How to Create a Macro (Preset) in Audacity For One Click Audio Editing
In this video we will be learning how to create a Macro or a preset in Audacity. A Macro is a series of pre-defined steps where each step is an audio editing effect in Audacity that you add in the correct sequence according to your audio editing process. Once you create a macro, you can simple click on the Macro to apply all the steps to make it a one click process. Here’s the video:
Video Summary
In this tutorial, Kush Sharma explains how to automate audio editing in Audacity by creating a Macro (also known as a preset). This allows you to apply a series of complex effects with just one click.
Key Steps to Create a Macro
- Accessing the Macro Manager [01:05]: Go to
Tools > Macro Managerto create a new predefined list of editing steps. - Sequence of Effects [02:11]: The instructor builds a chain of effects specifically for a laptop microphone:
- Compressor [02:16]: Evens out the audio levels.
- Limiter [02:57]: Sets a ceiling at -3dB [03:24] to prevent harsh audio clipping.
- Normalize [03:49]: Sets the peak amplitude to -5dB [04:02] for consistent volume.
- Low Pass Filter [05:04]: Used at 1500Hz [05:25] to remove high-frequency noise like drilling sounds.
- Base and Treble [05:39]: Boosts bass (+4dB) and treble (+2dB) to enhance vocal quality.
- Automating Noise Reduction with Noise Gate [07:57]: Instead of the manual “Noise Reduction” effect, the instructor uses a Noise Gate. By setting a Threshold (e.g., -33dB) [08:20], the software automatically silences audio below that level, effectively removing background hum without manual sampling.
- Applying the Macro [06:51]: Once saved, select
Tools > Apply Macroto instantly process any audio track. - Exporting/Importing [10:32]: Macros can be exported as text files to share with others or imported to use professional presets found online.
Important Links
This video is from Audacity for Beginners course, which has 36 videos and 4 hours of content. You can use the link below to access the full course via Udemy:
