Installing and starting up with Audacity
The free audio recording and editing application, Audacity, can be downloaded and installed on your computer by going to the Audacity download site:
Under file, open a new Audacity file and then set up your input and output links. Test them by recording.
Input could be either you computer’s built-in microphone or, better, an external microphone (preferably through a mixer linked through your computer’s USB. Output could be your computer’s build-in headphone jack or to an external mixer with a headphone jack. (See Recording instructions)
Note – Don’t use both your built-in microphone and your build-in speakers because you’ll get feedback.
Also – Older versions of Audacity may not work very well with the newer system software. Try to download the most recent stable version of Audacity.
Editing in Audacity
Good introduction by Kevin Stratvert – walks you through most of the features of Audacity
Advanced editing by Colin Kelly – Shows how to dip and filter.
Audacity and the Audio.com platform
When you use version 3.3 or higher of audacity, you notice that there is a new “Share Audio” button in the middle of the tool bar. The share sends your latest version as an mp3 to Audio.com, which is to audio what YouTube is to video. Yes, unlimited and free, unlike other podcasting and audio sharing platforms.
Collaboration and audio editing apps
The first big issue with live streaming audio collaboration is quality – most of your real time collaborative applications (Zoom, YouTube, Streamyard) are not built for higher quality music and voice acting work. These professional quality DAWs (digital audio work stations) have real-time collaborative features.
- Audiomovers.com $100-300/yr (collaborative editing)
- Adobe Audition $21 / month ‘
- Bandlab (has a tip jar! ) $150 / year
- Digital performer (PC, Mac) $500 – from MOTU – A much loved DAW
- GarageBand (Mac) free
- Reaper (has a lot of enthusiastic fans) two month free startup, $60-225 after that (not so much! they say)