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

The basics of editing


The basic editing features of Audacity include cut, copy, paste, trim, delete, and silence portions of the audio track, all of which can be found in the Edit menu on the main menu bar.

They are also available directly from the Edit toolbar.

Generally, here's what each of these terms mean:

  • To Undo an effect or change to the audio track means that you will revert to the previous state of the audio track—in essence, undoing the action you just did.

  • When a portion of the audio track is Cut, it's removed from the track and is temporarily placed on the computer's clipboard. This clip is still available, in case you want to "paste" into a new track or project (unless you cut or copy another portion - the clipboard can only hold one clip at a time).

  • If you Copy a portion of the audio track, you are literally making a copy of that selection and placing it on the computer's clipboard for "pasting" into a new track or a new project.

  • Paste let's you take whatever audio track selection...