more consistent volume

[golinux]

I have some music tracks where parts are very soft and others are quite loud. I want to reduce the volume of the loud portions and increase the volume of the softer portions so the volume is more dynamically consistent. I have been manually increasing/decreasing the volume using the amplify effect but this is slow and tedious. I'm hoping there is a way to automate this process but I haven't found it.

This may prove to have an embarrassingly simple solution but it has eluded me so far . . . yes, I have looked around quite a bit. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

Thanks.

[Trebor]

Dynamic range compression, (sometimes just called compression).

Audacity comes with a compressor (see "Effect" menu) but this plug-in compressor is better ... http://pdf23ds.net/software/dynamic-compressor/

[golinux]

A while back, I looked at the compressor - I thought that might be it - but I couldn't get a handle on it. The plugin you suggested is easier to understand. I'll be spending the next few days playing with it. Thanks.