I'm a complete novice. I've tried reading the other posts, and to be honest, most of it sounds like a foreign language to me. I hope someone can help explain this for me...
I want to take 30 seconds of one song and tag it onto the end of another clip. The tempo is different from one clip to another, but I'd like for them to match. I figured out how to change the tempo on the clips without distorting them. Right now I'm doing a kind of guessing game on the tempos to make them match. Is there an easier way?
matching tempos
Forum rules
If you require help using Audacity, please post on the forum board relevant to your operating system:
Windows
Mac OS X
GNU/Linux and Unix-like
If you require help using Audacity, please post on the forum board relevant to your operating system:
Windows
Mac OS X
GNU/Linux and Unix-like
Re: matching tempos
You need to work out what the tempo of each piece is.
Listen to the music with a stopwatch in your hand and count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply by 4 (or in 30 seconds and multiply by 2). Repeat this for the second piece.
Let's say that you counted 32 beats in 15 seconds for the first piece, and 51 beats in 30 seconds for the second piece:
Tempo of the first piece is 32x4=136 Beats Per Minute (BPM)
Tempo of the second piece is 51x2=102BPM
Let's say that we decide to slow down the first (faster) piece a little, and speed up the second (slower) piece so that there beats match - 120BPM would seem like a nice round number.
Select the first piece in Audacity 1.3.5 and select "Change Tempo" from the Effects menu.
Enter "Beats Per Minute: from [136] To [120]"
Press OK
Now select the second track.
Select "Change Tempo"
Enter "Beats Per Minute: from [102] To [120]"
Press OK
Our two pieces are now at the same tempo and we can use the "Time Shift Tool" to drag the second clip, so that the beginning of it lines up with the end of the end of the first clip.
We could even use the "Envelope Tool" to make a nice cross-fade from one to the other.
If this all sounds a bit complicated, look in the "Audacity Wiki" (link at top of page) and you will find links to several tutorials that explain many of the basic functions in Audacity.
BTW, I recommend using Audacity 1.3 (beta) rather than 1.2 - it has a lot of improvements and extra features.
Listen to the music with a stopwatch in your hand and count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply by 4 (or in 30 seconds and multiply by 2). Repeat this for the second piece.
Let's say that you counted 32 beats in 15 seconds for the first piece, and 51 beats in 30 seconds for the second piece:
Tempo of the first piece is 32x4=136 Beats Per Minute (BPM)
Tempo of the second piece is 51x2=102BPM
Let's say that we decide to slow down the first (faster) piece a little, and speed up the second (slower) piece so that there beats match - 120BPM would seem like a nice round number.
Select the first piece in Audacity 1.3.5 and select "Change Tempo" from the Effects menu.
Enter "Beats Per Minute: from [136] To [120]"
Press OK
Now select the second track.
Select "Change Tempo"
Enter "Beats Per Minute: from [102] To [120]"
Press OK
Our two pieces are now at the same tempo and we can use the "Time Shift Tool" to drag the second clip, so that the beginning of it lines up with the end of the end of the first clip.
We could even use the "Envelope Tool" to make a nice cross-fade from one to the other.
If this all sounds a bit complicated, look in the "Audacity Wiki" (link at top of page) and you will find links to several tutorials that explain many of the basic functions in Audacity.
BTW, I recommend using Audacity 1.3 (beta) rather than 1.2 - it has a lot of improvements and extra features.
9/10 questions are answered in the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Re: matching tempos
Thank you so very much! And thank you for explaining it in a way even I can understand! 
That is exactly what I needed!
That is exactly what I needed!