Audacity: Zoom in and out of waveforms

Demo summary
Demonstrates using Ctrl + Scroll and the magnifying glass tool to navigate the audio timeline.
Step-by-step
- Hold the CTRL key on your keyboard
- Use the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in or out of the audio track
- Select the magnifying glass tool from the toolbar
- Click on the specific area of the track you want to zoom into
Options
- Use the magnifying glass tool instead of keyboard shortcuts
Tips
- Use the CTRL + scroll method as it is the easiest and quickest way to navigate
- Avoid the magnifying glass tool if you want to save time, as it takes much longer
Highlights
“It's that simple.”
All demos from “Audacity 3.7.7: Beginner Tutorial | EVERYTHING You Need to Know!”
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.Audacity· AI Audio Editor
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.Audacity· AI Audio Enhancer & Noise Reduction
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.Audacity· AI Audio Enhancer & Noise Reduction
17:272:36Apply Compressor effectThe user shows how to use the Compressor effect to even out volume and add punch to a vocal track.Audacity· AI Audio Editor
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.Audacity· AI Mastering
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.Audacity· AI Audio Editor
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.Audacity· AI Audio Enhancer & Noise Reduction
28:470:46Import audio filesShows three ways to bring external audio files onto the Audacity timeline using menus and keyboard shortcuts.Audacity· AI Audio Editor
29:330:32Split audio clipsDemonstrates how to use the right-click menu to create a split point in an audio track.Audacity· AI Audio Editor
30:050:21Drag and move tracksShows how to grab the gray label area of a track to move it horizontally along the timeline.Audacity· AI Video Editor
30:260:46Zoom in and out of waveformsCurrentDemonstrates using Ctrl + Scroll and the magnifying glass tool to navigate the audio timeline.Audacity· AI Audio Editor- Watch “Audacity 3.7.7: Beginner Tutorial | EVERYTHING You Need to Know!” →
AI Audio Editor
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
17:272:36Apply Compressor effectThe user shows how to use the Compressor effect to even out volume and add punch to a vocal track.Dewi Jenkins
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
28:470:46Import audio filesShows three ways to bring external audio files onto the Audacity timeline using menus and keyboard shortcuts.Dewi Jenkins
29:330:32Split audio clipsDemonstrates how to use the right-click menu to create a split point in an audio track.Dewi Jenkins
30:260:46Zoom in and out of waveformsCurrentDemonstrates using Ctrl + Scroll and the magnifying glass tool to navigate the audio timeline.Dewi Jenkins
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
8:101:04Copying 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
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
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
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
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