Audacity Forum

Just wondering if there is a way to slow the playback way down to copy some words on a recording

Not sure what you are asking here, my crystal ball is a little cloudy! However here goes, if you want to copy a single word and paste it into an existing recording? Open the recording, click view, zoom in to expand the screen view, you can do this any number of times until you are able to identify the particular word you want, drag the mouse across the words waveform, click copy, then click the waveform where you want to place the copied word and click paste, bingo. If that isn't what you are looking for, please explain further.

I think I did what you asked .I zoomed all the way until it would not go further and I never saw any words. Might be me !!!! What I'm trying to do is write all the words on paper from a song I recorded from a old cd I had. If it cant be done Ill just put headphones on and go little by little

I think this may be what you are after: http://audacityteam.org/manual/index.ph ... on_Toolbar

I bet you just hate working with people like me. BUT I do appreciate every bit of effort you put towards your efforts.
I think I see the volume slider however there is no green arrow besides it so I am really confused now. This volume control is right above he tracks correct? That is what I want it to do is slow it down to decifer words http://audacityteam.org/forum/posting.p ... =12&t=8712#

Hi BG
I'll try again. Assuming you have Audacity open and the song you want to read the words from imported and you have either stereo or mono blue waveforms on display???
Click the panel at the left hand end of the track that may have a title at the top and volume and balance slders below the title??? This will highlight the track (darken the waveform & blue out the L/H panel,) this means any actions will effect the whole track.
Now, on the top information bar click EFFECT, CHANGE SPEED, this brings up a box with a slider in, move the slider left until the indication reads -10%, click preview, this gives a 3 second burst of the effect you have actioned, if the track is now slow enough to pick out the words, click OK and the full track will be slowed, if it still isn't slow enough, take it down to -15% and try again. Once you have the correct speed, use the radio buttons to start stop & go back to select the section you want.
When you've done all you want, and need the track to go back to normal speed, either close the file without agreeing to the changes, or click EDIT, UNDO CHANGE SPEED until you have cleared all your changes.
You should now read the tutorials listed at the top of this page for further information.
Stearman65

That is what I was talking about,thanks for the help .It took awhile to figure out what was meant by L/H but I stumbled across by mistake and the box turned blue,,HAHAHA