Thanks to encouragement here, especially by example from Trebor, I’ve managed to master the features of Audacity that are essential to me - ie, Amplification and Noise Reduction.
However, sometimes, although Audacity’s interface shows a full audio length, the file produced is several minutes short.
Example - this 11m01s file, when added to the video in my video editor, is only 7m43s long
Oh! And now I’ve discovered that even if I don’t do anything whatsoever to the audio except open it in Audacity and export it, the sound cuts off in the same place.
Original audio:
This is the original video, unedited (warning - it’s boring). The problem with this particular recording is that the voice is almost inaudible, but noises near the mike are very loud.
I wondered if this was caused by the original video being edited into joined-up clips prior to the sound adjustments, but it’s not. Also wondered if “clipping” was responsible, if it meant that over-loud bits are clipped out - but I’ve Googled it and it doesn’t seem to mean that.
If the audio is correct in Audacity the problem is with the export or more likely the video application. Use File > Export Audio not Export Selected Audio.
It is easy to verify the export - drag it back into Audacity.
Exactly what format are you exporting to with what parameters? Exactly what video application are you using?
It is easy to verify the export - drag it back into Audacity.
Oh dang! I had to restore the files from Recycle Bin but now can’t find them anywhere I remember clearly that they showed the right length in Audacity, it was only when loaded into Freemake Video Converter (the only editor I can use) that they’re short.
Exactly what format are you exporting to with what parameters? Exactly what video application are you using?
The original ‘recordings’ were flv downloads. I select Import/Audio…, Amplification, experiment with level (I don’t alter anything else whatsoever except “allow clipping”) and let Audacity do the rest. Then Export Audio… and Audacity creates an .mp3 file and I save it.
I was able to rescue myself by resorting to mp4 screen captures of the same episode (belt and braces with that group of webcams), so I wonder if I need to convert flv prior to using Audacity?
Now I’m hoping that this all may be academic, as the mike volume on the cam has at last been turned up today so I shouldn’t have to take extra steps in future… well, just noise reduction for the background hum sometimes
Try Avidemux which should let you swap the audio over without re-encoding the video, therefore avoiding quality loss. I expect it is a problem with Freemake.
Thank you, Gale, I have given Avidemux a brief try in the past, just for video editing, but as with all others besides Freemake it didn’t have a big enough and clear enough interface for me to work with. However, if I can’t resolve the current audio problem I shall give it another go.
I may have found a solution with existing software, tho - if I first convert the mp4 video to mp3 in Freemake*, and then import into Audacity and do the adjustments, and then add the improved audio to the original video in Freemake - the sound is the right length!
Go figure! I do hope this solution wasn’t a temporary glitch
*The Freemake version I use is from 2011, designed for Windows7 and I’m using it in Windows10 - but “they” crippled it in later versions, focussing more on the conversion features than the editing which I use. Typical!
WAV is not an option in Freemake Video Converter but it probably is in the Freemake Audio Converter, so I’ll try that if push comes to shove.
However, the current problem doesn’t require a very high quality solution because the original stream is not high quality - but it’s very easy to work with so I’m not complaining. Wish the same could be said of many of the HD wildlife cams online
I remember clearly that they showed the right length in Audacity, it was only when loaded into Freemake Video Converter (the only editor I can use) that they’re short.