Audacity – Free Digital Audio Editor and Recorder

Introduction to Audacity

Audacity is a free, open-source, cross-platform digital audio editor and recording application. First released in 2000, Audacity has become one of the most widely-used audio editing tools in the world, downloaded over 200 million times. The software provides professional-grade audio editing capabilities for tasks ranging from simple audio cleanup to complex multi-track productions, all without any cost or subscription requirements.

Audacity supports a wide range of audio formats and provides tools for recording, editing, mixing, and processing audio files. Whether you’re creating podcasts, editing music, cleaning up audio recordings, or processing sound for video projects, Audacity offers the tools needed to accomplish professional-quality results. Its active community continuously contributes plugins and effects, expanding its capabilities beyond the substantial built-in feature set.

Key Features and Capabilities

Audacity provides comprehensive audio editing features including multi-track recording and editing, support for sample rates up to 384,000 Hz, and 32-bit float audio processing for maximum quality. The software includes a vast array of built-in effects such as equalization, compression, noise reduction, normalization, and reverb. Real-time preview allows hearing effects before applying them permanently.

Advanced features include spectrogram view for visual frequency analysis, label tracks for annotation and editing, extensive plugin support (VST, LADSPA, LV2, Nyquist, Audio Units), and non-destructive editing through the undo system. Audacity supports batch processing through Macros, enabling automation of repetitive tasks across multiple files.

Installation on Linux

Audacity is available in most Linux distribution repositories and through universal package formats.

Installing on Ubuntu/Debian

# Install from official repositories
sudo apt update
sudo apt install audacity

# Install additional LADSPA plugins
sudo apt install ladspa-sdk swh-plugins tap-plugins cmt

# Launch Audacity
audacity

Installing via Flatpak

# Add Flathub repository
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

# Install Audacity
flatpak install flathub org.audacityteam.Audacity

# Run Audacity
flatpak run org.audacityteam.Audacity

Installing via Snap

# Install Audacity via Snap
sudo snap install audacity

# Launch Audacity
audacity

Installing on Fedora

# Install Audacity
sudo dnf install audacity

# Install plugins
sudo dnf install ladspa-swh-plugins ladspa-tap-plugins

Installing on Arch Linux

# Install from official repositories
sudo pacman -S audacity

# Install plugins
sudo pacman -S ladspa swh-plugins

Installation on Windows

Audacity for Windows is available through multiple installation methods.

Installing via Direct Download

# Download from audacityteam.org
# Run audacity-win-x.x.x-64bit.exe
# Follow installation wizard
# Optional: Install FFmpeg for additional format support

Installing via Winget

# Install using Windows Package Manager
winget install Audacity.Audacity

# Upgrade Audacity
winget upgrade Audacity.Audacity

Installing via Chocolatey

# Install using Chocolatey
choco install audacity

# Install with LAME and FFmpeg
choco install audacity audacity-lame audacity-ffmpeg

Portable Installation

# Download ZIP package from audacityteam.org
# Extract to desired location
# Run audacity.exe
# Settings stored in portable directory

Installation on macOS

Audacity is available for macOS through Homebrew or direct download.

Installing via Homebrew

# Install Audacity
brew install --cask audacity

# Launch Audacity
open -a Audacity

Installing via Direct Download

# Download DMG from audacityteam.org
# Choose version for your Mac:
#   - Apple Silicon (ARM64)
#   - Intel (x86_64)
# Open DMG and drag Audacity to Applications
# Grant microphone permissions when prompted

Interface Overview

Understanding Audacity’s interface for efficient workflow.

Main Components

# Transport Toolbar
# Playback controls: Pause, Play, Stop, Skip, Record

# Tools Toolbar
# Selection, Envelope, Draw, Multi-tool, Time Shift

# Recording Meter
# Shows input levels during recording

# Playback Meter
# Shows output levels during playback

# Timeline
# Shows project time and selection range

# Track Panel
# Audio waveforms and track controls

# Selection Bar
# Precise time selection display

Track Types

# Audio Track
# Contains recorded or imported audio

# Label Track
# Text annotations synced to timeline
Tracks > Add New > Label Track

# Note Track
# MIDI note display (read-only)

# Time Track
# Controls tempo/speed changes over time
Tracks > Add New > Time Track

Recording Audio

Setting up and performing audio recordings in Audacity.

