Clipping when amplifying after import second track [SOLVED]

Audacity 3 Help Forum Windows
1

Can someone please help me with this:

I open a .wav file of natural recorded sounds—let’s say rain—into a new project file.
I amplify the track to .1 below max; it works fine—no clipping.
I then import a second .wav file of, say, treefrogs, into the same project file.
I amplify that second track to .1 below max.
I mute the rain track and playback the treefrog track: No clipping.
Then I un-mute the treefrog track and playback the project file with both tracks audible:
Clipping is everywhere.
So I undo the amplifying on both files and then do it again, reducing amplification by 1.
Still clipping.
I’m having to reduce amplification by about 5 to stop the blasted clipping!
I don’t want to do that.
Is there any way to stop this annoying clipping with amplification at or just below max?
Thanks for all your help.

2

When you play two or more tracks, Audacity just adds them up. The combination of the two is too loud.

I’ve never done this, but Tracks > Mix and Render might give you a separate mixed track. You can then run the volume tools on that instead of each individual track. I need to try this.

If you’re after maximum volume, you can use the compression tools to raise the overall volume of the show. Trying to get good loudness out of natural sound, particularly nature sound, is a challenge.

Koz

3

And yes. If you simple mix two very similar tracks, the combination will go up 6dB. 6dB is half and double (depending on which way you’re going).

Koz

4

Here it is. Scroll down to “Mix and Render.”

http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/tracks_menu.html

Koz

5

Thanks so much, Kozikowski. for your input and suggestion on this.

I amplified both individual original tracks to just below peak before doing this.
Neither the “mix and render” nor the “mix and render to new track” solved the problem.
The mix and render didn’t seem to change the tracks at all, and the mix and render to new track created a new track, but the new track didn’t contain both original tracks—it left out the original “rain” track.

6

the mix and render to new track created a new track, but the new track didn’t contain both original tracks—it left out the original “rain” track.

That’s not right. Which version of Audacity are you using and on which Windows? I’m using 2.0.5.

You have to select each of the tracks you wish to use in the mix. Click just above Mute to select the first one and then Shift plus just above mute to get any others.

Koz

7

WHOOPIEEEE!!!

Thanks so much Koz for your most gracious wisdom.
To answer your question for everyone’s benefit, I’m running Windows Home Premium with updates, and Audacity 2.0.6.

As for your latest instruction, here’s what I did:
I “selected” both of the tracks before amplifying either of them.
Then I ran “Mix and Render to New Track.”
After the render I amplified the new track to max and had some clipping.
I reduce the amplification by .01 to just below max, rendered again, and got no clipping.
The new track now has both tracks in it, peaks out at just below 0Db, and sounds fine.
Thanks again so much for your help.
You saved me, as I have several finished product ideas that require mixing two or more tracks.
You and Audacity ROCK!!!

8

Good that it worked. I’ve never used some of those tools, so it was a bit of a fishing rip.
Koz