Hi. I am trying to learn this and have reviewed Manual and am confused. I do a LIVE RADIO show using Voice Meeter and BUTT (Broadcast Using This Tool) which is recorded/stored on Windows Media in my computer. When I IMPORT into Audacity after my show, the volume is super loud, cracking and waveform is large. How to I adjust this volume to make the recorded show sound very good. I know how to Export it into MP3 on my computer and I then send the show to the network for them to archive. VoiceMeeter and BUTT meters show the LIVE SHOW is excellent and the show sounds great LIVE, but I need to be able to use Audacity to edit and tighten it all up so it is perfect for the Archive on the Network website. Again, the problem is that when I IMPORT the show I just did, it is super loud, cracking and horrible and I need to be able to adjust that volume down, then export it back (which I know how to do) and post it to the network (which I know how to do). Thank you for helping me.
How is it being recorded and converted to MP3? It would seem that’s where the problem lies.
This isn’t related to your current problem but it would be best if you can record to a non-compressed (non-lossy) format and compress to MP3 once as the last step. When you open the MP3 for editing it gets decompressed and when you re-export as MP3 after editing you are going through another generation of lossy compression.
Thank you so much for responding. I will check the VOICEMEETER (recording software on computer) and make sure that settings are correct. If the settings are not correct, and that is where the problem lies with the RECORDED show being too loud when it is IMPORTED to AUDACITY, then I am going to assume that there is not way to fix that in AUDACITY after it is IMPORTED, is that correct ? In other words, once it is IMPORTED, I cannot edit the volume down before I EXPORT it back into my Windows Media file in my computer in MP3 ?
OOPS, I meant…“if the settings ARE CORRECT in Voicemeeter…” sorry about that wrong term originally. I know it is already confusing enough
Turn on View > Show Clipping in Audacity. If you see a pile of red vertical bars in the waveform then your audio is above the 0 dB distortion level.
Are these imported files MP3? If so, Effect > Amplify… and OK may reduce some of that audible distortion because MP3 can carry some audio above 0 dB. Otherwise, even using Amplify to make the peak below 0 dB will not remove the distortion, just make it quieter.
You can use Effect > Clip Fix… to somewhat improve distortion due to being over 0 dB. Clip Fix tries to guess what the non-distorted waveform would have looked like and interpolates it into the waves.
If you are not getting red bars then the problem is not excessive loudness but something else. In that case could you post an audio sample?
Gale
Thank you so much, Gale ! I am unfamiliar with some of the “terms” (I’m not a techy, just a talk show host that changed networks and suddenly had to become my own Engineer…and I am learning) 
I’ll play with and hopefully, it will all be good. When I first started doing this about 4 months ago, it was perfect, then the other day…everything just mysteriously changed. The system that a “techy” set up for me according to the instructions from the network, was the VOICEMEETER BANANA to work with BUTT and that goes through the network on Skype for the LIVE BROADCAST. After the LIVE BROADCAST, the show is automatically recorded onto the Windows Media Player in my computer (in MP3). I then IMPORT it to AUDACITY and edit (cut) out long pauses and FADE IN and FADE OUT music intros and exit and really make the broadcast nice for the ARCHIVE. I EXPORT it from AUDACITY and it goes into a special file in my Windows Media Player in MP3 and I can then UPLOAD that show to the network website. I have been doing a LIVE show 4 days per week and editing in AUDACITY right after that and posting for about 4 months now. Like I said, something suddenly changed and when I would IMPORT the recording into AUDACITY, it would be very loud and cracking and horrible. For the past few days I have been unable to to place shows on the network website because they sound so bad and loud distorted. Thank you so much for your suggestions. I will work on it.