# Recommend me software for making audio clips **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 4, 2023, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581 "2023-11-04T09:46:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/1 "2023-11-04T09:46:18Z")
I bought software for this a long time ago, and can’t find the license key-- the company is taking forever to get back to me, maybe because it’s the weekend. There used to be tons of this stuff free online-- I just need the really simple stuff that lets you trim audio, for example, to make a ringtone. What I actually need to use it for is a Kahoot quiz for my religious school students. It will come up in the “Picture” area, and the kids have to match it to a translation or a transliteration. I need to chop up a prayer the kids are learning into bite-sized pieces. They love Kahoot, and this will motivate them into paying attention to the lesson, believe it or not. I do my best to make the lessons as interesting as possible, but learning the Friday Night Kiddush is a hard sell. Anyway, I need some software to chop up the cantor’s recording of the kiddush. If anyone can recommend something free, or dirt cheap (like $3.99 or less, just for the part that trims audio) please do. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/2 "2023-11-04T10:03:37Z")
Audacity. Free, [relatively] easy, yet very powerful if you dig into it. [https://www.audacityteam.org](https://www.audacityteam.org) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/3 "2023-11-04T10:59:52Z")
Yep, definitely Audacity. It’s fairly straightforward and easy to use, with one glaring exception. When you want to save your finished audio file, you don’t “save” it. You export it. The save function in audacity is for saving audacity projects, not audio. > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I need to chop up a prayer the kids are learning into bite-sized pieces. Highlight the snippet that you want to save, play it to make sure you selected exactly the bite-sized piece that you want, then click on Export Selected Audio. It will ask you for the file name, file type, etc. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/4 "2023-11-04T11:08:30Z")
How do I highlight it? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/5 "2023-11-04T11:20:30Z")
Another happy audacity user. But it does have a learning curve. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/6 "2023-11-04T11:22:07Z")
You can use a mouse to click on the beginning and drag to the end of what you want. I place breaks, personally, and think that will work better for what you are doing. I’ll open it up later today and give you a blow-by-blow. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/7 "2023-11-04T11:27:03Z")
Thanks. I have easily isolated clips, as the cantor is singing slowly, and pausing between sections, so it is easy to see where the breaks should be. But when I go to edit, Export Selected Audio is not a choice. There are some choices with “Export,” but they are greyed out. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/8 "2023-11-04T11:29:23Z")
Are there any choices that aren’t grayed out? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/9 "2023-11-04T11:40:30Z")
For me, “Export Selected Audio” is not under edit; it is under File → Export ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/10 "2023-11-04T11:47:26Z")
I use Audacity to make recordings for [Librivox](https://librivox.org/). When I started, I think I had to download an extra .dll file to export to mp3 format, but it now looks as though that’s now not necessary for Windows or Mac. However, you might want to check: [https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq\_installing\_the\_lame\_mp3\_encoder.html](https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/faq_installing_the_lame_mp3_encoder.html) ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/11 "2023-11-04T11:52:38Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > But when I go to edit, Export Selected Audio is not a choice. I was using an older version. I just upgraded to the latest version, and instead of being a separate export option under File, you now just to to File → Export Audio and there are some round checkboxes (technically Radio Buttons) under the file name, file type, etc. that says Export Range, with options for Entire Project, Multiple Files, and Current Selection. Current Selection is the one you want. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/12 "2023-11-04T12:03:14Z")
OK. Now, where is it storing the clip? ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/13 "2023-11-04T12:11:18Z")
In the export audio dialogue, there’s a box to enter the location. That’s also where you select the “Current selection” option. And choose the output file format (eg MP3). ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/14 "2023-11-04T12:47:53Z")
OK-- but if I want to use the clip for something else, where do I go? ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/15 "2023-11-04T13:07:27Z")
Export another copy to wherever you want to store and access it. (It’s a useful idea to save a copy of your original Audacity file before you start working on it - that way you can always go back to the original and start again if you have to). ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/16 "2023-11-04T13:18:29Z")
I got it figured out-- it was saving to the cloud, but I created a desktop folder, and had it save to that. Made all the clips already. It’s sung, so each one is just a few words. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/17 "2023-11-04T21:57:20Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > Audacity. Free, [relatively] easy, yet very powerful if you dig into it. Oh - and you get lots of fast free friendly support online in places like the SDMB… 😀 ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/18 "2023-11-04T23:11:46Z")
🙂 characters ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/19 "2023-11-04T23:43:33Z")
Now that the OP’s question has been answered, I also have a need for audio editing software assistance. I need to take a 37 second audio clip and time compress it down to \<30 seconds. I am specifically NOT wanting to crop or trim the length down to the required length. I need the entire clip slightly sped up (and unfortunately pitch raised) to fit in the available time. Mac compatible is desirable but not a deal breaker. What’s my simplest option for a simple minded user? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581/20 "2023-11-04T23:48:20Z")
Try Audacity [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-me-software-for-making-audio-clips/992581.md?page=2)