Audacity How-To

Caution: “Treat Mono As Dual Mono” Will Reduce LUFS By 3dB

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

In this video I show you how checking the option, “Treat Mono As Dual Mono” when setting LUFS levels in Audacity will actually reduce your exported file’s level by 3dB. This option is there to meet the EBU’s broadcast standard for LUFS when working with a dual-mono track. A dual-mono track is a track with left and right channels (similar to a true stereo track) but unlike a stereo track, the audio in each channel is identical. But when used on a mono track, this option reduces the LUFS level by 3dB. As I show you in this video, if you’re exporting a mono podcast at -19dB LUFS with this option checked, you’re actually exporting at -22dB LUFS. This is important information.

Links mentioned in this video:

Hardware I used in this video (NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases).

Software I Used:

  • Audacity Version 3.1.3
  • Camtasia 2022
  • Auphonic Desktop Leveler

Other places you’ll find me:

How to Trim a Waveform for ACX Using the Selection Toolbar in Audacity

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

In this video I show you how to trim the precise length of room tone that is required by ACX at both the beginning of your recorded waveform and at the end, using the Selection toolbar in Audacity. ACX requires 0.5 to 1 second of room tone at the beginning of your recorded chapter and 1-5 seconds at the end of each chapter. Using the selection toolbar to trim the excess audio gives you a precise way to be consistent with your recordings from chapter-to-chapter while meeting the ACX standard.

Hardware I used in this video (NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases)

Software I Used:

Other places you’ll find me:

Audacity Sample Rates and Bit Depth

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

Let’s talk Audacity sample rates and bit depth. What is a sample rate? What am I sampling and why? What is bit depth? What’s the relationship between sample rate and bit depth? Why are there sample rates displayed in each track and a project sample rate in the lower left corner of the screen? What’s the difference and do they have to match? Where do I set the default sample rate in Audacity?

Contents:

  • 00:00 – Introduction
  • 00:15 – Digital and Analog
  • 00:48 – Digital Waveforms
  • 01:10 – Analog to Digital Conversion
  • 02:46 – Topics: Sample Rate and Bit Depth
  • 03:10 – Track Sample Rates and Project Sample Rate
  • 03:59 – What Is a Sample Rate?
  • 05:17 – Project Sample Rate
  • 05:51 – Three Examples of Different Project Rates
  • 08:55 – What is Bit Depth?
  • 12:07 – Changing Track Sample Rates
  • 13:05 – Project Sample Rate for ACX Audiobooks
  • 14:13 – How to Set The Default Project Sample Rate
  • 15:44 – Sample Rate Conversion Settings in Audacity
  • 17:49 – Recap
  • 18:06 – MP3 Export for ACX
  • 19:41 – What is MP3 Bit Rate?
  • 20:23 – Wrap-up and Video Courses I Teach

Hardware used in this video (NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases).

Other places you’ll find me:

How to Split, Join, and Move Audio Segments Using Audacity 3.1.x

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

Now that the time shift tool is no longer a part of Audacity, how do we move audio segments? With the advent of Audacity version 3.1.x moving audio around has gotten easier and quicker. In this video, I show you how to split audio into separate segments, how to join audio segments together, and how to move audio now that the time shift tool is no longer with us.

Contents:

  • 00:00 – Intro
  • 00:23 – How to Split Audio in Audacity
  • 01:56 – How to Move Audio in Audacity
  • 02:59 – How to Join Audio in Audacity
  • 04:39 – Summary
  • 04:50 – Other Places You’ll Find Me

Hardware I used in this video.
NOTE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases:

Audacity Crashes When Manipulating Clip Names With Sync-Lock Tracks Enabled

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

I’ve found a problem with Audacity 3.1.2 that may be related to the Mac operating system. I can’t change or delete clip names (these are the new clip names that were introduced in version 3.1.0) and to make matters worse, if I try to do so with sync-lock tracks enabled, Audacity crashes every time. Someone on the Audacity User’s Forum mentioned they weren’t having that problem running Windows, so it may just be Mac related. I’m running MacOS Monterey (12.0.1) on a 2017 MacBook Pro.

CONTENTS:
00:00 – Intro
00:36 – Track Label Overlays
02:13 – Audio Clip Names
04:50 – Clip Names Can’t Be Changed
06:12 – My System Specs
07:01 – Clip Names With Sync-Lock Tracks Crashes My Audacity
09:17 – Summary
10:00 – Wrap-up

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS VIDEO:

  • Audacity Bootcamp: Beginner to Advanced
  • ACX Audiobook Production Using Audacity

MY RECORDING HARDWARE:

DISCLAIMER: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying Amazon purchases.

Audacity Version 3.1.2 Loop Fix, Play-at-Speed In a Loop, and Effects Preview In a Loop

/ Mike Adams / Leave a comment

In this video I take a look at the following in Audacity version 3.1.2:

  1. The Loop Function Fix
  2. How to use the Play-at-Speed tool inside a loop.
  3. How a loop selection differs from an effects preview selection.

Points 2 and 3 are questions that have been asked of me and this video seemed like a good place to talk about it.

CONTENTS:

  • 00:00 – Intro
  • 00:46 – Loop Function Fix in Version 3.1.2
  • 02:18 – Moving/Expanding the Looped Section
  • 04:55 – Play-at-Speed in a Looped Selection
  • 06:01 – Looped Selection vs. Preview Selection
  • 09:39 – Summary
  • 10:14 – Wrap-up and Preview

-Enjoy!