Adjust the volume of audio files – this is how it works

If the song, voice message or podcast is too quiet, you can adjust the volume of the audio file afterwards. Find out how you can easily make MP3s & Co. louder here at GIGA.

You don’t need any expensive special software to increase the volume of audio files – the free and easy-to-use audio editing program “Audacity” is completely sufficient. Depending on whether you want to make the entire track or only certain parts of the audio file louder, there are two different approaches:

Audacity can handle a number of different audio formats. However, if you want to save your file as MP3 again at the end, you need the appropriate decoder beforehand. We explain exactly how this works here: Audacity – save audio files as MP3.

Make a single song / entire audio file louder

If a certain song or the entire voice message is simply too quiet, you can use the “amplify” function. Proceed as follows:

1. Opens Audacity and pulls the one to be processed Drag and drop audio file in the program window.
   Alternatively, you press the key combination [Strg] + [O]to start the select dialog.
2. Double click on the audio track, so that everything marked is.
3. Up in the menu you click on “Effect” and then in Drop down menu on “Reinforce …”
4. Now enter the gain in decibels or use the slider.
5. With the “Preview” button you can check the volume.
6. When you’re happy with the customization, click the “OK” buttonto apply the changes.
7. Finally you click on the menu on top of “File” and in Drop down menu on “Export”. Choose that Audio format off and saves the file.

Audacity is displayed in the wrong language? Switching Audacity to German: How to change the language.

Adjust the volume of individual sections

For example, if two people stood at different distances from the microphone when recording, the volume will vary greatly between the two people. In that case you can use the “Normalize” function to adjust the volume of the quiet parts to the others. Proceed as follows:

1. Opens Audacity and pulls the one to be processed Drag and drop audio file in the program window.
   Alternatively, you press the key combination [Strg] + [O]to start the select dialog.
2. Marked holding down the left mouse button quiet part of the audio track.
   
3. Up in the menu you click on “Effect” and then in Drop down menu on “Normalize…”
4. Leave the default settings and click on the “OK” button.
5. When you start the process repeat several places you can mark them and then the Keyboard shortcut [Strg] + [R] to apply the last used effect again.
6. Finally you click on the menu on top of “File” and in Drop down menu on “Export”. Choose that Audio format off and saves the file.

did you like this article? Let us know in the comments or share the article. We look forward to your opinion – and of course you are welcome to follow us on Facebook or Twitter.