importing audio files into a project into a separate track

[Edward1]

I am on a Windows Dell Laptop using 8.1. All drivers and BIOS up to date.

Having a lot of difficulty importing a new audio sound effect file into a separate track in my project that I can then adjust on the timeline with track alignment. All this is before an overall mix of narration, music, and sound effects. All of these must be separate going in so each can be worked on and adjusted. I did one mix down already and then tried to import another file to work with it, but Audacity added the new file to the old mix.

The unmixed files at the top of the window play together on their own beautifully without being mixed onto the same tracks. I'm trying to work and eventually mix three different stereo tracks into one. But what have I left undone to be unable to import this new file without ruining my existing files. I wound up deleting the sound files that were already mixed because of this. I don't want to attempt this again until I can be sure the new import will be in its own set of tracks within the overall timeline. Please help!!

[Gale Andrews]

The unmixed files at the top of the window play together on their own beautifully without being mixed onto the same tracks. I'm trying to work and eventually mix three different stereo tracks into one. But what have I left undone to be unable to import this new file without ruining my existing files.

In what way ruin?

wound up deleting

Did you try Edit > Undo?

until I can be sure the new import will be in its own set of tracks within the overall timeline.

File > Import > Audio... can't do anything else except import into a new track.

Again, we need you tell us your Audacity version, all three numbers, please see the pink panel at the top of the page.

It might help if you gave us a screenshot that explained the problem. Please see here for how to attach files: http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 49&t=64936.



Gale

[Edward1]

Yes, I tried "edit undo" and a raft of other solutions I found on the faq files, but I still haven't found a solution to my main prpblem, which is how to mix three tracks together to get one, and then add to that one down the line with new sound effect files. What winds up happening is that if I have a mixed down stereo file on the time-line and I place my cursor on a new unnamed set of stereo tracks where I hope the new file to be imported will come in on, instead it is added automatically to the already mixed file. making a sound mish-mash out of it and ruining a good threye track mixdown. It is not resident on any other track in the window. Scrolling up or down doesn't reveal that file anywhere on its own stereo track. but it is definitely there in the ruined mix. It's an import, so it can't be deleted or singled out to work with to re-align it on the timeline.

[Gale Andrews]

how to mix three tracks together to get one

Select the three tracks and Tracks > Mix and Render (or Mix and Render to New Track if preferred).

then add to that one down the line with new sound effect files. What winds up happening is that if I have a mixed down stereo file on the time-line and I place my cursor on a new unnamed set of stereo tracks where I hope the new file to be imported will come in on

Audacity cannot import at the cursor point. It's a "feature request".

So don't add a new track. Just import the file and it will appear on its own new track, at the bottom of the project, starting at time zero. There is no choice where in the track table the file imports (another "feature request").

Then press F5 on your keyboard and drag the new imported track rightwards where you want it to go.

Press F1 to go back to Selection Tool when you have finished dragging.

Scrolling up or down doesn't reveal that file anywhere on its own stereo track.

If you imported it, it's there. You told us in your latest post elsewhere that you are using Audacity 2.1.2.

It's an import, so it can't be deleted or singled out to work with to re-align it on the timeline.

Edit > Undo Import.


Gale