View source for Audacity 1-2-3

:<i>This guide is also available in [[Guía Básica Para Audacity|Spanish]] / Esta guía tambien existe en [[Guía Básica Para Audacity|español]]</i>
:<i>This guide is also available in [[Audacity Grundlagen|German]] / Diese Anleitung gibt es auch auf [[Audacity Grundlagen|Deutsch]]</i>

This is a guide on how to install Audacity.

== Download and Install ==

(The steps below are a short outline. For a more complete tutorial, please check out [http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/audacity-tutorial.html this guide].)

# Find the correct '''Audacity''' version for your operating system from this page: [http://web.audacityteam.org/download/ http://web.audacityteam.org/download/] <br> > Follow instructions to download and install.
# <b>Lame Encoder</b> (This will enable you to export your files in mp3 format) <br> > '''Download''' the '''lame mp3 encoder''' from this page: [http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#lame Lame Download] <br> > '''Install the Lame encoder''' by following the instructions given in the previous link, or the instructions on [http://wiki.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Lame_Installation#Windows_Instructions this page]

<div class="note">The latest full release of Audacity version 2.0.2 offers a much improved noisecleaning effect over the previous stable version 1.2.6 which should not be used for noise-cleaning. </div>

== Configure ==
You will usually need to change the default settings in Audacity to meet the format that Librivox requires. This is to ensure that all our recordings are as technically uniform as possible.  Some of these settings will also minimize the strain on your computer, so they are very important!  The instructions below will guide you through making the changes.  This should only need to be done once, since Audacity will remember the changes you make.  

: <i>Main page: [[Tech Specs]]</i>
{| align="right" class="infobox"
!bgcolor="#DEDEDE"| Summary of tech specs
|-
|<b>Channel</b>: Mono <br><b>Sample rate</b>: 44100 Hz <br><b>Sample format</b>: 16 bit <br><b>Export bitrate</b>: 128 kbps
|}

You can read the instructions below or watch this [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqmCOxOs_pM 3 minutes''' video'''] that explains it.

# Before opening <b>Audacity</b>, plug in your mic. (always plug in your mic before you start Audacity) 
# Open the Preferences Dialog Box: '''Edit''' > '''Preferences''' (or Ctrl + P)
# Under the '''Audio I/O''' tab: 
## Under <b>Recording Device</b>: select your mic from the pull-down menu;
## Select '''1 (Mono)''' in the '''Channels''' drop-down menu (top right). 
# Under the '''Quality''' tab: 
## Check that the '''Default sample rate''' is '''44100 Hz'''
## Change '''Default sample format''' to '''16 bit'''
# Export setup:
:* If using <b>Audacity 1.2.6</b>: Under the '''File Formats''' tab:
:# '''Uncompressed Export Format: WAV (Microsoft 15 bit PCM) '''
:# Under <b>MP3 Export Setup</b>, select <b>Bit Rate</b> of <b>128</b>; click <b>Find Library</b> and locate and select the Lame encoder you saved: 
::: * '''PC''': in your <i>Programs</i> Folder, find the <i>Audacity</i> folder, and select the <i>lame_enc.dll</i> file
::: * <b>Mac</b>: in your <i>Applications</i> Folder, find the <i>Audacity</i> folder, and select the <i>LameLib</i>; press OK.  
:* If using <b>Audacity 1.3 or later</b>: 
:# You must have something recorded in order to activate the Export function. If you try to export an empty project, you will find that the Export function is greyed out. For testing purposes, just click the record button and then stop after a second or two.
:# Click '''File''' > '''Export''' 
:# You'll see the '''"Export file"''' window appear.  You can select the destination here, of course. Enter the name of the file (without the "mp3" on the end - it'll be added for you).
:# In the '''"Save as type"''' box, select '''"MP3 files"''', ''but '''DON'T''' click '''Save''' yet!!!''
:# Now look for the '''"Options"''' box in the Right lower corner of the window, and click on that.
:# You'll see a '''"Specify MP3 Options''' window now.  Here click on:
:## '''Constant'''
:## '''128 kbps'''
:## '''Joint stereo'''
:# Click '''"OK"'''
:# ''Now'' click on '''"Save"''', and your mp3 will be exported at 128 kbps.

==Get Acquainted with the User Interface==
More great information:
* [http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/audacity-toolbars.html Toolbars and controls]
* [http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/audacity-editmenu.html Using the Edit Menu]
* [http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/audacity-tracks.html Tracks and Waveforms]
* [http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/audacity-mp3.html Exporting MP3 files] (remember we record in Mono channel)

Please note that all those tutorials are illustrated with screenshots from the stable 1.2.6 version of Audacity. There are slight variations in the beta version but the same settings need to be set there, too.

<b>Help! my mic is missing!</b> -- See last section on this page.

== Test ==

<div class="tip"> <b>TIP</b>: audio is a lot of work for many computers. Always, <i>always</i> give your computer a little time to catch up -- whenever you click a button, whenever you stop, whenever you save, be a bit patient with your computer. <b>Most crashes happen when commands are given too rapidly.</b> Save early, save frequently. </div>


=== Barest Basics ===

Here we create and save an Audacity file: record, look, listen, and delete. (3 minutes!) We presume that you have already configured Audacity correctly (see above).

