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Editing in Audacity
Step 2: Edit
Adjusting Audio Levels
- Move slider bars to adjust how loud the playback is, or how much audio is picked up from the microphone.
![Audacity Editing Tools](http://s3.amazonaws.com/libapps/accounts/208/images/Audacity_Editing_Tools.png)
Selecting and Editing
- Click and drag the mouse over the audio you want to select-- this will highlight that audio or use the "I" Selection tool on the upper left hand corner.
Cutting
- After selecting, chose “Cut” from the Edit menu. This will delete the selected audio but save it to be pasted later.
Pasting
- Click the area of the track you wish to have the added audio and go to Edit > Paste.
Trimming the Beginning
- Click the track just before where you want the audio to start. Go to Edit > Select > Track Start to Cursor. This will highlight the beginning of the track. Press Delete on the keyboard.
Trimming the End
- With the Selection Tool, click just after where you want the track to end. Go to Edit > Select > Cursor to Track End. This will highlight from the cursor to the end of the track. Press Delete.
Mixing and Adding Extras
Tips
- To edit more efficiently, spread out the waves. To do this, look for the magnifying glass with a +sign (this is the zoom in icon; to zoom out use the - sign). Click it a few times so that the waves are spread out.
- Click "play" and start listening to the audio.Note: it is a good idea to to confirm that you want this audio deleted, so always listen first!
- When using the audio control buttons (play, stop, pause), make sure to push the stop button or you won't be able to highlight or delete selections.
- Make sure to SAVE often. To save the audacity project, go to "File" tag --> "save project as" --> save as .aup
- More Tips ("Master your MP3s with Audacity," CNET.com)