demobook

Audacity: Apply Compressor effect

Demo summary

The user shows how to use the Compressor effect to even out volume and add punch to a vocal track.

Step-by-step

  1. Record your voiceover within Audacity
  2. Highlight the entire audio track by double-clicking it or pressing Ctrl+A
  3. Navigate to the Effect menu
  4. Select Volume and Compression
  5. Click on Compressor
  6. Click Apply to use the default settings

Options

  • Modify the compressor settings manually instead of using defaults
  • Select the track via right-clicking

Watch out for

  • Altering the suggested Audacity settings might do more harm than good to the audio quality

Tips

  • Use the compressor to enhance audio quality if you are using a cheaper microphone
  • Apply the compressor only once to maintain a professional sound without making it sound weird
  • Use the default settings first to see how they affect your specific audio

Highlights

it's quite simple to do... it's that simple.

All demos from “Audacity 3.7.7: Beginner Tutorial | EVERYTHING You Need to Know!

  1. 4:311:04Record audio in AudacityA walkthrough of recording a first track, including checking preferences, using the red record button, and managing multiple tracks with the pause and stop functions.AudacityAI Audio Editor
  2. 10:064:58Remove background noise with Noise ReductionThe narrator demonstrates the multi-step process of capturing a noise profile and applying noise reduction to eliminate background sounds like a door slam.AudacityAI Audio Enhancer & Noise Reduction
  3. 15:042:19Eliminate breathing sounds with Noise GateA demonstration of using the Noise Gate effect in Audacity to automatically silence inhale sounds between spoken words.AudacityAI Audio Enhancer & Noise Reduction
  4. 17:272:36Apply Compressor effectCurrentThe user shows how to use the Compressor effect to even out volume and add punch to a vocal track.AudacityAI Audio Editor
  5. 20:032:17Use the Limiter effectA demonstration of applying the Limiter effect to smooth out loud spikes and increase the overall vibrancy of the audio.AudacityAI Mastering
  6. 22:202:41Normalize vs Amplify comparisonThe narrator compares the Amplify and Normalize effects side-by-side on the same track to show the difference in peak handling.AudacityAI Audio Editor
  7. 25:013:43Boost low volume audio workflowA step-by-step demonstration of a four-part workflow (Noise Reduction, Compressor, Amplify, and Limiter) to fix quiet recordings.AudacityAI Audio Enhancer & Noise Reduction
  8. 28:470:46Import audio filesShows three ways to bring external audio files onto the Audacity timeline using menus and keyboard shortcuts.AudacityAI Audio Editor
  9. 29:330:32Split audio clipsDemonstrates how to use the right-click menu to create a split point in an audio track.AudacityAI Audio Editor
  10. 30:050:21Drag and move tracksShows how to grab the gray label area of a track to move it horizontally along the timeline.AudacityAI Video Editor
  11. 30:260:46Zoom in and out of waveformsDemonstrates using Ctrl + Scroll and the magnifying glass tool to navigate the audio timeline.AudacityAI Audio Editor
  12. Watch “Audacity 3.7.7: Beginner Tutorial | EVERYTHING You Need to Know!” →

AI Audio Editor

  1. 4:311:04Record audio in AudacityA walkthrough of recording a first track, including checking preferences, using the red record button, and managing multiple tracks with the pause and stop functions.Dewi Jenkins
  2. 17:272:36Apply Compressor effectCurrentThe user shows how to use the Compressor effect to even out volume and add punch to a vocal track.Dewi Jenkins
  3. 22:202:41Normalize vs Amplify comparisonThe narrator compares the Amplify and Normalize effects side-by-side on the same track to show the difference in peak handling.Dewi Jenkins
  4. 28:470:46Import audio filesShows three ways to bring external audio files onto the Audacity timeline using menus and keyboard shortcuts.Dewi Jenkins
  5. 29:330:32Split audio clipsDemonstrates how to use the right-click menu to create a split point in an audio track.Dewi Jenkins
  6. 30:260:46Zoom in and out of waveformsDemonstrates using Ctrl + Scroll and the magnifying glass tool to navigate the audio timeline.Dewi Jenkins
  7. 6:311:35Non-destructive editing and clip dragging in AudacityThe narrator demonstrates how to use the new clip handle bar to drag audio segments and how to recover deleted sections using the non-destructive trim tool.Joe at Claricast
  8. 8:101:04Copying smart clips between Audacity sessionsA demonstration of copying an audio segment from one project and pasting it into another as a 'smart clip' to retain editing flexibility.Joe at Claricast
  9. 10:001:53Applying real-time effects in AudacityThe narrator shows how to add live, non-destructive effects like EQ, compression, and reverb to a track while monitoring the output and visual response.Joe at Claricast
  10. 12:521:00Time stretching and pitch shifting clipsThe narrator demonstrates using the Alt/Option key to drag the edge of a clip for time stretching and using keyboard shortcuts to shift pitch independently.Joe at Claricast
  11. 13:550:30Switching timeline to beats and measuresA walkthrough of changing the timeline ruler from seconds to musical beats and measures and enabling the snap-to-grid feature.Joe at Claricast
  12. 2:412:23Normalize audio in AudacityThe narrator demonstrates how to select a track and apply the Normalize effect in Audacity, adjusting the peak amplitude to -3 dB to establish a consistent volume baseline.Master Editor