Help w/Volume Please

[akamick]

We ran out of batteries for the digital recorder in class so I plugged the mic into my laptop and off we went. Unfortunately when I play the recordings I can only hear them through headphones. If I try to play them through the speakers you can barely hear it and that's with the volume all the way up. I have tried saving the files as MP3 and playing them on another computer and have the same problem. I'm sure I must have a setting wrong somewhere.

Is there anyway to fix what's already been recorded so that I can export and send to others and they can hear it without needing headphones?

What do I need to do differently next time?

Thank you!!!!!!!!!
Allison

[alatham]

You can load those audio files into Audacity, highlight them one at a time, and click effects -> amplify. If you use the default setting, the files will be as loud as possible without altering the dynamic range. If you need them louder, you have to use the Compressor effect. Do a forum search for "Compressor settings" or something similar, I've seen plenty of posts detailing how to use the Compressor.

As for getting the settings right the first time, you need to adjust the input volume of Audacity until the loudest sound you'll be recording doesn't clip the input. The input slider has a small microphone icon next to it. Do a test recording of the loudest thing you'll be recording and if the waveform maxes out and gets cut off, adjust the volume down and try again until you can capture the whole thing without cutting off the top of the waveform. "Cutting off" is known as Clipping, and it's a quick way to ruin a recording.

[akamick]

Great suggestion! Thank you! I was able to bring 2 of the 3 files up to a decent volume. The 3rd for whatever reason no matter what I did only increased in volume a very small amount.

If you have any other thoughts I'd be interested!
Thanks again!
Allison

[steve]

The 3rd for whatever reason no matter what I did only increased in volume a very small amount.

There is probably a small "click" or "thump" somewhere on the track that is much louder than the rest of the recording. "Amplify" (without clipping) will calculate the amplification from the loudest part selected. It is quite common to have a little "click" at the very beginning of a track, so try selecting all of the track except for the very first few moments. Select by holding down the left mouse button and dragging across the track.