This wikiHow teaches you how to improve the audio quality of a song through Audacity. You can produce a high-quality product (in this case, a song) by starting a high-quality recording process, reducing background noise during mastering in Audacity, and setting the final track's audio quality when saving work.
Step
Part 1 of 4: General Tips
Step 1. Start with a high-quality recording process
As is clear, with the highest possible quality audio recording, you don't need to do a lot of editing in Audacity. If you need to edit music, make sure the main material is in MP3 format and comes from a CD. If you want to record music, follow these instructions:
- Use high-quality recording equipment – High-quality pop filters and microphones can provide the long-term advantage of producing high-quality recordings.
- Record in a place with good room acoustics – Try recording in an enclosed and insulated room. You can even “turn” a wardrobe into a recording room by removing its contents and lining the walls of the wardrobe with acoustic foam.
- Eliminate background noise – Record when the air conditioner or other device is not in use. A high-quality microphone can pick up any sound thereby reducing the amount of sound that can be picked up by the microphone.
Step 2. Save the recording in high quality
If you recorded with another program or device before using Audacity, make sure you export or extract the highest quality audio track available.
Step 3. Refrain from converting audio until you save your work in Audacity
If you convert a WAV file to an MP3 file and then import it into Audacity, the quality of the track will decrease. Therefore, please wait until the final save process before converting the file.
Step 4. Use headphones when listening to tracks
Keep in mind that loudspeakers (even high-quality ones) can fool you, so try listening to the track using headphones for minor glitches or background noise.
Step 5. Change Audacity's main quality setting
To change it:
- Open " Audacity ”.
- Click " Edit ” (Windows) or “ Audacity (Mac).
- Click " Preferences… ” in the drop-down menu.
- Click the tab " Quality ”.
- Click the “Default Sample Rate” drop-down box, then select “ 48000 Hz ”.
- Click the “Sample Rate Converter” drop-down box, then select “ Best Quality (Slowest) ”.
- Click " OK ” (for Windows computers only).
Part 2 of 4: Removing Background Noise
Step 1. Open Audacity
The icon looks like an orange sound wave in the middle of a pair of blue headphones.
Step 2. Import tracks
Click the menu " File ", click " Open… ”, select an audio track, and click “ Open ” to import it into Audacity.
The track import process may take from a few seconds to a few minutes
Step 3. Select a track segment
Click and drag the cursor over the segment of a few seconds that contains background noise. If possible, it's a good idea to choose a segment that contains only background noise.
Step 4. Click Effects
This tab is at the top of the Audacity window (Windows) or at the top of the screen (Mac). After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 5. Click Noise Reduction…
It's in the middle of the drop-down menu Effect ”.
Step 6. Click Get Noise Profile
It's at the top of the window. With this option, Audacity can specify elements that are background noise and elements that are not.
Step 7. Select the track segment you want to clean
You can also click a track and press the Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac) key combination to select the entire track.
Step 8. Reopen the “Noise Reduction” menu
Click " Effect " and select " Noise Reduction… ”.
Step 9. Click OK
It's at the bottom of the window. After that, background noise will be removed from the selected track segment.
Step 10. Repeat this process if background noise is still audible
If the background noise is still quite audible, repeat the noise removal process. You may need to go through this process several times.
You can increase the amount of noise removed by sliding the " Noise reduction " slider to the right
Part 3 of 4: Removing Clipping
Step 1. Listen and look for clipping
Clipping is generally characterized by rough and/or distorted elements when a track is played.
Step 2. Find the segment that contains clipping
Visually, clipping looks like a higher-than-average peak of sound activity in the Audacity window. If you see one segment that is significantly louder than the rest of the track, it's likely a clipping.
Step 3. Select the top of the segment
Click and drag the cursor at the top of the segment to select it.
Step 4. Click Effects
After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 5. Click Amplify…
It's at the top of the drop-down menu Effect ”.
Step 6. Click and drag the slider towards the left
The " Amplify " slider is in the middle of the window. When dragged to the left, the volume for the selected segment is lowered so that clipping can be reduced.
Don't overdo this step. You just need to drag the slider by a decibel or two to the left
Step 7. Click Preview
It's on the left side of the “Amplify” window. With this option, you can listen to the selected segment with the new settings applied.
Step 8. Listen for the clipping drop
If the segment no longer contains clipping, this step has been followed successfully. However, make sure the segment doesn't sound too quiet when compared to other tracks.
If clipping is still audible, try lowering the segment volume again
Step 9. Click OK
It's at the bottom of the window. After that, the changes will be saved and applied to the track.
You can repeat this process for other segments that include clipping on the track
Part 4 of 4: Saving Files in High Quality
Step 1. Click File
It's in the top-left corner of the Audacity window (Windows) or the top-left corner of the screen (Mac). After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 2. Click Export Audio…
It's in the bottom half of the drop-down menu. After that, a new window will open. If you receive an error message regarding " LAME encoder ", first follow these steps:
- Windows – Visit https://lame.buanzo.org/#lamewindl and click the link “ Lame v3.99.3 for Windows.exe " Double click the installation file, select “ Yes ” when prompted, and follow the steps shown on the screen.
- Mac – Visit https://lame.buanzo.org/#lameosxdl and click the link “ Lame Library v3.99.5 for Audacity on macOS.dmg " Double-click the DMG file, then verify and install LAME.
Step 3. Enter a file name
Type a name for the final file in the " Name " field.
Step 4. Click the “Save as type” drop-down box
This box is in the middle of the page. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 5. Click MP3
With the MP3 option, songs can be played on almost any platform.
Step 6. Click the “Quality” drop-down box
This box is at the bottom of the window. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 7. Select a quality level
Click " Extreme " or " Insane ” in the drop-down menu. With this option, the track quality will be much higher than average.
Step 8. Choose a save location
Click a folder in the left corner of the window. On Mac computers, you will first need to click the " Where " drop-down box to select a folder.
Step 9. Click Save
It's in the lower-right corner of the window. After that, the project will be saved as an MP3 and exported with the highest quality available.
