Audacity: Audio Editing Workflow for Podcast, Voiceover and Video

Twelve Step Audio Editing Workflow how to edit voice audio for podcast, voiceover or video using the free Audacity Audio Editing Software and free or budget friendly plugins for Audacity. This tutorial teaches you how to use Normalization, Noise Reduction, Noisegate, EQ, DeClicker, DeEsser, Compressor, PunchCopy/Punch Paste, Truncate Silence, etc. as well as how to set precise Loudness Levels, both LUF and True Peak Max, that meet exact Loudness Standards for YouTube, Apple Podcast, etc.

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Video Timeline:

00:00 - Intro

04:34 - Recommend only using 32 Bit Version of Audacity

07:51 - Step 1. Normalize to -6 DB

09:14 - If needed, use Limiter prior to Normalize to -6DB

11:22 - If needed, How to use Audacity Limiter prior to Normalize to -6DB

16:39 - If needed, How to use LoudMax Limiter prior to Normalize to -6DB

23:52 - Step 2. Noise Removal

24:34 - Audacity Noise Reduction

30:00 - BL Denoiser

37:57 - Step 3. Noise Gate

39:47 - Renegate - Noise Gate

51:39 - ReaGate - Noise Gate

01:06:41 - Step 4. EQ

01:07:30 - EQ Demonstration

01:26:23 - Step 5. DeClicker

01:37:23 - Step 6. DeEsser

01:43:36 - Step 7. Compressor

01:43:58 - Compressor Settings

01:47:35 - Audacity Compressor

01:48:57 - TDR Kotelnikov Compressor

01:54:20 - Step 8. Clean Up Noise Floor

01:59:41 - Punch Copy/Punch Paste

02:06:19 - Step 9. Optional, EQ again, if needed

02:08:14 - Step 10. Optional, Truncate Silence, if audio (with no video) only podcast

02:19:54 - Step 11. Optional, Saturation, if desired

02:27:15 - Step 12. Loudness Levels

02:27:22 - Optional, use a Limiter, such as LoudMax

02:33:02 - Set Loudness Levels, using FinalLoud3

02:43:03 - Playing Audio Edited Using 12 Steps

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Links to software & Plug-Ins:

Audacity Audio Editing Software - Free Download:
https://www.audacityteam.org/
Audacity - Commands and Keyboard Shortcut Reference:
https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/keyboard_shortcut_reference.html

BL Denoiser
https://freevstplugins.net/blue-lab-audio-denoiser/

ReaGate, ReaComp and ReaEQ by Reaper - Plug-Ins for Audacity:
https://www.reaper.fm/reaplugs/

Renegate:
https://www.auburnsounds.com/products/Renegate.html

IIEQPro Equalizer Plug-In for Audacity
https://ddmf.eu/iieqpro-equalizer-plugin/

TTDR Nova by Toyko Dawn Records:
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-nova/

De-Clicker Plug-In for Audacity
https://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?t=79278

Lisp De Esser:
https://plugins4free.com/plugin/1662/
Information about Lisp and other De Esser's:
https://thehomerecordings.com/de-esser-vst-au-plugins/

LoudMax Limiter
https://loudmax.blogspot.com/

TDR Kotelnikov Compressor
https://www.tokyodawn.net/tdr-kotelnikov/

PunchCopy.ny and PunchPaste.ny Plug-Ins can be downloaded from this URL:
https://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?t=71556

FinalLoud3 – Plug-In for Audacity
https://www.tb-software.com/TBProAudio/finalloud3.html

Youlean Loudness Meter Plugin:
https://youlean.co/

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YouTube Videos:

"How to use Audacity to Record & Edit Audio - Beginners Tutorial" by :"Kevin Stratvert":
https://youtu.be/yzJ2VyYkmaA

"Denoiser - Noise removal plugin" by "BlueLab AudioPlugins":
https://youtu.be/t8Tc_4X9KDQ

“De-Clicking Your VO Recordings.” by “Jan Anderson”:
https://youtu.be/em38uhrOkn4

"Joe Essay" Video: "DeClicker For Free In Audacity! (Put on your good headphones!)":
https://youtu.be/3zESSLTU4vw

TDR Nova:
"Introduction to NOVA and NOVA GE" by "Toyko Dawn Records":
https://youtu.be/1CHFv4mWQYM
"Free Dynamic Resonance Suppression - Smooth Audio (Vocals, Synths and Mixes)" by "In The Mix":
https://youtu.be/0AbnVVYYGf8
"FREE PLUGIN ALERT - TDR NOVA DYNAMIC EQ" by "BenoniStudio"
https://youtu.be/YXv0oQfXStE
"How to use TDR Nova for mastering - Mastering Explained" by "Mastering Explained":
https://youtu.be/_JrPaqBgfg4

Make Your Voice Sound Better - Vocal EQ Zones by "In The Mix":
https://youtu.be/pjMCyLsRNig

BASIC EQ techniques for VOICE OVERS by "Neil Collins Recording":
https://youtu.be/Z3Qq9axHEUU

DDMF IIEQPro Overview:
https://youtu.be/kCu8QEVd0zc
Five DDMF IIEQ Pro Tips:
https://youtu.be/yui5RYQR-bI

Youlean Loudness Meter 2:
https://youtu.be/XMKQeLHYutw

Audacity: Make Mono Track into Stereo (Plus Stereo Back to Mono):
https://youtu.be/4O45TIKOTYs

LoudMax:
https://youtu.be/Qdaz9HDVh9I
https://youtu.be/JXqTIOvQYsI

Renegate:
https://youtu.be/YVrRVSUX4Do

ReaGate:
https://youtu.be/zVWoxC3m4cc

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Additional Info:

Loudness Recommendations Table:
https://youlean.co/loudness-standards-full-comparison-table/

Noise Gate Plug-Ins you might have in interest in:
https://thehomerecordings.com/free-gate-vst-plugins/

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website:
https://oportuno.org/

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