Submitting a test recording and audacity settings

Happiness1 · Post by **Happiness1** » March 30th, 2021, 7:37 am

Good afternoon all

Please help. Im blonde and that is challenging enough so I really need the simple guide to setting up my sound for blondes. I downloaded Audacity last week, I bought the recommended USB plug in microphone, I set all the settings on Audacity according to spec. I plugged the mic in this afternoon and have been sitting here for about four hours now trying to do a test recording to submit so that I can start reading which I am so excited to do. I firstly cannot find the decibel settings on Audacity, I've utubed videos etc and so I cannot see how to get within the 87-92 db range. There is feedback interference from the microphone and all my tests have failed because they are too soft. What on earth am I doing wrong? I tried turning off the speaker sounds on my pc to lessen the disturbance but that didnt work either. This is supposed to be a simple process

Post by **philchenevert** » March 30th, 2021, 8:06 am

Yep, it is frustrating, no doubt about it. But you are making great progress hang in there.
1) there is no decibel setting in Audacity. (sucks, right?) you can use your eyes and ears to get a good estimate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9WF82rf81o You CAN increase gain going into Audacity with a slider bar. After that, you can use a program called the Checker to see the decible level of your finished mp3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKVOYsaDoRo&feature=youtu.be

2) The feedback is a problem. Why is your mic doing this? I don't know but it is also probably a simple fix. Can you explain a bit more what you mean by feedback?

Again, be patient, this will all work out eventually.

EDIT: Inside Audacity, EDIT > Preferences, there is a lable RECORDING - be sure all boxes are NOT checked.

Happiness1 · Post by **Happiness1** » March 31st, 2021, 12:45 am

gmorn, thanks for your help. I'm trying to attach the mp3 file so you can hear what I mean. It passed on the checker but then it's got this awful sound overlay. I can't find a place to attach it. But I'll take my laptop and all to some technical experts this morning and they'll have to assist me, I hate struggling like this and it's such a waste of time.

Post by **Rapunzelina** » March 31st, 2021, 4:32 am

Happiness1 wrote: ↑March 31st, 2021, 12:45 am It passed on the checker but then it's got this awful sound overlay. I can't find a place to attach it.

Now we're curious to listen to it! You can still use the uploader as for test files and paste the resulting url in your post.

Happiness1 · Post by **Happiness1** » March 31st, 2021, 6:09 am

Yay, I got it all sorted and am going to upload my test recording right now.

Post by **philchenevert** » March 31st, 2021, 6:12 am

Happiness1 wrote: ↑March 31st, 2021, 6:09 am Yay, I got it all sorted and am going to upload my test recording right now.