Hi, I’m using Audacity 3.0 and a on MacOS Big Sur 11.2.3. I’m brand new to Audacity and digital audio recording of any kind. (though I was a talk show host and audio producer 35 years ago, when we still cut tape with razor blades–nothing since then).
I’m recording an audiobook for a memoir I have coming out next fall. I’m working with an audio production company that is going to do all the editing and processing of the audiobook. I don’t have to edit or process the sound.
I’m doing the general narration and my character’s speech (there’s a lot of dialogue) and a professional actor (and the head of the audiobook company I’m working with) is going to voice all the other voices in the book. We’re going to be on Zoom together reading the scenes, each recording on our own computers. It’s a 90,000 word book, so we’re talking about a LOT of recording and a lot of files to manage.
I only need to know a few basics to get started and have been watching videos on line and going through the manual and have so far 1) downloaded audacity, 2) set it up with an external mic and recorded a test of my voice, 3) built a sound recording booth in my office closet, 4) Learned how to export a file at WAV 16 (the requested format). But i haven’t found some very basic answers to my very basic questions:
The project is the book. I’m assuming that each chapter will be recorded as a separate track, and I’m assuming i’ll be uploading them to Dropbox or something similar because I obviously can’t email such large files.
I can’t figure out how to open different tracks to record a new part of the book and have it be part of the same project. It seems like I just open a whole new project. “how to create a new track or stem” I can’t figure out how to do that–only how to start a whole new project.
I obviously want to save my work as I go along. I’m used to hitting command SAVE all the time when I’m writing–what’s the comparable process in audacity. I’m assuming I’d be saving the work to my own computer first and only when the chapter is done would I export it? Is that right or have i got that wrong.
And once I end a chapter or a track. how do I get rid of it so i can start a new one?
I’m wondering what length to make my files (whether to use the natural length of the chapters or something else)
If I make a mistake and want to go back and record over a section, I can’t figure out how to do that. the recording only picks up at the end of where I left off before.
wav files 16 bit 44.1Khz is what they’re asking for–Is this the same as the 16 bit PCM?
I know these are super elementary questions, but I’m not finding the answers.
I’d also love links to tips of anything that will help me with my voice (exercise before I start recording for the day, what to drink, etc). And anything else that would be helpful for me to review before I get started. I don’t even know what I should be asking.
I have my first test recording in a week and we’ll be doing our recording sessions throughout May–so any timely answers would be appreciated.
Thanks ahead for any help you can give me. I am not a techie, so the simpler the better.
Laura