How to stitch files together?

[dnewton5090]

I have multiple .wav files I need to stitch together into one. NOT combine. I just need to stitch voice recordings one after another as they were recorded separately for a presentation. How do I do this? I dragged all the files into Audacity.

[Irish]

When you have all the recordings as separate tracks in Audacity, use the Time Shift tool (the double-headed arrow) to move the audio in each track along the timeline to where you want it. Then export the project as a WAV file.

PO'L

[goodfella]

Is there any way to have this accomplished automatically? I'm working with dozens of small files and it takes forever to drag each once individually.

For example, I've got 50 5-20 second wav files that I need to line up in chronological order after importing and sorting by filename (each filename contains the timestamp, so that's the easy part). As of right now, I have to change to view to collapse all tracks so I can work with as many as possible, then switch to the time shift tool, then drag each track to the end of the track above it. That gets tedious very quickly!

Unfortunately, combining the individual files before working in Audacity is not an option, I need them to remain individual segments both as files outside Audacity, and even within Audacity so I can see the cut-lines and can keep track of each segment.

[waxcylinder]

What you're asking for here is an outstanding Feature Request for "Import Append"

Try this for a workaround, you may find it easier than your current method (the screen won't get so crowded for a start):

1) Import the first clip
2) Import the next clip
3) select the "next" clip (click in its Track Control Panal at the left - but take care not to nudge the Pan/Gain/Mute/Solo controls
4) Ctrl+X to cut the "next" clip
5) click the "Zoom Out" button
6) Move cusor to end of all tacks in the top track (the sticky feature helps with this - watch for the temporary yellow marker)
7) Ctrl+V to paste the "next track to the end
8) delete the empty bottom track - use the X in its top LH corner
9) Go back to 2 and repeat as necessary

WC

[goodfella]

What you're asking for here is an outstanding Feature Request for "Import Append"

Ahh I didn't see that feature request. That would be an outstanding feature, to have each subsequently imported file append itself to the end of the previous track.

I can't find the "Import Append" feature request anywhere, I wanted to add my +1 to it. I hope it's not a dead issue.

Try this for a workaround, you may find it easier than your current method (the screen won't get so crowded for a start):

1) Import the first clip
2) Import the next clip
3) select the "next" clip (click in its Track Control Panal at the left - but take care not to nudge the Pan/Gain/Mute/Solo controls
4) Ctrl+X to cut the "next" clip
5) click the "Zoom Out" button
6) Move cusor to end of all tacks in the top track (the sticky feature helps with this - watch for the temporary yellow marker)
7) Ctrl+V to paste the "next track to the end
8) delete the empty bottom track - use the X in its top LH corner
9) Go back to 2 and repeat as necessary

WC

Whoa...no offense, because I certainly do appreciate the help, but doing it that way takes forever and a day!

My method:

1) Enable "Automatically fit tracks vertically zoomed" option
2) Import all tracks at once
3) Sort tracks by name
4) Zoom out so there's plenty of space to the right of the tracks, but not too far so it's difficult to grab short tracks
5) Using the Time Shift tool, drag the second track up to the end of the first track, repeat until all tracks visible in the display window are appended to the first track
6) Close all the now-empty tracks
7) Repeat process with the rest of the tracks as they move up and become visible in the display window

It's not nearly as good as an Import Append would be, but it's certainly the quickest and most efficient way I've found so far. It's actually rather quick once you get into the rhythm of it, but doing 50 tracks at a time all day long really does get tedious.

[waxcylinder]

... but doing 50 tracks at a time all day long really does get tedious.

I can imagine ...

I should have been clearer about the feature Requests - I meant that this FR is already in the Audacity Wiki Feature Requests page - see: http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Feature_Requests (and search for "Append")

I have just added your vote.

The process for FRs on the Forum is they stay in the "Adding Features" for a while to allow discussion and voting from the forum readers, then afer the thread has been quiet for a month it gets transferred to the Wiki Pending Feature Requests Page and from there it eventually it gets triaged (goo ide, possible, no-can-do) and migrated to the Wiki Feature Requests page (the one I just pointed you at). The developers look at this page - but at the moment no new developments are being undertaken as the devs. are in bug-fix mode in attempt to get a good RC (Release Candidate) for the next official release.

WC

[goodfella]

Ah right, I had forgotten about the FR Wiki page. So glad I had it bookmarked LOL!

[steve]

1) Import the first clip
2) Import the next clip
3) select the "next" clip (click in its Track Control Panal at the left - but take care not to nudge the Pan/Gain/Mute/Solo controls
4) Ctrl+X to cut the "next" clip
5) click the "Zoom Out" button
6) Move cusor to end of all tacks in the top track (the sticky feature helps with this - watch for the temporary yellow marker)
7) Ctrl+V to paste the "next track to the end
8) delete the empty bottom track - use the X in its top LH corner
9) Go back to 2 and repeat as necessary

A variation that may be quicker:

Import all of the tracks, then
1) Click below the name of the second track to select it and press Ctrl+X (cut)
2) Delete the second track (click on the [X] )
3) Click below the name of the top track to select it and press the "K" key (go to end of track)
4) Ctrl+V (paste)
repeat steps 1 to 4.

Once you get the hang of using the mouse with one hand and the keyboard shortcuts with the other, it's really fast (though not as fast as "Import Append")