 2.3.2 also require the MP3 lame encoder to work with MP3 files].
After installing Audacity, open the application.
From the top line menu select
Edit > Preferences on Windows and Audacity >
Preferences on Mac. Select Libraries from the menu on
the left. Select Download for FFmpeg. Follow the
instructions for adding this export/import Library.
NOTES when working in Audacity
If you are using multiple tracks, they should all be the same format.
Use the [keyboard] space bar to play and stop the audio track
If Pause or Play is selected you cannot execute commands.
IMPORTING A SOUND FILE
NOTES: Audio files from a CD must first be “ripped” or extracted using CD extraction software and then
imported into Audacity. Audio may be extracted from video.
From the top line menu select File > Import > Audio...
IMC
Innovate Make Create
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Make a copy of the file before editing to ensure that the
original audio is untouched and that the file imported into
Audacity will always be associated with the project.
RECORDING IN AUDACITY
As a note, the volume controls within the program are secondary to the computer's volume control.
Experiment with both volume controls for appropriate volume levels. If you are using a laptop, the
webcam is the default input device. If you are using a microphone or a device such as a cassette tape
recorder, the operating system and Audacity must reflect this selection. Always perform a test; review for
proper recoding levels. The IMC has a variety of cables and adapters to connect most any device to
available ports on your computer.
THREE STEPS IN ORDER:
1. Connect the device and turn it on.
2. Open Audacity. Within Audacity, select the input device. If it is not present, confirm the
device is on and plugged in. Quit Audacity and reopen. Select the input device.
3. If the recorder is not listed in Audacity, exit Audacity and select the input device/port from
the sound preference/settings in the operating system. Open Audacity. Within Audacity,
also select the input device.
STEP ONE: Connect the equipment and turn it on
USB Microphone:
Plug the USB microphone into the computer and turn it on before opening Audacity. If
Audacity is already open, save your project, quit Audacity, turn on the microphone, and then
re-open your project. Audacity does not always immediately recognize the microphone.
Microphone:
Connect the microphone to the dedicated Microphone port. In its absence, use the Line –In port on the
computer. Turn on the mic.
Line In for Microphone, Phonograph, or Cassette Tape Recorder:
You will need an audio cable to connect the equipment to the computer. One end must be 1/8”. Plug the
audio cable into “sound out port” (headphones/speaker) on the tape deck, and the other end into the
“sound in port” (line level Input) on the computer. If the cassette tape recorder’s port is ¼” use an
adapter ¼” to “1/8.”
STEP TWO: Open Audacity. Within Audacity, select the input device.
Review the Input Device and Input channel drop down menus to select the source of the audio. In this
example, the input device is a microphone, plugged into the microphone port. Complete a test recording
and adjust levels.
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Note: if there is no recording, save the project, exit Audacity and re-open the project. Confirm the
input device is on and selected.
Stop Record
Input Device Input Channel
STEP THREE: IF Audacity does not display the input source, select it in the
operating system settings.
Prior to exiting Audacity, confirm recording device is on and
not listed in Audacity’s preferences
Select Edit > Preferences > Devices
Confirm that the Recording Device displays the type of
recording device or the port you are using for importing
audio.
If the device is not listed, Exit Audacity. See below to select
the Input device in the operating system settings.
On a Mac select System Preferences, Sound> Input. The
internal microphone is the webcam. If using a USB
microphone, select (example) AK5370. Select Line In if you
are connecting a microphone or cassette player to the Line-In
port. Slide the input volume to adjust the recording volume.
On a Windows pc right click on the sound icon. Select Recording devices. Select one device (in
this example it is the USB Audio device) and then select Properties.
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If the device is not displayed, right click inside the recording tab area and
select “show disabled devices,” then right click again and select “show
disconnected devices.”
Select Levels and adjust for recording
SAVE PROJECT
Select File > Save Project. Save the project as an Audacity file project:
“filename.aup.” Select Save Project as you continue to work. Audacity
writes all the changes and recorded audio to a directory called
Projectname_data.
EXPORT - TO CREATE OR CONVERT AN AUDIO FILE
You may export each track as an individual file. You may export only a selection or you may export all
the tracks into one audio file. Select the audio format after you would like to export to WAV, MP3,
OGG, etc. after you decide the following. File type options are available just prior to exporting, after
selecting file name.
Select File > Export... Export and review options
Export Audio saves all tracks as one file; select file type here
Export Multiple… saves selected audio tracks as separate audio files
Export Selected Audio saves highlighted area as an audio file
Select the audio format after you would like to export to WAV, MP3, OGG, etc. after you decide the
following. File type options are available just prior to exporting, after selecting Save.
Edit Metadata Metadata is information about the artist of a
song, the title, track number, etc. Fill in the fields [not
required] that will help identify this audio later in applications
such as iTunes. Entering metadata is optional. Click on the
OK button to continue.
Export Labels- If you created text markers
you may export the Label Track as a TXT
file.
written by Regina Conboy 3/07; updated, 9/10 by Mark Nelson, IMC Student Assistant; 9/11; update by Regina Conboy 10/11; 3/12; 5/15;10/15;2/18;
4/18;6/19
