Track splitting not working

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

I’m using Windows 10 and Audacity 2.3.3. I’ve managed to export both sides on an LP to iTunes, but I can’t get the tracks to separate. As far as I can tell, I’ve followed the instructions exactly as laid out in the Audacity Manual, but obviously I’m doing something wrong. Being technologically challenged doesn’t help, either! Has anyone got any thoughts on this, please?

2

" … not working" is too vague a description - you’ll need to provide some more detail of what you are doing and what the actual result is …

3

Many thanks for your reply. I’m using an AudioTechnica turntable, with a direct usb input (from turntable to pc). Using Windows 10 and Audacity 2.3.3.

I set up the turntable, connected it to the pc, then hit the “Record” button and let the record run for all of the first side, at which time I hit “Stop”. In the Audacity system I then clicked on “File”, then “Save Project” - when the warning dialog box came up (re only being able to open with Audacity) I clicked OK. Under “File”, “Save Project” I opened the “Create new Folder” icon and named the folder.

I then double clicked the folder and named the file (“Caterina Valente”) in “File Name Box”, then clicked Save. Using the Audacity manual, I then followed the instructions on how to label the tracks - I clicked “Edit”, then “Add Label At Selection” and proceeded to label each track. I downloaded the tracks into WAV format, directly into iTunes. Neither the folder nor the file have appeared in iTunes.

According to the AudioTechnica instructions on Youtube), when I saved the files, they should have had the Audacity icon and.AUP after the file name, but all I see is : Caterina Valente_data. Obviously i’ve made some sort of mistake, but as I said before, I’m not that great with computers!

I appreciate any help you can give me
Alan

4

When you saved your project you should get
a) a data folder: Caterina Valente_data
b) alongside it a file called Caterina Valente_data.aup

The aup file is the “project manager” Audacity uses to manage the contents of the data folder.
See: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/audacity_projects.html

In order to get playable audio files you need to export (not save) - and for a rewarding like yours with multiple tracks yo need to
a) label the track breaks (usually with the song title)
b) then use Export Multiple to export a set of audio files based on the labelling

This set of tutorials should help you:
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tutorial_copying_tapes_lps_or_minidiscs_to_cd.html

especially this one: https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/splitting_a_recording_into_separate_tracks.html

And for addding to iTunes this should help
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tutorial_exporting_to_itunes.html

and this suggested workflow
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/sample_workflow_for_exporting_to_itunes.html

WC

5

BTW you don’t really need to save audacity projects at all for the work you are doing.

When I converted my vinyl i:

  1. recorded an LP/tape side
  2. made a temporary WAV file Export of the whole side as a single audio file (as a safety backup)
  3. edited and labelled
  4. used Export Multiple to create song tracks in WAV format
  5. Imported those into iTunes and used iTunes to convert to AAC or Mp3
  6. Backed up copies of the song WAV files on two external USB discs
  7. deleted the temporay whole side WAV file from step 2

No Save Project at all …

WC

6

Thanks for that, sorry for the delay in acknowledging - I’ve been bit stressed out by the whole deal, so been keeping my head down for a while! I’m about to have another crack at it.

Alan

7

Thank you very much, waxcylinder - I took your advice about not bothering to save the projects, and just saved straight into iTunes, it works a treat. I only have two more slight problems (not game-changers, though) - When I open up the tracks in iTunes, although the song titles are already shown, the artist’s name and the album title are not shown, meaning I have to input this info manually. I appear to be doing something wrong, but no idea what.
Also, is there any way of putting in foreign accents (umlauts etc) in some of the song titles? Stay well
Alan

8

Hi Alan,

when I did my LP conversions I didn’t bother with trying to manage metadata in Audacity (Audacity’s not that good with metadata) - rather I used iTunes for metadata management,


I think you should be able to do that.

I have an Excel spreadsheet with accented letters and I usually cut and paste from there - I do recall that working for Audacity labels, but I have to used the Copy command from the labels right-click dropdown context menu (Ctrl+V doesn’t seem to work).

Peter.

9

Thanks, guys - maybe I’m not as dumb as I thought I was, after all :smiling_face:. Your help is much appreciated. Stay well

Alan