Audacity

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Audacity

Audacity is an audio editor and recorder available for Windows, macOS and Linux operating systems.
You can use it to:

  • Record live audio
  • Convert records/tapes into digital format
  • Mix multiple audio sources together into a multi-track project etc

If you are now starting to work with audio, and you need some basic skills to record and edit files, Audacity with its tools is a good option.

Why Audacity?

Free and Open-Source Software

Audacity is free, open-source software. You are free to use it for any personal, commercial, or educational purposes, including installing it on as many different computers as you wish. You are also free to give it away, sell it, or modify it for your own use, under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
The authors of Audacity decided to release it under the GPL for many reasons. Some do so out of generosity. Some do it for moral reasons because they believe that all software should be free;
Audacity being free means also that it will be more popular and useful. Another reason is to encourage collaboration. Because of Audacity's free license, multiple people worldwide have contributed code, bug fixes, documentation, and graphics.
Like other FOSS, it has online documentation and a community you can participate (ask questions, exchange knowledge etc).
Browse Audacity forums if you like: https://forum.audacityteam.org/

Download and install Audacity

  • https://www.audacityteam.org/
  • DOWNLOAD AUDACITY button (It will download the latest version of Audacity)
  • Choose the operating system you are using. (Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux)
  • Follow the installation instructions

The fundaments of cutting

Link to tutorial
Keyboard shortcuts Edit ------- > copy, cut, paste, duplicate, split cut, delete, split delete
Edit ------ > Clip boundaries --> split, split new

Volume and envelope tool

more here
ducking and auto-ducking

Basic effects

Fade in/out
Amplify
Change tempo, change speed, change pitch
Paulstretch
Reverb
Noise reduction ---> reduce and residue
Generating silence or tone

Exporting