Is it possible to trim the upper pitch extremities?

[Granpoh]

Hello,

Is there a way to trim off the parts of the audio track above and below the red lines that I've drawn on the photo so as to remove overly loud sounds all the way through the track? Also, can you tell me what these measurements are called so that I can stop calling them 'measurements'?

Thanks for all help

[kozikowski]

The compressor tool might be indicated here. Effect > Compressor.

This has nothing to do with digital compression. This tool is a loudness manager. It doesn't affect the sound at all until it increases over a certain level and then it reduces the level. You can set where it grabs and by how much and in Audacity 1.3, other adjustments.

Compression does tend to be a little complex, so you should be listening to your show on really good speakers. It's also something of a violin, so it takes practice.

If your waveforms ever touch the top or bottom of the range (plus one or minus one in your case) during the performance capture, they are permanently damaged. That's the ticky crunchy sound. Digital overload or "clipping" is very unforgiving and fatal. Best to capture slightly quiet and manage the volume later in post production.

I assume you are discovering that live capture is a lot more wild and wooly than the tame, pre-adjusted music you get from a CD or over the radio. The first time a live performer leans into the microphone, it overloads everything all down the chain.

Koz