Exported files are very quiet.

[Socohol]

Being new to Audacity, I have noticed that once a recording is exported, the resulting audio file has a very low volume. Searching for ways to fix this, I have encountered various solutions such as amplifying the recording or compressing it. After trying both of these suggestions, the audio file still has a low volume and even has lower sound quality post-amplification. The recording plays fine through Audacity, but once it is exported it becomes extremely quiet. Is there a way to export a recording while keeping the same volume that it has while it is played through Audacity?

[kozikowski]

once it is exported it becomes extremely quiet.

...when you play it on what?

Koz

[Socohol]

once it is exported it becomes extremely quiet.

...when you play it on what?

Koz

When I play it on iTunes, it is lower in volume in comparison to other songs, sorry for not clarifying.

[waxcylinder]

You are using Effect > Amplify to bring the sound level up as the last step prior to exporting right?

I amplify to -3 dB for WAV files for my iTunes, which I convert in iTunes to AAC for my iPod, which I find plenty loud enough - my son however complains that the recordings are sometimes too loud on his iPod when I "lend" him the WAVs.

WC

[waxcylinder]

You know there is a setting in iTunes which will try to make all the "songs" on your iPod the same loudeness?

WC

[PeatSki]

You are using Effect > Amplify to bring the sound level up as the last step prior to exporting right?

WC, could you give a little more detail? I'm also a newbie having the same problem and I'm not doing amplify as the last step.

For example, I do a podcast that has two vocal tracks. I use the envelope tool to even out the volume between the two speakers. Then, as my last step I'd ... select everything and amplify? If I do this, how do I know how much to amplify by? Just trial and error until it's how I like it?

Peat

[steve]

For example, I do a podcast that has two vocal tracks. I use the envelope tool to even out the volume between the two speakers. Then, as my last step I'd ... select everything and amplify? If I do this, how do I know how much to amplify by? Just trial and error until it's how I like it?

The easy way (plus some additional useful steps):

• Adjust the levels as you are doing now.
• Ctrl+A (Select All)
• Tracks menu > Mix and Render (this will "mix down" the tracks into one track
• Effect menu > Normalize (set "Normalize Maximum Amplitude" to about -1 dB, or a bit lower if you intend to export as MP3, say around -2 dB for MP3 export)
• Play the track and ensure that you are happy with it
• Export a WAV file (even if you want an MP3 as the end product, it's worth having a high quality WAV file as a backup) and then if you want an MP3, export as MP3.
• If you think that you may want to edit the project at a later date,
  • use Ctrl+Z to undo the Normalizing and Mixing so that you are back with your individual (un-mixed) tracks,
  • File menu > Check Dependencies (Import all files if advised to do so)
  • Save the Audacity Project.

[PeatSki]

Steve,

That worked really well for me. It's still not as loud as I'd like it as an mp3, but it is louder and the volume is consistent.I'm going to experiment with some dummy files and see if I can't get it perfect for future recordings. Thanks for the help!

[steve]

It's still not as loud as I'd like it as an mp3

Modern commercial recordings are often very loud - some would say "too loud". Interesting article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loudness_war