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Using Audacity to Create MP3 Audio Clips

CSI Staff

Staff Writer

Center for Support of Instruction

Category: » Tech-skills-software » Audio

This tutorial has been broken into six parts:

1. Installation of Software
2. Overview of Tools
3. Prerecording Setup
4. Recording Audio
5. Edit Recording
6. Saving and Exporting to MP3

If you have already completed the installation process of Audacity and the LAME encoder plugin you can proceed to Step two - Overview of Tools.

Installation of Software

1. Download and install Audacity (v1.2.6)
2. Download the LAME MP3 encoder plugin (v 3.96.1)
The LAME encoder plugin will be a zip file. You will need to use a utility like winzip or other unzip program to uncompress the LAME files to a folder on your hard drive. It's best to save these files in the same directory that you stored the Audacity files.)
3. Install the LAME MP3 encoder plugin - In order to save your audio files in MP3 format, Audacity needs to know where the LAME MP3 plugin is. Follow the steps below:
   • Open Audacity
   • Select Edit-->Preferences from the menu bar
   • Select the File Formats tab
   • In the MP3 Export Setup box select the Find Library button. This will ask you if you want to locate the LAME encoder. Select the Yes button.
   • In the dialogue box navigate to the folder where you stored the unzipped LAME files. You will need to locate and select the lame-enc.dll file.
   • Select the OK button to complete the process.

You have completed the set-up process and can proceed to Step 2 - Overview of Tools.

Overview of Tools

When recording in Audacity there are three tool bars that you will use:

• Control Tool Bar
• Mixer Tool Bar
• Meter Tool Bar

Below is a brief overview of these tool bars.

Control Tool Bar

Selection tool - allows you to select parts of the audio clip you want to edit or listen to.	Skip to Start- Moves the cursor to the beginning of the recording.
Envelope tool - allows you to change the volume over time.	Play - Starts playing at the current cursor point.
Draw tool - allows you to modify individual samples.	Loop - If you hold down the play button, it will change to a loop button which will allow you to play the clip over and over.
Zoom tool - allows you to zoom in and out.	Record - Starts recording audio.
Time shift tool - allows you to slide tracks.	Pause - Temporarily stops the play back of the audio. Hit the pause button again to resume.
Multi tool - allows you to access all of the tools at once.	Stop - stops recording or playing the audio.
	Skip to end - Moves the cursor to the end of the recording.

Mixer Tool Bar - controls the volume levels of your audio device.

• Left slider - controls the output volume
• Middle slider - controls the recording volume
• Drop down box - allows you to choose the input sources

Meter Tool Bar - allows you to monitor the input and output levels for your recording.

Prerecording Set-Up

The normal default settings for Audacity is acceptable for your recording, however you will want to change the Bit rate to 16 kpbs and ensure the recording channel is set to Mono. The changing of these two settings will reduce the file size of the audio clip, thus taking less time to download the MP3 file from the Internet.

To change the Bit rate:

1. Select Edit-->Preferences from the top menu.
2. Select the File Formats tab.
3. In the MP3 Export Setup box change the Bit rate to 16.
4. Don't select the OK button just yet.

To change the recording channel:

(If you don't have the Audacity Preference dialog box open, select Edit-->Preferences from the top menu.)

1. Select the Audio I/O tab.
2. In the Recording box ensure Mono is listed in the Channels box. If not use the drop-down to change.
3. Select the OK button.

Set the Recording Input and Output Controls

Using the Mixer tool bar, set the Output Volume and Input Volume. You may want to start with setting the levels to 0.5.

Before you begin recording, you can use the Meter tool bar to ensure your microphone is operating properly.

Select the drop-down menu under the recording meter and select Monitor input.

If the red meter bar for the recording is moving as you speak, then your microphone is working properly.

When you start recording and find that the Input and Output levels are too high, you may need to adjust the Mixer tool bar settings.

Reading the meter: The left-hand of the meter shows how soft your audio clip will be. The right-hand of the meter corresponds to the point at which the audio will be clipped. If your recording reaches too far to the right of the meter you will want to adjust your Input settings on the Mixer tool bar.

Recording Audio

You will need to use the control tool bar and the mixer tool bar to record your audio clip.

First you will need to adjust the settings on the mixer tool bar.

1. To start recording select the record button and begin speaking into the microphone.
2. When you have finished your recording, select the stop button to end the recording.
3. Select the play button to listen to your recording.

Editing the Recording

Once you have recorded your audio, use the play button to listen to your clip.

If you chose to do so, at this point you can edit your recording to remove any unwanted silence from the beginning and end of the clip.

1. Click on the select tool from the Control toolbar.
2. Highlight the part in your recording that you would like to remove. In the image below we will be removing the silence from the beginning of the recording.
3. Select the Cut icon to delete the highlighted piece.
4. Repeat the process for the silence at the end of the recording.

If decide to re-record your audio clip you will need to close your first recording by clicking on the X. Selecting File-->close from the top menu will close the Audacity program, not just the recording.


Also, note that if you start recording without closing the first track, an additional track will be created below the first recorded track. When you play the recording, you will hear both tracks playing at the same time. If this happens, simply delete the track that you do not want.

Saving the Recording and Exporting to MP3

It's best to save your recording before you export to MP3. Saving your recording in Audacity's native format will allow you to return to your recording and make additional changes.

To save your recording

1. Select File-->Save Project As. A warning dialog box will appear letting you know that your recording will be saved in Audacity format. Select the OK button.
2. Navigate to the location where you would like to save your recording.
3. Give your recording a file name.
4. Select the Save button.

To export to MP3

1. Select File-->Export As MP3. Note: If you have more than one recording track a warning box will appear letting you know that the tracks will be exported as a single channel. If this isn't what you intended, close one of the recordings.
2. Navigate to the location where you would like to save your MP3.
3. Give your MP3 recording a file name.
4. Select the Save button.