Editing audio file in half

[steve]

Then, as I listen to the recording and hit stop where I can find a pause so I can then push all the way back to the left with the finger to export that selection, how do I ensure I can then return to that exact spot where I hit stop so I can begin to then select the last selection to the end to export?

If you just press "Stop", Audacity will go back to the place where playback started and you will lose the place that you got up to, (so don't do that )

There are several methods that you can use - probably the easiest:
When you get to the place where you want to stop, press shift+A. This will cause playback to stop and the playback cursor will remain at the position that you stopped.

[eager to learn]

I push the finger to the right to about 19m10sec but when I go to play form that spot on it starts playing from the very beginning.

How do I get it to start playing at 19 minutes or so and not form the start?

Also, when I set the timeline to every 5 seconds and then try to drag that box slider under the purple graphs it just rebound back to 0:00.

How do I drag it so I can start listening at 19 minutes or so?

Does dragging it to a later time in the recording require that you use the finger only?

Thanks.

[steve]

How do I get it to start playing at 19 minutes or so and not form the start?

Click once on the track (on the blue wiggly waveform) at 19 minutes.
This will place the playback cursor at the point on the track where you click.

[eager to learn]

Steve,

I have now listened to an area between 21m00sec and 21m30sec and I hit Shift/A to hold it there so I can return for the 2nd half editing.

I then hit the Home key which takes me to 00 but it doesn't have the purple waves all greyed out (as selected).

So, how do I save the section from 21m30sec back to 00 so I can then choose File > Export as to save that first half as its own recording but at the same time not lose my place where I hit Shift/A so I can then return and save from 21m30sec to the end of the recording as a separate recording?

Thank you!

[steve]

So, how do I save the section from 21m30sec back to 00 so I can then choose File > Export as to save that first half as its own recording but at the same time not lose my place where I hit Shift/A so I can then return and save from 21m30sec to the end of the recording as a separate recording?

We're getting there

When you are stopped at 21:00 (you can just scroll along to that position and click on the waveform at 21:00 to save having to listen to the whole thing again).
Rather than just pressing the Home key to go back to the start, hold down the shift key while you press the Home key. This will not only return the playback cursor to the start but will also select (highlight in grey) from the current position (21:00) to the start.

After you have exported the selection, you can delete the selection (press the Del key) and the remaining track will be the part that was originally from 21:00 to the end.

[eager to learn]

Steve,

We are sooo close now!

I was able to hold down the Shift key and hit home and it did both take me back to 0:00 from 21:45 and I could export that portion as its own MP3.

Now, if I did *not* want to delete the first half that I just exported as a separate MP3 how would I return to that 21:45 and then save from there to the end?

Thanks so much!

[steve]

Now, if I did *not* want to delete the first half that I just exported as a separate MP3 how would I return to that 21:45 and then save from there to the end?

Tap the right cursor key once to return to the end of the current selection.
Shift + End to select from the current position to the end of the project.

[eager to learn]

Serenity now!!!

Thank you so very much.

I wish there was a way to convey to all the Audacity developers my sincerest gratitude for creating such a remarkable program and sharing it so generously.

[steve]

I wish there was a way to convey to all the Audacity developers my sincerest gratitude for creating such a remarkable program and sharing it so generously.

Thank you, I'll pass on your comment.