I'm a Dunce, Can You Help Me?

[David Sparkman]

I installed Audacity 1.2.6 on my Dell PC, which has a Windows XP OS. I went through a bunch of problems after installing it that I won't bore you with (e.g., my old plug-in mic that worked fine with my cassette tapedeck wouldn't work, so I got a USB mic).

My intention was to create and record radio broadcasts, which would include both voice and music. One problem I have run into is that while I can record my voice introducing the show, every time I then try to import a music track to follow the voice recording, it instead is combined with the voice track, so that when played back you hear both the music and my voice at the same time.

Please be rest assured, I haven't turned to you just to waste your time with a dumb question without having tried to find the answer myself. I have fiddled around with the program for days, and scoured the Internet for advice and tutorials, but maddeningly no one seems to have addressed this issue, although they have all sorts of wonderful advice on how edit and add effects to tracks already recorded. A quick search here turned up no topics related to this.

Perhaps no one has chosen to address this issue because everyone else on earth knows how to do this and I'm the only one dumb enough not to have figured it out on my own, but I would appreciate it if you could let me know how to record, end-to-end, my voice, then a song, then another song, and so on. Thank you for your patience.

[pdxrunner]

After importing your music, it should be on a separate track from the voice. Use the time-shift tool to drag the music on the timeline so that it starts after your voice clip. (Steve, Koz, there is a time-shift tool in 1.2.x isn't there? I've only used 1.3.5) Now do this with all your voice and music clips, each on it's own track.

[David Sparkman]

Can I then combine them into a single track that would be my show, or I can I only record this way on separate tracks?

[waxcylinder]

Yes you can combine them - they will automatically be combined on Export to WAV/MP3/whatever. Playing the project will play both tracks anyway, unless you "mute" one of the tracks - be careful of the mute function in 1.2 as there is a bug in 1.2 (fixed in 1.3) whereby the mute is not honoured on export.

If you want/need to combine them prior to export - then in 1.2.x there is a function called Quickmix (in 1.3 this is replaced by Mix&Render).

WC

[David Sparkman]

Okay, I figured it out. I cut and paste the tracks together. I may be a dunce, but sometimes I figure things out after stumbling around. However, I would suggest that the instructions on how to use the time shift tool and then cut and paste to create a single track or sound file be added to the manual.

[steve]

I would suggest that the instructions on how to use the time shift tool and then cut and paste to create a single track or sound file be added to the manual.

There is no need to cut and paste onto the same track. As waxcylinder said, both tracks will play anyway, and they will be mixed (added) together automatically when you use "Export", and if you really need to combine several tracks on the same track, you can use "Quick Mix" (Audacity 1.2.x) or "Mix and Render" (Audacity 1.3.x).