combining 2 mono tracks into stereo

[mrocker]

Hello,
I have a project that includes a voiceover section with background music. The voiceover and music are each on their own mono tracks in the same project. I would like to combine them so they are mixed together with 2 identical channels.
Would appreciate your help on this.

Thanks.

[steve]

Using Audacity 1.3.5

Create a third track and make sure it is a stereo track (from the "tracks" menu)
Select All (Ctrl+A)
Mix and render (from the "tracks" menu).

I'm not sure if this works in 1.2, but I would recommend updating to 1.3 anyway.
1.3.4 is very stable on Windows XP and is available from the main Audacity web site.

[comcon]

You could also mix the two tracks down to mono, duplicate it, make one "right" the other "left" and then combine to stereo track.

Question... what's the difference between mix & render, and quick mix? when should one be used -vs- the other. (I always use quick mix under the project menu)

[steve]

"Quick Mix" is in Audacity 1.2.x (project menu)
"Mix and Render" is in Audacity 1.3.x (tracks menu)

There functions are essentially the same, though 1.3.x has some additional features that make the new name more accurate to what it does. (You can "render" a single track, for example when using a "time track" - the term "Quick Mix" would not really make sense in that context).