Join our WikiEducator discussion group or Register now for free skills training.

Using Audacity/Setting your Preferences

From WikiEducator

Jump to: navigation, search
Using Audacity
HomeWhat is Audacity? | The Interface | Setting your Preferences
Recording and Importing AudioUsing a microphone | Using existing audio
Editing tracksBasic Editing | Zooming | Fading in and out
Working with tracksMoving tracks | Track control panel options | Sorting tracks | Viewing your project
Saving and exportingSaving | Exporting | Editing ID3 tags


Preferences modify the default behavior of Audacity. Before you start using Audacity you should change a few of the preferences; these are listed below.

To change your Audacity Preferences:

  • Open Audacity;
  • Under the File Menu, choose Preferences;
  • Select the tab on the left for the settings you wish to modify.

Audio I/O

Make sure your recording device is selected in the Recording -> Device drop down menu.

Image:audacity_preferences_dialog_audio.png

Quality

Click on the Quality label on the left hand menu.

If you are only recording people talking try starting with a Default Sample Rate of 22.050 Hz and a Default Sample Format of 16-bit.

Image:audacity_preferences_dialog.png

File Formats

Select the "Make a copy of the file before editing" option as well as the "Always copy all audio (safest)" option.

Image:audacity_preferences_dialog_fileformat.png

Retrieved from "http://www.wikieducator.org/Using_Audacity/Setting_your_Preferences"
Personal tools