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Audio Editing with Audacity Online (Beta Version)
Editing topics addressed in this document include:
• Uploading an audio clip/file
• Importing audio
• Selecting audio
• Cropping audio
• Generating Silence
• Applying Effects (Normalize, Fade in, …)
• Adding audio tracks
• Exporting and saving audio files
We are using the Audacity Online Editor Chrome Extension
To use this tool, you must have a Chrome account.
Acquiring the Extension
1. Sign in to your Chrome browser
2. Go to https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/extensions
3. In the drop-down menu, click on the more tools link
4. Press the Enter key
5. In the Search extensions box, type Audacity
6. Choose the Audacity option
7. Click on the Add to Chrome button
8. In the pop-up that appears, click on the Add extension button
9. An option from Chrome appears, use your judgment to respond

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Uploading Audio with the Audacity Extension
1. Sign in to your Chrome browser
2. Click on the Extensions icon in the top right corner
3. Click on the Audacity link in the drop-down menu
4. In the pop-up, click on the File Manager link

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5. In the new tab or window that appears, drag your audio file onto the Folder is
empty, Drop to add items area
Note: Add all of the audio file that you will be using in and editing session.
This may include narration, music and sound effects clips
6. The audio Thumbnail appears in the files
area, right-click on the audio file icon
Note: There are several options
including delete, copy, preview,
download and edit
7. Click on the Open/Edit option
Note: The Audacity editor appears
8. Click on the OK button
9. Please be aware that you can use the Zoom icons to alter the view of the
online Audacity editor or the Maximize icon

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Note: Audacity’s workspace has not changed over the past decade
(adapted from the https://manual.audacityteam.org)
Note: For comprehensive assistance using Audacity, please go to
https://manual.audacityteam.org/ for an interactive help manual
Importing and Cropping Audio
Note: As you are editing an audio file, you can use the Import feature to add
more audio tracks to your file. Examples can be additional speaking, music or
sound effects tracks
1. Click on the File on the menu bar
2. Select Import from the drop-down menu
3. Click on Audio
Note: All of the audio files dragged into the Files folder earlier will be available
for import
4. Choose a file, and then click on the Open button

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Note: Sometimes the imported file does not match the duration of the narration
file. In this case the music file is far too long. Use the following steps to Trim the
excess audio from the music track
5. Click on the longer track and select the audio to be removed
Note: to Select, ensure that the Selection tool is active

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6. In the Menu bar, click on Edit, Remove Audio or labels and then Delete
Note: The audio is now aligned
Removing an Audio Track
Note: To remove audio tracks in Audacity, click on the close icon in the top left
corner of each track

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Generating Silence
Note: When recording or editing audio scripts for education, there are often
pauses for learners to read or perform an action while the audio progresses. For
example: You have 30 seconds to read the questions now. Generating silence is
a good way to ensure that there will be no static or noise in the recording when the
students are concentrating
1. To insert silence in an audio track, click on the point where the silence will
begin
2. In the Menu bar, click on Generate
3. Click on Silence…
4. The Silence Generator pop-up appears, change the Duration

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5. Click on the OK button
Applying Effects (Amplify)
Note: If an audio track is too loud or too quiet, the Amplify Effect can be used
(there are others as well)
1. Select the audio to be modulated
2. In the Menu bar, click on Effect
3. Click on Amplify…
4. The Amplify pop-up appears, use the slider to change the volume of the audio
Slide right for more volume, slide left for lower volume
5. Use the Preview button to see if the new setting is acceptable
6. Click on OK, if the volume is acceptable
7. If nothing happens, that means that the audio must be clipped, causing
distortion, consider reducing the application setting to avoid ruining the quality
of your audio
Note: Do not check Allow clipping

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Applying Effects (Normalize)
Note: If an audio track sounds unbalanced, some parts are loud and others are
quiet, the Normalize Effect can be used to smooth out the sound
1. Select the audio to be modulated
2. In the Menu bar, click on Effect
3. Click on Normalize…
4. The Normalize pop-up appears, ensure that the Remove DC offset and
Normalize maximum and minimum amplitude are checked
5. Use the Preview button to see if the new setting is acceptable
6. Adjust the maximum amplitude slightly (0.1 movements)
7. Click on OK, if the quality is acceptable
Applying Effects (Fade In)
Note: If an audio track starts off to abruptly, it is possible to set a gradual fade in to
normal volume using the Fade in Effect (there is also a Fade out effect)
1. Select the audio to be modulated, in this case the first few second of a track

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2. In the Menu bar, click on Effect
3. Click on Fade In
4. If the audio is acceptable, continue editing
Envelope Tool
Note: The Envelope tool allows you to manually adjust volume in small parts of the
video or throughout the audio track
1. Click on the Envelope tool
2. Click to add control points on the track so the audio can be amplified or
reduced with mouse actions
3. The Envelope tool can stretch out a track for a better view

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4. To add control points to the track, hold the CTRL key and click on the
amplitude
5. Use the mouse and control points to change the amplitude of
Exporting Audio
1. To use the edited audio file, Click File on the menu bar
2. Click on Export… or Export selection…
3. Type a filename
4. Change file type to Mp3
5. Click on the Save button
6. Click OK
7. Click on the File Manager button
8. Note: Your edited file is in this folder
Tutorials
To learn more details about Audacity, open the Tutorials page