Book Image

Getting started with Audacity 1.3

Book Image

Getting started with Audacity 1.3

Overview of this book

Using the Audacity software as the starting off point, we discuss what the software is, what it can do, how you can use it, and where you go to get started installing it. All of this information is grounded in some basic audio editing terminology and background for those that aren't so technology inclined.Then we'll start digging into a sample project! You'll learn about how to set up a project, create a voice track, record an interview with Skype, and basic audio editing techniques. All of this done in an easy to follow, task based approach with lots of examples. Here, we plan to go a step further, we teach how to wrap all of these steps together and create a podcast that can be posted on your own website or blog.There's always more you can do with Audacity! The last portion of the book is dedicated to just that - discussing more advanced editing and mixing techniques, using affects, adding music, adding additional plug-ins to the software. All still incorporating examples and easy to follow tasks you can try on your own audio projects.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
Getting started with Audacity 1.3
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewers
Preface
9
Giving Your Audio Some Depth: Applying Effects
Toolbar, Menu, and Keyboard Shortcut Reference
Glossary of Terms
Index

Creating a new project


When you open Audacity for the first time, it automatically opens a new, empty project. To begin, you'll want to make sure that you give the project it's own name and folder location for file management purposes. Then you'll know where the files are saved and stored for your project. To do this is simple: from the main menu, select File and then Save Project As.

The Save As window is displayed, prompting you for a filename for your project. Type a file name, and then click on Save.

You'll notice that there are now two files in your save location: an AUP file with your project name, and a directory or folder named project name_data.

The .aup file is the Audacity-specific project file, and is what you would select to reopen your project once you have closed it. The _data folder is exactly as it is named— a data directory that Audacity uses to store all of the recorded audio and changes that you make to the .aup file.

Note

Remember, these are file names and types that only...