9 replies to this topic

[LHammonds]

Audacity is a free open source editor that can record and play sounds and import and export WAV, AIFF, MP3, and OGG files. Edit your sounds using cut, copy, and paste (with unlimited undo functionality), mix tracks, or apply effects to your recordings. The program also has a built-in amplitude-envelope editor, a customizable spectrogram mode, and a frequency-analysis window for audio-analysis applications. Built-in effects include bass boost, wahwah, and noise removal, and the program also supports VST plug-in effects.

NOTE: It is recommended to use the ongoing BETA series for Windows 7, Windows Vista and Mac OS X 10.6, rather than version 1.2 which was released in November, 2006.

You can also download a "portable" version at PortableApps.com that can be run from a USB stick and does not require being installed.

Here are some tutorials that anyone new to Audacity should read:

• User Manual
• Wiki Tutorials
• Wiki Tips

Here are some game-related tutorials related to modding with this tool:

• None Yet

Here are some locations to find more tutorials related to this tool:

• How to Record and Edit Audio with Audacity
• YouTube - Audacity Tutorial: Part 1, Part 2
• YouTube - Tutorial Part 1
• YouTube - Tutorial Part 2
• YouTube - Tutorial Part 3 - Basic Editing
• YouTube - Tutorial Part 4 - Voice Editing
• YouTube - Tutorial Part 5a - Mixing Music and Voice
• YouTube - Tutorial Part 5b - Mixing Music and Voice
• YouTube - Export to Podcast
• YouTube - Splicing Audio Together
• YouTube - Change Your Voice
• YouTube - Creepy, Demonic Voice Effect

Related sites:

• ProductionTrax.com - Royalty Free Music, Sound FX, Video and Stock Photos
• Create Computer-Generated Audio from Text (Multiple voices and languages)

[LHammonds]

Feel free to reply here and let us know of any additional tutorials or tutorial sites that are out there in the wild that we do not know about.

Also, feel free to post any requests for tutorials. I will try to keep a compiled collection of requests on the 2nd post. Bare in mind that requests are generally for ANYONE to complete...not specific to an individual.

List of requested tutorials (number on the end is how many times it has been requested)

• None yet.

[Netwit2008]

Thank you LHammonds. I just started attempting to record and playback audio for voicing a mod tonigh with Audacity. Man what a ROYAL pain in the arse!!

I even broke down and read the instructions, lol I think my problems have to do with having a 64 bit machine. From what I've read so far, it doesn't like that version very well. Plus I didn't do the beta. I'll uninstall, get the beta and see if that helps. I did get one thing recorded and got it to play back, but I've got headphones and mikes all around me like grandchildren sitting around grandma's rocking chair as she tells bedtimes stories! Yikes!

[RebelOConner]

I have a request for a tutorial.a simple one.
i would like to know the setting required to export sound compatible with bethesda's games.
i remember i read something about sounds for oblivion, but i never succed to save a working voice, because audacity saved always in 16 bits float ( or something like this)
and i have no idea about sounds and voices for fallout 3 and NV.
so i think a little tutorial can help.

[billyro]

I didn't need a tutorial, I just went on and tried it. I've had the program for years, and only done minor music and sound editing. Oh, and voice acting for a warcraft 3 map. (Man, I haven't played that in ages!)
From my point of view, editing files is easy. I haven't tried making my own musics and sounds, that is, if you can.

@Rebel O Conner, have you tried searching for plugins? I believe that there are some plugins that can add compatibility with different files, but I haven't downloaded any and I can't point you to any. Just a thought.

Edited by billyro, 04 July 2011 - 12:32 PM.

[RebelOConner]

@Rebel O Conner, have you tried searching for plugins? I believe that there are some plugins that can add compatibility with different files, but I haven't downloaded any and I can't point you to any. Just a thought.

well, no, i don't think it's a plugin issue, i think it's a setting problem.
but anyway, if the tutorial wasn't made after 6 months, i guess it'll never done.

[SilverDNA]

Rebel I Might give you one Tutorial...
....at least on Oblivion settings and how to export the sound file

For Voice.MP3 files it the settings are :
Bitrate: 64 kBits/s
Channels: 1 (Mono)
sampling: 44 kHz

For Music.MP3 files it the settings are :
Bitrate: 192 kBits/s
Channels: 2 (Stereo)
Sampling: 44 kHz

For Sound.WAV files it the settings are :
Bitrate: Variable / Float
Sample Size: 44 kHz
Channels: 1 (Mono)
Sampling: 44 kHz
Format: PCM

In Audacity
Select Export, now you have two options you can try

Option A:
on PCM/Wav Select data type WAV (Microsoft 16 Bit PCM) and hit enter

Option B:
Select other uncompressed data and hit the options button Standard setting should be the desired above WAV PCM 16 bit unsigned

on Mp3 files i noticed that in Audacity had troubles to convert the files properly so i used another free program mp3 program but the setting are the same. It seamed to me that the used Mp3 plugin of the latest 2 Versions is not working correct to me.

I hope i could help you rebel

Edited by SilverDNA, 28 July 2011 - 11:20 PM.

[lostone1993]

I would like one how to change a default fallout 3 gunshot into a gunshot from the same weapon but silenced

[torikamal]

I have to say that I whole-heartedly endorse Audacity. I use Pro Tools for music creation and MIDI editing (which Audacity doesn't do), but the speed that Audacity can do things means that I hop out of Pro Tools to do any single-track editing.

I would recommend that you remap common functions so that your left hand mostly stays on the keyboard and your right hand mostly stays on the mouse. I have it set up so I edit audio the same way I would move a character around in a video game

Audacity even lets you create keyboard shortcuts for their plugins (effects) and create chains (macros)!

Go for it! It'll cost you...nothing because its' free!

[syscrusher]

I have seen posted online that Audacity can't directly export to Oblivion for voice files, but that must have been an old Audacity version. I am working on a mod right now and using Audacity to create Oblivion voices just fine. You have to be careful to set "Joint Stereo," "constant bit rate," and "64 kbit/sec" in the options for MP3 export. If you don't get the options right, the file will not play in the game.