Mixing sounds

[JohnT]

Hi,
I've successfully been using Audacity for sound effects at our local drama club (many thanks Audacity) and my usual technique is to open up a separate window for each of the sounds (say 6 ). I then click on the appropriate window and, at the appropriate cue, press the space bar to start or stop the sound. Fine tuning of the volume of the sound is achieved with a simple mixer positioned between the computer and the amplifier. The problem arises when I want to briefly introduce another sound on top of a sound already playing. I know I could mix these two sounds together using Audacity but that relies on the actors being exact in their timing which just doesn't happen.
My question is, is it possible to play two sounds independently? Perhaps its possible to buy a sound card with more than 1 channel?
Can anyone help please.
JohnT

[kozikowski]

I'm sure this isn't it, but the SOLO and MUTE buttons to the left will allow you to play two at once or mute only one, but you can't change things while Audacity is running. It's not real time production. You could play Audacity on two or more computers.

Koz

[JohnT]

[quote="kozikowski"]I'm sure this isn't it, but the SOLO and MUTE buttons to the left will allow you to play two at once or mute only one, but you can't change things while Audacity is running. It's not real time production. You could play Audacity on two or more computers.

Thanks Koz,
I did "solve" the problem this year by using 2 computers but it seemed a bit clumsy, hence my search for an alternative solution.
JohnT

[Irish]

Here's something that should work, though I haven't tried it myself with Audacity playing back.

In Windows Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds tab, you can assign sounds to many everyday actions, including maximising and minimising windows. If you assign your second sound to these two actions, and have another window (any window) open, you can maximise or minimise that window while the first sound is playing in Audacity, and you should get the two sounds together.

If you're inventive with what actions you assign sounds to, you could have several combinations.

POL

[Irish]

You should use 1.3.12. It has many improved features over 1.2.6

1.2.6 is very old and any problems or bugs in it will not be fixed. It has problems working with Windows Vista, Windows 7 and newer versions of Mac OS.

POL

[steve]

I have a thesis project and is about mixing sounds. I just wondering if what is good version of audacity that we will be use. Tomorrow is our deadline and we have to decide what version that we should put in our thesis project. We already use the latest version but my partner in thesis is not comfortable with the features.

I agree with Irish.
I use Audacity 1.3.12 at work on Windows XP and at home on Linux.
Audacity 1.2.x was good in its day, but that was a long time ago and I find it far too limited now. Audacity 1.3.12 is a long way ahead, but is still just as easy to use.

Audacity 2.0 will hopefully be released in the not too distant future. This will be based on Audacity 1.3.12. If you wish to be notified of new Audacity releases you can register your e-mail address at the bottom of this page on the main Audacity web site: http://audacityteam.org/

[JohnT]

[quote="Irish"]Here's something that should work, though I haven't tried it myself with Audacity playing back.

In Windows Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds tab, you can assign sounds to many everyday actions, including maximising and minimising windows. If you assign your second sound to these two actions, and have another window (any window) open, you can maximise or minimise that window while the first sound is playing in Audacity, and you should get the two sounds together.

If you're inventive with what actions you assign sounds to, you could have several combinations.

Thanks Irish,
I've tried the above trick (with maximise window), it works and I can foresee situations in which I can use it. It would certainly be ok where the sound is a relatively brief one but not so good if the duration had to be controlled as its difficult to turn off without going back into control panel and removing the sound.
Thanks again,
JohnT

[kozikowski]

duration had to be controlled

So you're not in a simple production. You're trying to replace a full-on theatrical sound desk.

Next time you quote somebody, put bracket quote bracket at the beginning of the text and bracket slash quote bracket at the end. Or surround the quote with <<<chicken beaks>>>.

Koz