Recording Setup

# Select Recording Device:
Edit > Preferences > Devices
Recording Device: Select your microphone

# Or use dropdown in toolbar:
Recording Device Selector > Choose device

# Configure Recording:
Edit > Preferences > Recording
# Playthrough: Off (prevents feedback)
# Software playthrough: Only for monitoring

# Set Recording Channels:
Mono (1 channel) for voice/single mic
Stereo (2 channels) for stereo sources

# Set Project Sample Rate:
Project Rate (Hz): 44100 or 48000

Recording Techniques

# Basic Recording:
1. Click Record button (R)
2. Speak or play instrument
3. Click Stop (Space) when finished

# Append Recording:
# Continue recording at end of existing audio
Hold Shift + Click Record

# Record to New Track:
# Creates new track for recording
Hold Shift + Click Record (in empty area)

# Timer Recording:
Transport > Timer Record
# Set start and end times for unattended recording

# Sound Activated Recording:
Transport > Sound Activation Level
# Automatically starts recording when sound detected

Monitoring Levels

# Enable monitoring:
Click on Recording Meter toolbar
# Shows live input levels

# Ideal recording levels:
# Peak around -12dB to -6dB
# Avoid red (clipping)

# Adjust input gain:
# Use system audio settings
# Or hardware gain control

Basic Editing Operations

Essential audio editing techniques in Audacity.

Selection

# Click and drag to select
# Shift+Click to extend selection
# Double-click to select entire clip
# Ctrl+A to select all

# Precise selection:
# Use Selection Bar at bottom
# Enter exact start and end times

# Select specific time range:
Edit > Select > Region
# Or use Selection Bar numbers

Cut, Copy, Paste

# Cut (Ctrl+X)
# Removes selection and copies to clipboard

# Copy (Ctrl+C)
# Copies selection to clipboard

# Paste (Ctrl+V)
# Inserts clipboard at cursor position

# Paste New (Ctrl+Shift+V)
# Pastes as new track

# Duplicate (Ctrl+D)
# Creates copy of selection in new track

Delete and Trim

# Delete (Del)
# Removes selection, closes gap

# Split Delete (Ctrl+Alt+K)
# Removes selection, leaves gap

# Trim Audio (Ctrl+T)
# Removes everything except selection

# Split Cut (Ctrl+Alt+X)
# Cuts selection without closing gap

Silence and Generate

# Silence Audio (Ctrl+L)
# Replaces selection with silence

# Generate Silence:
Generate > Silence
Duration: Enter desired length

# Generate Tone:
Generate > Tone
Waveform: Sine/Square/Sawtooth/Triangle
Frequency: 440 Hz (default)
Amplitude: 0.8

Audio Effects

Audacity includes extensive built-in audio effects.

Volume and Dynamics

# Amplify:
Effect > Amplify
Amplification (dB): Adjust level
Allow clipping: Unchecked (recommended)

# Normalize:
Effect > Normalize
Normalize peak amplitude to: -1.0 dB
Normalize stereo channels independently: Optional

# Compressor:
Effect > Compressor
Threshold: -12 dB
Noise Floor: -40 dB
Ratio: 4:1
Attack Time: 0.2 seconds
Release Time: 1.0 second

# Limiter:
Effect > Limiter
Type: Hard Limit
Input Gain: 0 dB
Limit to: -1 dB

Equalization

# Filter Curve EQ:
Effect > Filter Curve EQ
# Draw frequency curve
# Boost or cut specific frequencies

# Graphic EQ:
Effect > Graphic EQ
# Adjust slider for each frequency band

# Bass and Treble:
Effect > Bass and Treble
Bass: Adjust low frequencies
Treble: Adjust high frequencies

# High Pass Filter:
Effect > High-Pass Filter
Cutoff frequency: 80 Hz (removes rumble)
Roll-off: 12 dB per octave

# Low Pass Filter:
Effect > Low-Pass Filter
Cutoff frequency: 8000 Hz (removes hiss)
Roll-off: 12 dB per octave

Noise Reduction

# Noise Reduction (2-step process):

# Step 1: Get Noise Profile
1. Select a section of pure noise (no speech/music)
2. Effect > Noise Reduction
3. Click "Get Noise Profile"

