Hello guys:
I know that similar questions have been asked but I haven’t seen a definitive answer yet: I would like to know if I can highlight or isolate instrument parts on Audacity. The results dont need to be optimal or great. It doesn’t matter if I can still hear the other instruments on the background. Im just trying to hear guitar parts better to learn to play them. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!!
José
Usually “no”.
Instrument sounds usually have a complex mixture of frequencies that overlap the frequencies of other instruments. Audacity can “hear” frequencies and amplitudes, but has no idea whatsoever where those frequencies came from. If at a particular point in time there is a frequency of 440 Hz with an amplitude of -20 dB, Audacity has no idea if that sound came from a guitar, a piano, or a passing aircraft.
The exception is if the instrument that you want to hear is located dead centre of a stereo mix, and other instruments are panned left and right. This “may” be the case if the guitar is the primary solo instrument. In this special case, the “Vocal Reduction and Isolation” effect can separate the sounds based on whether they are centre in the stereo mix or not: Vocal Reduction and Isolation - Audacity Manual
Guitars mostly produce frequencies in the range 200 Hz to 2000 Hz. You could use the Equalization effect to boost that frequency range and reduce frequencies outside of that range. That may help a bit to make the guitar part easier to hear. Equalization - Audacity Manual
Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. Ill try the EQ option to see if it helps.
Thanks again!!
José