# <B>Plug in your mic</B> (always plug in your mic before you start Audacity)
# <B>Start Audacity</b> (quit and restart it if it was already open when you plugged in your mic)
# <b>Record</b>: Click the <b>Record</b> button (red circle) and read this into your mic:
## "<i>Peter Piper packed a paper pumpkin. Thank you thirty thousand thanks. Fine fun on the forums, fortunately.</i>"
# <b>Stop</b>: Click the <b>Stop</b> button (square).
# <b>Save your project</b>: 
## <b>File</b> > <b>Save Project</b> and '''look''' at the save window
## Select the folder you want to save your project in (create a folder on your Desktop called LV, and a folder inside that called "testing" -- unless you have a better idea) and save. 
# <b>Play</b>: Click the <b>Play</b> button (green triangle) and listen for a bit, then press Stop. 
## now press the spacebar ... press it again (it toggles play on, off)
# <b>Position the cursor</b> at the beginning of a word (can you find the beginning?)
## leisurely press the <b>spacebar</b> four or five times.<BR>each time, it begins where you had placed the cursor)
## click the <b>Play</b> button (green triangle) and then the <b>Pause</b> button; press Pause ...again...<BR>(each time, it resumes from where it was paused)
## <b>highlight</b> an inch or two of waveform and hit the <b>spacebar</b>; press it again.<BR>(it plays the highlighted section and stops)
# <b>Zooming</b>: Look at the <b>waveform</b>. 
## click the <b>+</b> magnifying glass 3 times; 
## click the <b>-</b> magnifying glass 2 times; 
## highlight an inch of the waveform and click the 3rd magnifying glass <BR>(it fills the screen with what you've highlighted)  
## now click the final magnifying glass. <BR>(it fits the whole file on the screen)
# <b>Delete your track</b>: At the far left side of your track, click the <b>X</b> in the upper left corner. 
## press <b>Control-Z</b>. Your track is back (because it undid your delete). 
## press <b>Control-Z</b>. Your track is gone again (because it just undid your recording). 
## press <b>Control-Y</b> (to redo your recording). 
# Now click the <b>X</b> again to delete the track.


====Volume====
:How did your trial sound? Did you have to turn up the volume on your computer to hear it? Or turn the volume down so it wouldn't distort?

Here is a video on amplifying a file in Audacity: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_z607awyLw click here to see video]

[[LibriVox]] files should sound very comfortable to listen to when your computer's volume control is set about halfway between the mid-point and the max-point -- that is, if you're listening on headphones or speakers. If you're listening to built-in speakers, it's much harder to judge the sound level.
* If a sound file requires maximum volume to be comfortably heard, it is <u>Too Faint</u>!
* If a sound file must be played at mid-volume to be comfortable, and feels uncomfortable or begins to distort at 3/4 volume, it is <u>Too Loud</u>!

To record with good volume, learn (right now) about <b>input levels</b> (the level at which your voice is put in to your recording).

* <b>Set your input levels on your computer</b> <br>(the single greatest aid to audio quality)
** on a Mac:
*** <b>Applications > System Preferences > Sound</b>:
*** select your microphone under <b>Choose a device for sound input</b>
*** and slide the <b>Input volume</b> up, usually to 3/4 or 5/8 mark. 
** on a PC (Windows Vista / 7):
*** <b>Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices </b> (or right-click on the volume icon in the taskbar)
*** click the <b>Recording</b> tab. 
*** right-click on the mic you're using and select <b>Properties</b>
*** click the <b>Levels</b> tab. 
*** slide the volume higher to about 3/4 or 5/8 mark.
** on a PC (Windows XP):
*** <b>Start > Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices </b>
*** click the <b>Audio</b> tab. 
*** Under <b>Sound Recording Default device</b> select your microphone from the drop-down menu and click <b>Volume</b>
*** most folks need to slide the volume higher to about 3/4 or 5/8 mark.
** on a PC (Windows 7):
*** <b>Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Manage Audio Devices > Recording</b>
*** Double-click <b>Microphone</b> 
*** Click <b>Levels</b> tab and adjust the volume slider
*** Click OK.

=== Mystery of the Missing Mic ===
Sometimes your mic goes missing. It might have been unplugged while you were doing some editing in Audacity, and now Audacity doesn't know it exists. Even though you plugged it in before you started Audacity, things happen.

<b>If you ever start Audacity while your mic is unplugged...</b>
you can try to simply restart Audacity after you've plugged in the mic. Sometimes that works. But if your recording quality isn't looking so hot, follow these steps:
# quit Audacity
# plug your mic in
# select your mic on your computer and set its input levels (usually 3/4 or 5/8)
# start Audacity
# and check that Audacity has your mic selected:
:* In Audacity's menu bar, Audacity > Preferences...
:* Audio I/O tab, under Recording, Device: select your mic* in the pull-down menu.

(*If your mic isn't listed, start over at step 1, and be sure you've done step 3 properly. If that doesn't work, restart your computer with the mic plugged in, and begin with step 3.)