Audacity (osx): How to mix two AUD sources?

[NSL]

I must be an idiot because I cannot figure this out and get it to work.  Can somebody go into more detail on the part about measuring the samples?  The numbers I get come out like the example in the description but when applying nothing changes at all.  Which numbers am I writing down and subtracting/dividing? 

[achalsey]

I'm not sure about the sample technique, but how I do it (and this may be a sloppier way I'm sure) is after I align the tracks at the beginning, zoom in as close as I can to two easily pinpointed notes that should be aligned as close to the end as possible and make a note of both.  Convert to seconds and divide the larger number by the smaller one and make the answer a % and put that into the change speed.

In other words, once you're aligned at the beginning, go as close to the end as possible to find two points that should be aligned.  Just like the beginning cymbal crashes or whatnot are easiest.  Zoom in all the way on the two exact points you think should be aligned and write down both times.  It should be HH:MM:SS:6 more digits.  Convert both times into seconds.  So if its over an hour set it would be something like 3700.399213 and 3701.223599.   Divide the larger number by the smaller one and turn the answer into a percentage to get how much you should change the longer file by.  Just like the sample method the answer should be something just over 1.

Also, either way, remember to highlight just from the point of alignment in the beginning not the whole file.

[NSL]

Thanks for the reply, i'll give that a shot and see how it goes! 

[NSL]

Finally got around to and it sounds great!  Thanks for the help and for the guideline, much appreciated.   

[justink]

nevermind.

[bryonsos]

12- If you want to track for CD's, then VIEW>SET SELECTION FORMAT > CDDA min:sec:frames 75fps and then EDIT>SNAP TO> SNAP ON to allow you to cut tracks without "sector boundary errors." Select tracks in order by using EDIT> MOVE CURSOR TO TRACK START (I go into preferences and give it a keyboard shortcut to make this easier) then shift-clicking on the end of each track, then EDIT> SPLIT each track apart in order, making sure to split the final track too.

Great resource, thanks again morst!

Is there any reason why you can't add labels for the tracks and "export multiple" as usual with a 2 track?

After you have things synced up, is it OK to cut excess crowd noise from the beginning and end of the file and do fades, or will those things create boundary errors etc?

Thanks in advance for any help/insight.

[justink]

12- If you want to track for CD's, then VIEW>SET SELECTION FORMAT > CDDA min:sec:frames 75fps and then EDIT>SNAP TO> SNAP ON to allow you to cut tracks without "sector boundary errors." Select tracks in order by using EDIT> MOVE CURSOR TO TRACK START (I go into preferences and give it a keyboard shortcut to make this easier) then shift-clicking on the end of each track, then EDIT> SPLIT each track apart in order, making sure to split the final track too.

Great resource, thanks again morst!

Is there any reason why you can't add labels for the tracks and "export multiple" as usual with a 2 track?

After you have things synced up, is it OK to cut excess crowd noise from the beginning and end of the file and do fades, or will those things create boundary errors etc?

Thanks in advance for any help/insight.

once lined up, get the mix you want (more or less of one over the other source), then mix/render.  after that, you're free to do whatever other things you want.  i always use custom labels and export multiple.

[Hypnocracy]

When adjusting time...How close is close enough? I have yet to get it exact but with in .02 seconds is about as close as I have come...

Talk to me about this not doing the whole file and just the selected to end?

Also, either way, remember to highlight just from the point of alignment in the beginning not the whole file.

[achalsey]

Talk to me about this not doing the whole file and just the selected to end?

Also, either way, remember to highlight just from the point of alignment in the beginning not the whole file.

I just realized I haven't been doing it as accurately as possible.  I haven't been removing the time prior to the point of alignment from the equation.

