I am very new to anything related to sound editing. I downloaded the audio file for a movie as an mp3. When I opened the file up in Audacity, this is what the file looks like:
It’s confusing to me, because when I look at something like that, it makes me think that it’s showing two tracks, but it should just be one. Other mp3s I’ve opened in Audacity look like this:
Does this have to do with how the file is imported? Is there a way to view this audio file so that it looks like the second example? If not, does it matter, or is there something wrong with the file?
Thanks!
The second one is a mono file of slightly high level that should play to both sides of stereo speakers.
The top file is a low volume stereo file. If you play the file and both green sound meters exactly match, then you have a two-track mono file. The same show exactly on left and right.
If the green sound meters are different, then you have a normal stereo sound file — different sound on left and right.
You can correct the level with Effect > Amplify > [OK].
Audacity doesn’t do anything to incoming files except standard convert them.
Koz
Thank you very much, that clears everything up!