Setting an end point for a recording

Audacity Help Forum macOS
1

Hi.

I am using version 2.03 on a Mac running OS 10.8.4. I have a recording that is only 7 minutes long but when I export an MP3 it is 10 minutes long. How do I set the “ending” to be at the 7 minute mark? Lots of dead air and worried that people will think it’s a 10 minute piece when it’s a lot shorter. Thanks!

2

Only export as MP3 if it is the final version that won’t be edited further and you accept the quality loss.

Audacity exports what you tell it to export. If you have three minutes of silence in a track underneath which goes from 7 minutes to 10 minutes, then File > Export will add that silence to the end.

If you have multiple pieces and you only want to export 7 minutes of it, drag select that 7 minutes only (and select only in that track) then File > Export Selection.


Gale

3

Hi, Gale.

Thank you for your reply. My piece has several tracks, (it’s a podcast) but the last track ends at the seven minute mark. There are no tracks extending beyond that point. I am confused why Audacity thinks it’s longer. Is there some “end here” icon I am missing?

Thanks,
Allyson

4

There is no “end here” icon. If you File > Export and all tracks start at time zero, the end of the exported file will be the end point of the longest track. To see where the end of the project is, press END on your keyboard to move the cursor there.

If you are not sure, why not select only what you want to export then File > Export Selection? The end of the selection is then the “end here” point. To see what length you have selected, look in Selection Toolbar ( http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/selection_toolbar.html ) and press the “Length” radio button.

If you still think Audacity is not doing the correct thing, fit the project vertically (COMMAND - SHIFT - F) and horizontally (COMMAND - F) then attach a screenshot for us. Please see here for how to attach files: https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/how-to-attach-files-to-forum-posts/24026/1 .

Also see this page in the Manual about selecting audio http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/audacity_selection.html .


Gale

5

Did the trick! Thanks Gale! I’m all set now!
Allyson