Editing Audacity (audio editor) (section)

==Features and use==
In addition to recording audio from multiple sources, Audacity can be used for post-processing of all types of audio, including effects such as normalization, trimming, and fading in and out.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.packtpub.com/article/podcasting-with-linux-command-line-tools-and-audacity |title=Podcasting with Linux Command Line Tools and Audacity |access-date=January 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080118173437/http://www.packtpub.com/article/podcasting-with-linux-command-line-tools-and-audacity| archive-date= January 18, 2008 | url-status=dead |website=Packt}}</ref> It has been used to record and mix entire albums, such as by [[Tune-Yards]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Frere-Jones |first=Sasha |date=May 2, 2011 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/05/02/world-of-wonder |title=World of Wonder: How Merrill Garbus left the theatre and took the stage |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024124421/https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/05/02/world-of-wonder |archive-date=October 24, 2020 |magazine=The New Yorker |access-date=May 16, 2015}}</ref> It is currently{{when?|date=May 2025}} used in the Sound Creation unit of the UK [[OCR (examination board)|OCR]] National Level 2 [[information communication technology|ICT]] course.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

=== Recording ===
Audacity can record multiple tracks at once, provided the sound card supports it. In addition to a normal mode,<ref>{{cite web |title=Playing and Recording |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/playing_and_recording.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160324091238/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/playing_and_recording.html |archive-date=March 24, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> recordings can be scheduled ("Timer Record"),<ref>{{cite web |title=Timer Record |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/timer_record.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124043133/https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/timer_record.html |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> or used in a [[Punch in/out|Punch in]] and roll fashion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Punch and Roll Record |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/punch_and_roll_record.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123171836/https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/punch_and_roll_record.html |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |access-date=November 23, 2022 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref>

=== Non-destructive editing ===
Historically, Audacity is a destructive editor, meaning all changes are directly applied to the waveform. This comes with certain benefits but means that any change made cannot be tweaked later on without undoing all changes in-between. For a long time, non-destructive editing was exclusive to volume [[Envelope (music)|envelopes]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Audacity's Envelope Tool |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/envelope_tool.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416210823/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/envelope_tool.html |archive-date=April 16, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> and playback rates, but since version 3, this has been extended to clip trimming<ref>{{cite web |title=Smart Clips |url=https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Audacity_Tracks_and_Clips#smart |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221101161635/https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Audacity_Tracks_and_Clips#smart |archive-date=November 1, 2022 |access-date=November 1, 2022 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> and effects.<ref>{{cite web |title=Using realtime effects |url=https://support.audacityteam.org/audio-editing/using-realtime-effects |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923143348/https://support.audacityteam.org/audio-editing/using-realtime-effects |archive-date=September 23, 2022 |access-date=September 23, 2022 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref>

=== Importing, exporting and conversions ===
Audacity natively imports and exports [[WAV]], [[Audio Interchange File Format|AIFF]], [[MP3]], [[Ogg]] [[Vorbis]], and all [[file format]]s supported by [[libsndfile]] library. Due to patent licensing concerns, the FFmpeg library necessary to import and export proprietary formats such as [[Advanced Audio Coding|M4A (AAC)]] and [[Windows Media Audio|WMA]] is not bundled with Audacity but has to be downloaded separately.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 22, 2013 |title=Audacity: Features |url=https://audacityteam.org/about/features |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618213452/http://audacityteam.org/about/features |archive-date=June 18, 2015 |access-date=September 8, 2013 |publisher=audacityteam.org}}</ref> 

In conjunction with batch processing features, Audacity can be used to convert files from one format to another, or to digitize records, tapes or MiniDiscs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Copying tapes, LPs or MiniDiscs to CD |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/tutorial_copying_tapes_lps_or_minidiscs_to_cd.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416210930/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/tutorial_copying_tapes_lps_or_minidiscs_to_cd.html |archive-date=April 16, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref>

=== Customizability and extensibility ===
Audacity supports [[LADSPA]], [[LV2]], [[Virtual Studio Technology|VST]], VST3, [[Audio Units]], Vamp and Nyquist plugins, which allows it to load most audio effect plugins.<ref>{{cite web |author=Audacity development team . |title=Audacity: Plug-ins and Libraries |url=https://www.audacityteam.org/download/plug-ins/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112153258/https://www.audacityteam.org/download/plug-ins/ |archive-date=January 12, 2020 |access-date=January 4, 2020}}</ref> It additionally features a console for [[Nyquist (programming language)|Nyquist]], a [[Lisp (programming language)|Lisp]] dialect, in which users can script their own plugins<ref>{{cite web |title=Nyquist Plug-ins Reference |url=https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Nyquist_Plugins_Reference |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190830121414/https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Nyquist_Plugins_Reference |archive-date=August 30, 2019 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> and support for external [[Python (programming language)|Python]] scripting.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=Modules Preferences for mod-script pipe |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/modules_preferences.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123172741/https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/modules_preferences.html |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |access-date=November 23, 2022 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref>