What should be measured is the total samples (or seconds as I do it) just from the beginning point of alignment to where they should meet up in the end.  Since the percentage difference you get at the end is just the percent you need to change for that specific area, if you changed the speed of more than just that area, it would end up off.  (I'm not good at this, someone else can probably explain it better if that doesn't make sense)

In other words I guess;  If your original point of alignment for both tracks is at :10 (seconds) and the point of alignment you want at the end is say 1:00 (minute) and on the second track that same point is at 1:01.  Your calculations should only be measured from :10 (beginning alignment) to 1:00 and 1:01 (points you want to align at the end), since technically before and after those two points will be off after this.  Divide the larger number (sample) by the smaller whatever to find the percentage difference of just the area from the original alignment (:10) to 1:00.  That means if you changed the speed of anything more (or less) than that specific area (ie highlight the whole file), the percent speed change would be different and therefore the tracks would be slightly off.

Does that make sense?

[bryonsos]

12- If you want to track for CD's, then VIEW>SET SELECTION FORMAT > CDDA min:sec:frames 75fps and then EDIT>SNAP TO> SNAP ON to allow you to cut tracks without "sector boundary errors." Select tracks in order by using EDIT> MOVE CURSOR TO TRACK START (I go into preferences and give it a keyboard shortcut to make this easier) then shift-clicking on the end of each track, then EDIT> SPLIT each track apart in order, making sure to split the final track too.

Great resource, thanks again morst!

Is there any reason why you can't add labels for the tracks and "export multiple" as usual with a 2 track?

After you have things synced up, is it OK to cut excess crowd noise from the beginning and end of the file and do fades, or will those things create boundary errors etc?

Thanks in advance for any help/insight.

once lined up, get the mix you want (more or less of one over the other source), then mix/render.  after that, you're free to do whatever other things you want.  i always use custom labels and export multiple.

Thanks! Exactly what I needed to know.

[Hypnocracy]

Ok...I have been calculating the time shift for a portion of the recording...so If I know the ratio I just need to apply that ratio to the whole in order to get it (closer) to exact

Measured segments

1:00:03/1:00:00

Total Recording is x/1:10:00

Solve for x equals the new time to shift the whole to...if the time was in 100ths of a hour instead of multiples of 60...now I see why they use samples instead of time...

Starting to become clear as mud....

[morst]

Great resource, thanks again morst!
Is there any reason why you can't add labels for the tracks and "export multiple" as usual with a 2 track?

No reason, but in 2008, I didn't know to do it the easy way!

...now I see why they use samples instead of time...

Starting to become clear as mud....

Yeah, do the stretch move based on the file lengths measured in samples, you get one nice exact number for each file. In the new 1.3.14 version, and the past few betas, you can set "time mode" to "sample" at the bottom of the screen for start, length, and position.

[cunger]

I have a slightly off topic question. I have two audio sources for the same show. Instead of performing a matrix, I'd like to use Audacity to track both recordings at the same time. I believe I can take the instructions from the original post to do this? Here's what I'm thinking:
Import both recordings into Audacity, align the beginning.
Label the tracks.
Save the project.
Delete the first track.
Export multiple.
Reopen the project, delete the second track, export multiple.

Does anyone have an easier way to handle this? I tried to mute the unwanted source, but it still includes it in the export.

Thanks.

[justink]

I have a slightly off topic question. I have two audio sources for the same show. Instead of performing a matrix, I'd like to use Audacity to track both recordings at the same time. I believe I can take the instructions from the original post to do this? Here's what I'm thinking:
Import both recordings into Audacity, align the beginning.
Label the tracks.
Save the project.
Delete the first track.
Export multiple.
Reopen the project, delete the second track, export multiple.

Does anyone have an easier way to handle this? I tried to mute the unwanted source, but it still includes it in the export.

Thanks.

sounds good to me.

[Walstib62]

Note: It helps a LOT if you do this first:
1. Import tracks
2. Align the tracks as close to the beginning as possible by shifting one L or R.
3. Now, make a single cut to all tracks at the beginning so that the track starts are the same, and the beginning is lined up. This makes all the later steps a lot easier.