This article applies to Audacity version 1.2.6 and later
Audacity is a free recording program that offers many features. You can do anything from recording a song to recording dialogue for a cartoon.
If you've written a song, and you need an easy way to record it, this article will tell you how to record your song with Audacity and do it in professional quality.
Things You Need to Check
If you've never used Audacity, you may need to know a few things. If you are an experienced user of this program and feel confident in using it, skip this section.
- All the editing tools are found below Effects. In the drop-down menu Effects you will find two dividers that separate the menu into three sections. The upper section contains only one option, which repeats the last action you performed from that menu. The middle section contains 20 options, which are effects. The last section contains 9 options. These are the filters.
- Better go up Edit > Preferences and make sure "Play other tracks when recording a new one is ticked.
- Each time you press the "Record" button a new track is created. The more tracks you create, the better the song will sound (in most cases).
- Whenever a sound is captured by the microphone when recording is active, you will see it appear. You will need to keep the waveform between 0 and 0.5 / -0.5.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Preparation
If you have some extra cash, you might decide to buy a microphone, guitar, keyboard, etc. If you can't do this or have them already prepared, skip this section.
Step 1. Open Audacity
Step 2. Plug in the preamp
If you didn't already know, a preamp is a device to which you can connect a guitar and / or microphone. The preamp will then be connected to some device that can record, or to a speaker. You will need to get an adapter with two jacks. You should be able to plug a cable like the one in the image into the adapter. The other side of the cable should go into the line-in port on your computer's sound card. Make sure the buttons 80Hz And + 48v are active.
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Connect all the cables.
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Step 3. Set the audio source
In the top right corner you should see a drop down menu. Change from "microphone" to "line-in", unless you are using the normal computer microphone. In that case, do not change this setting.
Step 4. Optional. Plug in headphones. Putting headphones on to record can help you improve the quality of the piece by listening to yourself as you sing. Since the line-in port on the sound card lets the sound out of the speakers in most cases (if not, don't worry, this step is optional), you will be able to hear yourself after plugging headphones into the appropriate input of your speakers..
Method 2 of 3: Register
Now you can start recording. You will not have to follow these steps in order. Also, never record your guitar and vocals at the same time. The sound you would get would not be of professional quality.
Step 1. Plug in the microphone
You should use a microphone that you can plug into the microphone port of the preamp. All you have to do is plug in the microphone and sing. If you are not using this equipment, connect the microphone to the appropriate port on the sound card.
Step 2. Record your voice
Your mouth should be positioned as shown in the image. If you're using a microphone that you often see professional artists use when performing live or a recording studio microphone, hold it in front of your mouth, but still.
Step 3. Record all acoustic instruments
Record them by facing the sound box towards the microphone.
Step 4. Connect the tools
Unplug the microphone and plug in your guitar, keyboard, bass, or other electric instrument. You will need to plug them into the instrument port. Recording an electric instrument without a preamp is difficult. Your best choice is to record alongside a kick drum or add MIDI sounds.
Step 5. Record your guitar
Don't play it too loud. Give it some soft picking, even if it's a heavy metal or punk song. You could adjust the drive of your preamp for the guitar track. If you are recording an acoustic guitar, you should record it by holding a microphone close to the sound box.
Step 6. Record any other electrical tools
Method 3 of 3: Editing
Step 1. Now you can move on to editing
To give a professional quality to your piece, you could …
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Use amplifiers or filters.
The amplifiers will raise the volume of the selected zone, and vice versa. Be careful with both of these tools - if you abuse them, your song will sound awful.
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Apply GVerb.
The Gverb filter will give your song the same effect as if you recorded it in a studio. Try it and feel if you like it.
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Advice
- Experiment with all the editing tools. Feel what you like and what you don't. There is a button to undo your actions.
- Adding a metronome track can help you keep the beat. Make sure you cancel it when you're done recording, unless you need the sound of a metronome in the background of your song.
- Practice makes perfect! Nobody creates a masterpiece on the first try.
- If you don't have a microphone, you can create a cheap one by plugging headphones into the microphone port. More information on this site.
- You could add MIDI tracks for synthesized sounds: try Anvil Studio (free) or Cakewalk (paid).
Warnings
- Learn the difference between constructive criticism and criticism that isn't. A constructive criticism would be: "Good job, but I think the guitar could have a better sound". An insult would be: "Your song just sucks! You should never write another one!". If someone says something negative about your song that isn't constructive, forget it. Constructive criticism, on the other hand, can help you improve.
- Yelling into a microphone could break it - don't risk having to pay the expense twice. If you need to record screams, scream away from the microphone and amplify the sound later.
