How to make a recording using Audacity

This guide will introduce how to record audio for your podcast.

The guide assumes that you have set up your microphone according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Open Audacity

Open Audacity

1. Open the Audacity software.

2. Ensure that your microphone is plugged in and set up according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Audacity

Audacity

3. The Audacity screen will appear. Note the large buttons along the top of the screen.  These are explained on the following slide.

Control Buttons

Control Buttons

4.The main buttons along the top of the screen are to

a. Play = play the material already recorded
b. Record = record new material
c. Pause = to pause the playback or recording of material
d. Stop = to stop the playback or recording of material

5. To begin recording press the Record button.

Recording

Recording

6. Having clicked on Record, Audacity will begin recording. As you speak into the microphone you should see the red bar above the microphone icon move showing the volume level of your voice.  You will also see a waveform representing the sound that is being recorded.

Pause

Pause

7. Use the Pause button to pause the recording if you wish to take a break.

8. When you have completed your recording click on Stop.

Save your recording

Save your recording

9. To save you recording, click on File, and choose Save Project As...