Audacity is somewhat customizable and supports arbitrary arrangements of its toolbars, custom themes and enabling and disabling of several features.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |title=Themes |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/themes.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104135128/http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/themes.html |archive-date=November 4, 2017 |access-date=November 3, 2017 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref>

In January 2024, [[Intel]] introduced some AI-powered capabilities for Audacity as part of its [[OpenVINO]] plugin suite.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-01-08 |title=AI Tools Are Here for Open-Source Audio Editor 'Audacity' |url=https://news.itsfoss.com/audacity-ai-tools/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=It's FOSS News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Audacity ® {{!}} Introducing OpenVINO AI effects for Audacity |url=https://www.audacityteam.org/blog/openvino-ai-effects/ |access-date=2024-01-08 |website=www.audacityteam.org}}</ref>

=== Audio analysis ===
[[File:Audacity GSnap effect.png|thumb|upright=1.25|Screenshot of Audacity on Windows showing [[spectrogram]]s of an audio clip with [[portamento]] (upper panel) and the same clip after applying [[pitch correction]], showing frequencies clamped to discrete values (lower panel)]]
Audacity has several features to allow for [[Spectral density estimation|spectrum analysis]] using the [[Fourier transform]] algorithm<ref>{{cite web |title=Plot Spectrum |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/plot_spectrum.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409095136/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/plot_spectrum.html |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Audacity's Spectrogram View |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/spectrogram_view.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409095941/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/spectrogram_view.html |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> and [[Spectrogram|spectrograms]]. As with effects, additional analysis plugins can be added, such as ones that check audiobooks for [[Audiobook Creation Exchange|ACX]] compatibility.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Analysis Plugins |url=https://plugins.audacityteam.org/analyzers/analysis-plugins |publisher=The Audacity Team}}</ref>

===Limitations===
While Audacity has some features found in [[digital audio workstation]]s, it should not be considered as such yet. In its current form, it is an audio editor and recorder. In particular, MIDI editing, piano rolls, virtual instruments, parameter automation and channel routings are not yet implemented.

Due to the use of wxWidgets, which do not have full iOS or Android support,<ref>{{Cite web |title=wxWidgets Roadmap – wxWidgets |url=https://www.wxwidgets.org/develop/roadmap/ |access-date=April 14, 2023 |website=www.wxwidgets.org}}</ref> Audacity cannot run on mobile platforms.

=== Other features ===

Audacity can make precise adjustments to speed ([[tempo]]) while maintaining pitch, to synchronize audio with video or for precise running time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Change Tempo |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/change_tempo.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323054149/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/change_tempo.html |archive-date=March 23, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> It also has a large array of digital effects and plug-ins,<ref>{{cite web |title=Index of Effects, Generators and Analyzers in Audacity |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/index_of_effects_generators_and_analyzers.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415142644/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/index_of_effects_generators_and_analyzers.html |archive-date=April 15, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> including: noise reduction based on sampling the noise to be minimized,<ref>{{cite web |title=Noise Reduction |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/noise_reduction.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404133759/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/noise_reduction.html |archive-date=April 4, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> vocal reduction and isolation for creation of karaoke tracks and isolated vocal tracks,<ref>{{cite web |title=Vocal Reduction and Isolation |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/vocal_reduction_and_isolation.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413155902/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/vocal_reduction_and_isolation.html |archive-date=April 13, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> pitch adjustment maintaining speed, and speed adjustment maintaining pitch.<ref>{{cite web |title=Change Pitch |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/change_pitch.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408193550/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/change_pitch.html |archive-date=April 8, 2016 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref>
Audacity also has support for multi-channel modes with [[sampling rate]]s up to 96&nbsp;[[kHz]] with 32 bits per sample.<ref>{{cite web |title=Multichannel Recording |url=https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Multichannel_Recording |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200519145353/https://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Multichannel_Recording |archive-date=May 19, 2020 |access-date=January 4, 2020 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Audacity Tracks Menu |url=http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/tracks_menu |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304125437/http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/tracks_menu |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref> It can also detect dropout errors made while recording with an overburdened CPU.<ref>{{cite web |title=Recording Preferences for Dropout Detection |url=https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/recording_preferences.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221123172449/https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/recording_preferences.html |archive-date=November 23, 2022 |access-date=November 23, 2022 |publisher=Audacityteam.org}}</ref>