# Step 2: Apply Reduction
1. Select audio to clean (or Ctrl+A for all)
2. Effect > Noise Reduction
3. Adjust settings:
   Noise reduction (dB): 12-20
   Sensitivity: 6.0
   Frequency smoothing: 3
4. Click OK

# Click Removal:
Effect > Click Removal
Threshold: 200
Max Spike Width: 20

Time and Pitch

# Change Tempo (without pitch change):
Effect > Change Tempo
Percent Change: +/- percentage
# Or use BPM values

# Change Pitch (without tempo change):
Effect > Change Pitch
Semitones: Number of semitones to shift
# Or use frequency/percentage

# Change Speed (changes both):
Effect > Change Speed
Percent Change: +/- percentage
# Speeds up/slows down like tape

# Paulstretch:
Effect > Paulstretch
Stretch Factor: 10.0 (10x longer)
# Creates ambient/drone effects

Reverb and Spatial

# Reverb:
Effect > Reverb
Room Size: 75%
Pre-delay: 10 ms
Reverberance: 50%
Damping: 50%
Stereo Width: 100%
Wet Gain: -1 dB
Dry Gain: 0 dB

# Echo:
Effect > Echo
Delay time: 0.5 seconds
Decay factor: 0.5

Keyboard Shortcuts

Essential shortcuts for efficient editing.

Transport Controls

Space               Play/Stop
P                   Pause
R                   Record
Shift+R             Append Record
Home                Go to start
End                 Go to end
J                   Cursor to start of selection
K                   Cursor to end of selection
,                   Move cursor left (short)
.                   Move cursor right (short)
Shift+,             Move cursor left (long)
Shift+.             Move cursor right (long)

Editing

Ctrl+Z              Undo
Ctrl+Y              Redo
Ctrl+X              Cut
Ctrl+C              Copy
Ctrl+V              Paste
Ctrl+D              Duplicate
Del                 Delete
Ctrl+L              Silence selection
Ctrl+T              Trim to selection
Ctrl+A              Select all
Ctrl+Shift+A        Select none
]                   Cursor to selection start
[                   Cursor to selection end

Zoom and View

Ctrl+1              Zoom normal
Ctrl+2              Zoom to selection
Ctrl+3              Zoom out full
Ctrl+E              Zoom to fit
Ctrl+F              Zoom to fit selection
Ctrl+Scroll         Zoom in/out
Shift+Scroll        Scroll left/right

Track Operations

Ctrl+Shift+N        New audio track
Ctrl+Shift+M        Mute/Unmute track
Ctrl+Shift+S        Solo track
Up/Down             Select previous/next track

Multi-Track Editing

Working with multiple tracks for complex projects.

Adding Tracks

# Add new track:
Tracks > Add New > Stereo Track
Tracks > Add New > Mono Track

# Import audio to new track:
File > Import > Audio (Ctrl+Shift+I)

# Duplicate track:
Select track > Edit > Duplicate

Track Controls

# Track Control Panel (left side):
# - Mute button (M): Silence track
# - Solo button (S): Hear only this track
# - Gain slider: Adjust volume
# - Pan slider: Left/right positioning

# Track dropdown menu (?):
# - Name: Rename track
# - Move Track Up/Down
# - Wave/Spectrogram view
# - Set Sample Format
# - Rate: Change sample rate

Aligning Tracks

# Time Shift Tool (F5):
# Click and drag audio clips

# Align Tracks:
Tracks > Align Tracks
# Options:
# - Align End to End
# - Align Together
# - Start to Zero
# - Start to Cursor
# - End to Cursor

# Snap to:
Edit > Snap To
# Grid, time boundaries, label boundaries

Exporting Audio

Save your project in various formats.

