About Audacity

FF Petro · #1 10-05-2008, 07:44 AM

I've always be a Sonar user to this point but I have noticed over time on here that most of you are using a Freeware called Audacity.

Before I download it I had a few questions. Them being: Does it have a limit on the number of tracks? Is it MIDI capable?

Also, I noticed that there is a beta version. How stable is it? And I like to think I am more skilled than a beginner, and the site states the Beta is for advanced users, do you think I could get away with downloading the beta (if it is stable)?

Thanks,

Timothy

winston · #2 10-05-2008, 05:40 PM

Audacity is not a replacement for a full-featured DAW like Sonar--it's a multi-track audio editor. I mainly use it for editing stereo WAVs and exporting MP3s. You can edit MIDI files but it has very limited (if any) realtime VST support. Past Audacity betas were buggy for me using XP so I've generally stuck to the stable releases.

Tools you're used to using in Sonar (score editing, multitrack cut & paste, multi-mode mouse, synth racks, beat detection, multiple markers/ranges, groups/busses, groove quantize, realtime pitch/tempo changes, video, etc.) simply don't exist in Audacity.

With recording software I think the best strategy is to figure out how to use what you already have as well as you can. After that, if you're missing features, look for software that specifically meets your needs. BTW Sonar 8 was just released.

seanm · #3 10-05-2008, 05:52 PM

We use audacity because it is free

It makes a great practice tool and can be used for simple recording. As Winston said, it is not a replacement for Sonar.

Nyarlathotep · #4 10-05-2008, 06:09 PM

iirc it has a 16 or 32 track limit. I haven't recorded anything in a while so Im not quite sure.

+1 to seanm's "free" comment.

metalmariachi · #5 10-05-2008, 07:25 PM

It's nice and handy and free. I use it to turn my tapes into wav and mp3 format.

Once I get really serious about recording, I'll move to one of the others out there.
Right now I'm leaning toward melodyne.

MM

daffy · #6 10-06-2008, 03:55 AM

If you are looking for a more full featured DAW then check out Reaper. http://www.reaper.fm/

I use Reaper all the time and Sonar only occasionally these days. It's an amazing little system!

51m0n · #7 10-06-2008, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daffy

If you are looking for a more full featured DAW then check out Reaper. http://www.reaper.fm/

I use Reaper all the time and Sonar only occasionally these days. It's an amazing little system!

+LOTS

Reaper is excellent IMO & IME. Very very very good for the price! Very full featured, the bundled FX (comps, EQ etc) work really well and are very very CPU light

manicbassman · #8 10-06-2008, 07:43 AM

reaper also runs on Linux using WINE with no problems.

DWBass · #9 10-06-2008, 08:08 AM

nTrack is another really good full featured DAW for cheap! I personally use Acid Pro as my go to program.

climb · #10 10-06-2008, 08:12 AM

For what it offers, Audacity is fantastic. Very stable; I use it for science experiments in my lab and have never had any issues with it.

There's one small bug--the normalize feature can sometimes add some noise, so careful when using it.

Maladroit1 · #11 10-06-2008, 08:49 AM

Hope this is not a hijack but what would you guys recommend for simply chopping the tracks I record with my Zoom H2 into seperate mp3 files? All I am really doing is hitting the record button when we start band practice and would like an easy way to chop up the songs. The simpler the better. I have been using Acoustica Mixcraft and although it is really easy to use it is kind of buggy and I have lost all of my work several times using that software.

DWBass · #12 10-06-2008, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maladroit1

Hope this is not a hijack but what would you guys recommend for simply chopping the tracks I record with my Zoom H2 into seperate mp3 files? All I am really doing is hitting the record button when we start band practice and would like an easy way to chop up the songs. The simpler the better. I have been using Acoustica Mixcraft and although it is really easy to use it is kind of buggy and I have lost all of my work several times using that software.

Audicity will do that. Just edit the parts you want and rename them without saving the original file or your whole rehearsal will be lost. I do it all the time although I use other programs. Again, be sure to rename the new files. Do not edit and save the original file. Another method I use is to make copies of the original file (depends on how many songs). The go ahead and edit and save each invidual file.

Nyarlathotep · #13 10-06-2008, 08:57 AM

Audacity would be perfect for what you're doing there Maladroit1

IMHO of course

Maladroit1 · #14 10-06-2008, 09:04 AM

I guess I am just spoiled by Mixcraft. In that software you just simply put markers between each track. After you have marked all of the songs you can mix them all down to seperate MP3 files at one time. It works great but unfortunately it tends to lock up sometimes.

locolobo85 · #15 10-06-2008, 09:45 AM

Audacity is a perfect stand alone track/file editor when paired with a DAW.

I use N-Track with Audacity as the file editor.

seanm · #16 10-06-2008, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maladroit1

Hope this is not a hijack but what would you guys recommend for simply chopping the tracks I record with my Zoom H2 into seperate mp3 files? All I am really doing is hitting the record button when we start band practice and would like an easy way to chop up the songs. The simpler the better. I have been using Acoustica Mixcraft and although it is really easy to use it is kind of buggy and I have lost all of my work several times using that software.

What I do is highlight the song, I usually highlight a bit too much each way. Then export the selection.

Then I open the new file and clean it up. Audacity can add fade ins and fade outs.

lowendisthebest · #17 10-08-2008, 05:50 PM

i have audacity and i am having a prob. when i play a track it sounds like a record player playing the record too fast. help