Audacity allows you to record pretty much anything that comes through your computer’s audio input, be it from the microphone, line-in, or USB. This article introduces you to the essential steps required for recording and saving audios using Audacity.
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A quick start of how to record in Audacity
Before recording correct the adjustment of level to avoid distortion and noise. When you are ready:
- Set the Recording Device
- Adjust the level of Recording after monitoring
- Then press the ‘Record’
button
During recording
When making critical recordings you need to consider shutting down the other applications so that Audacity can be the sole user of the computer. This helps in avoiding small dropouts, skips, and ticks in the recordings. Click here to learn more.
How to record in Audacity
1. Set the Recording Device either in the Device Toolbar or in the Device Sections of Preferences.
2. To monitor, click on the Recording meter as shown below.
3. Playing or Singing the loudest part of what is being recorded, the recording level can be adjusted, using the slider on the right-hand on the Mixer Toolbar.
To ensure that the bars of the Meter Toolbar do not get very close to the edge of the Meter on the right-hand.
4. Turn on Transport>Transport options>SoftwarePlaythrough(on/off) so that this has a check mark to hear what your recording sounds like.
When recording computer playback do not enable the Software Playthrough as this creates feedback and noise. You can make a test recording to check the level before the real recording. This gives you a clear idea of what a computer playback recording will sound like. Click here for learn more.
5. Press the Record button for the real recording.
6. Audacity records till you stop the recording using the ‘Stop’
button.
If a recording is just made, it is advisable that the audio is exported immediately using File >Export > Export audio….to AIFF or WAV(external drive works better) as a ‘safety’ copy before editing the project.
How to record a guitar:
This usually requires a convertor box of USB – Analog to digital. These can accept a number of different inputs including the XLR and the ¼”. Some of these offer phantom power for the mics and have parameters which can be controlled. Another option is the adapter cables of USB ¼ “. These can be just plugged into the USB port and the guitar is to be plugged in to the other end. Though the USB convertor box works out more capable.
These devices normally have USB connections to a computer and are known as “USB boxes”. Also these devices are available on other merchants such as GuitarCenter, and other sources Amazon and Musiciansfriend.com.
