easiest way to put music under my voice

[netactivist]

Once I record a vocal track, let's say I want to put some music under it.

Which programs allow you to do this easily?

Audacity? SoundForge? Or?

Thanks!

[netactivist]

OK, I see there's a way to do this in Audacity. But for some reason, I can't get Audacity to put two files in one window. Even if I select two files in Open, it puts them each in a different window, so I can't mix them.

Who knows how to get Audacity to open multiple files in one window?

Thanks!

[deadwhiteguy]

I'm not quite sure what you mean. Bring the audio into Audacity via the

Project->Import Audio

menu. That is the way I do it normally. Then you want to run the amplify filter over the music track. Each -3db of amplifcation you apply should reduce the volume of the track by 1/2 (or is it 6db ? I can never remember).

Also, have a look for an Audacity plugin called a Notch Filter to run over the music track. Essentially what it does is remove a range of frequencies from the track. Remove 2000Hz or 4000Hz depending on whether or not you are a man or a woman (man is low) and this will stop the music interfering with your vocal range quite a bit, which makes the voice a lot clearer. Experiment with the width of the notch filter setting till you get a sound you like.

Someone will no doubt correct me if the numbers given above are incorrect, but this is the basic idea.

You can find a notch filter plugin here

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/nyquist/notch.zip

Jason

[roadrageradio]

Once I record a vocal track, let's say I want to put some music under it.

Which programs allow you to do this easily?

Audacity? SoundForge? Or?

Thanks!

I do it in Audition, but there is a similar feature in Sound Forge.

Record your vocal track "dry" and place it in track one of your multi-track mixer.

Put the background music in a second track, and adjust the level so that it is just audible when you play both tracks together.

Have some who hasn't heard the vocal track listen (with speakers!) to see if the vocal track is coming through clearly. If not, back off the level of the music bed.

If you can, adjust the envelope of the music track so that the transition isn't abrupt at either end. It should fade up at the beginning and fade out at the end.

A "donut" can be very effective. Play the music at full level without the vocal track for a couple of seconds, then fade it back and start the vocal. Do the same thing at the end. It makes for a more dramatic and attention getting effect.

[netactivist]

Great replies and most informative. Thanks!!

[pwfenton]

I do it in Audition, but there is a similar feature in Sound Forge.


You can do it in Audacity, and Audition, but you can't do it in Sound Forge. Sound Forge is not a multi-track editor. Audacity is.

Sound Forge can have multiple tracks on the screen, but they can only be played or edited one at a time. It's what is called a "file editor". Very good program... but not for mixing tracks.