Mixing in Audacity

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

I have 2 tracks in Audacity 3.1.3 (Windows) that I would like to mix in a better way from my standard method.
My standard method is

  1. Listen to both tracks play simultaneously with headphones starting with each tracks volume gain and pan set at the middle position (0dB for the volume gain)
  2. As the song is played I then increase or decrease the volume gains until I get a mix that I like.
  3. Once I like the mix I select each track and Tracks/Mix/Mix and render to new track, I now have Track 3
  4. I then mute Tracks 1 and 2, select Track 3 and Export my mix (Track 3) to MP3 format.

This approach works but doesn’t offer much flexibility.

Is it possible to produce a mixed track that does the following?
Set Track 1’s volume gain to remain at 0dB for the entire song, begin Track 2’s volume gain at -3dB, at some Time Point 1 increase Track 2’s gain to 0db and hold this until Time Point 2 where Track 2’s gain is returned to -3dB. In other words, being able to dynamically adjust the gains as the song progresses. Then of course, mix the 2 tracks which would capture the dynamic gain changes I dialed in on Track 2.

I realize there is a Mixer Board under the View menu but that doesn’t seem to do what I’d like.

Thanks for any help. And to the development team . . . thanks and keep up the great work!

2

BassThumper,

I think the Envelope Tool would work for you.

https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/envelope_tool.html

Mike

3

You can use the [u]Envelope Tool[/u] but it may not be “convenient” for what you’re doing.

Note that mixing is done by summation (analog mixers are built-around a summing amplifier) so to prevent clipping the individual tracks shouldn’t exceed -6dB (50%). Or, you can render as 32-bit floating-point which can go over 0dB. Then open the floating-point file and Normalize or Amplify to make sure the levels are OK before exporting to your final desired format. (A separate “mastering” step is often helpful in any case.)

You might want to consider a [u]DAW[/u] application. They are designed from the ground-up for multitrack recording and mixing with level controls & meters for each track plus a master level control and meter. A DAW will also have [u]automation[/u] for dynamically “programming” your mixing-levels throughout the mix.

4

I haven’t used it, but the Cakewalk DAW by BandLab is free I believe (https://www.bandlab.com/products/cakewalk)

Mike

5

Thanks to everyone who replied. I will investigate the Envelope tool.

As for using a DAW, I thought Audacity was a DAW; perhaps it just has some DAW capabilities?

6

Some people call it a DAW. I call it an “audio editor”. But of course it can record as well as edit. On the Audacity website it says, “Free, open source, cross-platform audio software.”

I’m also a long-time GoldWave user and I also consider it an “audio editor” and its home page says, “Digital Audio Editing Software.”