Export Formats

# Export as MP3:
File > Export > Export as MP3
# Quality: 128-320 kbps

# Export as WAV:
File > Export > Export as WAV
# Encoding: Signed 16-bit PCM (standard)

# Export as FLAC:
File > Export > Export as FLAC
# Level: 5 (balanced)

# Export as OGG:
File > Export > Export as OGG
# Quality: 5-10

# Export as M4A/AAC:
File > Export > Export as M4A
# Requires FFmpeg library

Export Options

# Export Multiple:
File > Export > Export Multiple
# Based on labels or tracks
# Useful for podcast chapters or album tracks

# Export Selection:
File > Export > Export Selected Audio
# Exports only selected portion

# Metadata:
Edit > Metadata
# Add artist, title, album, year, genre
# Embedded in exported file

Macros (Batch Processing)

Automate repetitive tasks with Macros.

Creating Macros

# Open Macro Manager:
Tools > Macros

# Create new macro:
1. Click "New"
2. Name your macro
3. Click "Insert" to add commands
4. Select effect or action
5. Configure parameters
6. Repeat for additional steps

# Common macro operations:
# - Normalize
# - Noise Reduction
# - Compressor
# - Export as MP3

Example: Podcast Processing Macro

# Steps:
1. Normalize: Peak -1 dB
2. Compressor: Threshold -18, Ratio 4:1
3. Filter Curve EQ: High-pass 80 Hz
4. Limiter: -1 dB
5. Export as MP3: 128 kbps

# Running macro:
Tools > Apply Macro > [Select macro]
# On current project or files

Batch Processing Files

# Process multiple files:
Tools > Macros
1. Select macro
2. Click "Files..."
3. Select input files
4. Choose output folder
5. Click "Open"

# Macro processes each file automatically

Plugins and Extensions

Extend Audacity with additional plugins.

Plugin Types

# LADSPA (Linux Audio Developer's Simple Plugin API)
# Cross-platform audio plugins

# VST (Virtual Studio Technology)
# Windows/macOS plugins
# Enable: Edit > Preferences > Effects > Enable VST

# LV2 (LADSPA Version 2)
# Modern plugin format

# Nyquist
# Audacity's scripting language for effects
# Built into Audacity

# Audio Units (macOS only)
# Apple's plugin format

Installing Plugins

# Plugin locations:
# Linux:
~/.audacity/plug-ins/
/usr/share/audacity/plug-ins/

# Windows:
C:\Program Files\Audacity\Plug-Ins\

# macOS:
/Library/Application Support/audacity/plug-ins/
~/Library/Application Support/audacity/plug-ins/

# After adding plugins:
Effect > Add/Remove Plug-ins
# Scan and enable new plugins

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions.

Recording Issues

# No sound recording:
1. Check microphone connections
2. Verify correct input device selected
3. Check system audio settings
4. Ensure microphone permissions granted

# Check recording levels:
Click Recording Meter > Start Monitoring
# Should show activity when speaking

Playback Issues

# No sound playback:
1. Verify playback device selection
2. Check system volume
3. Check track mute/solo buttons
4. Try different audio host:
   Edit > Preferences > Devices > Host
   # Try: MME, Windows WASAPI, ALSA, PulseAudio

Performance Issues

# Reduce latency:
Edit > Preferences > Devices
Buffer length: Lower value (faster but may cause dropouts)

# Improve performance:
Edit > Preferences > Quality
# Lower sample rate if not needed
# Disable real-time preview for effects

# Clear undo history:
View > History > Discard Undo History

Conclusion

Audacity remains the gold standard for free audio editing software, offering a remarkable depth of features that rival commercial alternatives. Its cross-platform availability, extensive plugin support, and active development community ensure it continues to meet the evolving needs of podcasters, musicians, audio engineers, and casual users alike. Whether you need to record a simple voice memo or produce a complex multi-track audio project, Audacity provides the tools necessary to achieve professional results without any financial investment.