Beginners Guide to Sound Editing Step 1: Downloading and Installing Step 2: Opening Files Step 3: Audacity Interface Step 4: Making a Selection Step 5: Deleting Audio Step 6: Adding Silence Step 7: Exporting Files

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Step 1: Download and Install Audacity is a freely distributed digital audio editor application. Audacity allows users the ability to record, edit, cut, copy, paste, mix tracks, or apply effects to audio recordings. Below you will find instructions on how to download and install Audacity.

Downloading Audacity:

Installing Audacity:

1. Using an Internet browser, go to: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

1. Locate the installer file that you just downloaded and double-click the file to start the installation.

2. After the installer opens, Click NEXT to continue. 2. Under “For All Users”, click on the operating system you are using.

3. Read the License Agreement and select “I accept the agreement”. Click Next to continue. 3. Click the link under “Recommended Download”

4. Click Next from the Information screen 5. Click Next from the Select Destination Location screen 6. Click Next from the Select Additional Tasks screen 7. Click Install to begin the Installation 8. Click Finish to complete the installation.

4. When asked “Do you want to run or save?”, Click Save and choose a location on your computer that you will be able to easily find.

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Step 2: Opening Files Once you have installed audacity on your computer, you are ready to get started. In this section we will cover how to start audacity and how to import your audio files to begin editing.

Opening Audacity: 1. Double-click the Audacity icon to begin. 2. Below is what the Audacity interface will look like when you first open it.

Importing Audio Files: Audacity supports the following file types: WAV (.wav), MP3 (.mp3), AIFF (.aif), Sun Au / NeXT (.au), Ogg Vorbis (.ogg) 1. Click File > Open > *Locate the audio file you would like to edit* 2. When the file opens, you will see the file represented as a graphical sound wave.

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Step 3: The Audacity Interface Once Audacity is open, you will notice that there are many tools to select from. Below is a breakdown of the most commonly used tools and there use.

The Control Toolbar:

The Edit Toolbar:

Cut Selection Tool - used for selecting a range of audio for you to listen or edit.

Copy

Envelope Tool - used for changing the volume over time.

Paste Trim away the audio outside the selection

Draw Tool - used for modifying individual samples.

Silence the selected audio

Zoom Tool - used for zooming in and out. Right Click—Zoom In Left Click—Zoom Out

Undo Redo

Timeshift Tool - used for sliding tracks left or right.

Zoom In Multi Tool - lets you access all of these tools at once depending on the location of the mouse and the keys you are holding down.

Zoom Out Fit selection in Window

Skip to Start - moves the cursor to time 0. If you press Play at this point, the project will play from the beginning. Play - starts playing audio at the cursor position. If some audio is selected, only the selection is played.

Fit project in Window

The Meter Toolbar:

Record - starts recording audio.

Pause - temporarily stops playback or recording until you press pause again. Stop - stops recording or playing. You must do this before applying effects, saving or exporting. Skip to End - moves the cursor to the end of the last track.

The Meter Toolbar is used for monitoring the input and output audio levels. Typically the meters are only active when you are playing or recording audio.

The Mixer Toolbar: The Mixer Toolbar has two controls used to set the volume levels of your audio device, and one control to choose the input source.

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Step 4: Making a Selection To begin audio editing, the first thing you will need to learn is to how to make a selection. With the selection tool, you will be able to position the cursor or select a range of audio. Playback will always begin at the position of the cursor. If a range of audio is selected, only the selected range will play.

Making a Selection: 1. Choose the

Selection Tool.

2. Position your mouse so the arrow is over the audio file. You will notice that the arrow turns into a

.

3. Click and Drag the selector to highlight the selection. Release the mouse to stop selecting.

4. Use the audio controls to listen to the selection. 5. To adjust your selection, Mouse Over either end of the selection boundary until you see 6. When you see

.

, Click and Drag to change the selection. Release the mouse to stop selecting.

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Step 5: Deleting Audio Once you feel comfortable with the selection tool, you are ready to begin editing your audio. Audio editing is pretty straightforward: Highlight the audio that you don’t want with the Selection Tool and press delete. That’s it!

Deleting Audio: 1. Use the

Selection Tool to select a portion of the audio you would like to delete.

2. Once selected, there are two options you can choose to delete. You can either: A. Press the Delete key on your keyboard. B. Click the

Cut Icon located on the Edit Toolbar.

3. If at anytime you need to go back, you can click the

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Undo Icon located on the Edit Toolbar.

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Step 6: Adding Silence Another option when editing audio files is to add silence. There are two options when it comes to silence in Audacity. You can either silence a selection of audio which will remove noise or you can add silence to increase spacing between words.

Silencing a selection of Audio: 1. Use the

2. Click the

Selection Tool to select a portion of the audio you would like to Silence.

Silence Icon located on the Edit Toolbar.

Adding Silence: 1. Use the

Selection Tool and click where you would like to insert the audio.

2. Click Generate > Silence.

3. Enter the amount of time that you would like to insert and Click Generate Silence. Instructional Technology Center, Stabler Hall 104, (717) 780-2534

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Step 7: Exporting your Files By being able to delete and add silence to your audio files, you have the basic knowledge to be able to edit your audio files. Once you are finished editing your file, the last step is to export your edited file so you will be able to use it.

Exporting Audio Files: 1. When you are finished editing and would like to create your final file, click File > Export as WAV…

2. Save your new file to a place that is easy for you to find. 3. Your file is now ready for metadata and conversion using iTunes.

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