Overlaying sound tracks

[TimmyK.]

Hello, I am a relatively new audacity user. How do I overlay two audio tracks? It's easy enough to record over an audio track, but I create a new track and use copy and paste to get a sound effect in, it 'pushes' the already existing sound back so they occur at separate times? Can some audacity wizard tell me how overlay with copy and paste?

[TimmyK.]

Also, will choosing new stereo vs. mono make any difference?

[steve]

I'm not sure what you are trying to do.
Do you want to Import two existing audio files and make them play at the same time?

[TimmyK.]

I'm not sure what you are trying to do.
Do you want to Import two existing audio files and make them play at the same time?

Yes.

[bgravato]

Is this the answer to your question: http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/FAQ:Editing#mix

You can import more than one audio file into audacity (File menu -> Import -> Audio)

You'll then have one track for each imported file (one above the other).

If it's a stereo track it will have 2 waveforms in each track. If it's mono it will have only one waveform. You can have mono and stereo tracks simultaneous in a project.

When imported each track will start at 0s. So if you press play you'll listen to all tracks playing at the same time.

To shift in time one of the tracks use the time shift tool (click the icon with a double headed arrow like this <-->). Click and drag the track.

If you export the project all tracks will be mixed and rendered on exporting. If you want to see the result before on audacity you can use the mix and render command from the tracks menu.

If you still have any doubts or if this is not what you're looking for please ask.

[TimmyK.]

Yep, that's exactly what I wanted to know. However, the time lapse tool does not seem to be working. It keeps moving all of the tracks, rather than just one. How do I fix this? Highlighting the clip you want to move does not work.

[bgravato]

You probably have sync-lock tracks enabled. You can find it in the Tracks menu -> Sync-Lock Tracks or the icon that looks like a clock/chronometer.

[TimmyK.]

Nope, didn't find it there. Strangely, I clicked on the icon that shows a link of a chain and that fixed it. Thank you for all your help. Now, do I need to mark this as solved or something?

[steve]

In Audacity 1.3.12, the Sync-Lock button had a chain icon. That button should not have been present because the feature was experimental, but some Linux distros' (Ubuntu) decided to enable it. The icon has since been updated to a clock/watch face.

[bgravato]

Nope, didn't find it there. Strangely, I clicked on the icon that shows a link of a chain and that fixed it. Thank you for all your help. Now, do I need to mark this as solved or something?

I forgot this was the linux forum... Like Steve said the experimental version of that had that icon. Are you on Debian? That's one of the distros that was using that experimental feature in 1.3.12. Officially only the 1.3.13 version should have it...