Until now we checked out how to obtain a quite good reading file. We could already export the file as an MP3 but maybe better to check out some of the possibilities that Audacity gives us to optimize the final sound experience.

Equalization of the voice

Unless you used an expensive professional microphone, you surely noticed how your recorded voice gets false, often even nasal, tonalities.
With a bit of experience the Audacity equalizer will allow you to fill the gaps given by a not so good microphone.
Select all the track and then click on the Effects menu and then on Equalization.
The blu line is the frequency amplification level of the sound spectrum; if it is flat the sound will be the same of the recorded one. To modify the equalization you have to click on the line inserting anchor points and then use them to modify the curve.
Normally the low-cost microphones emphasize the middle frequencies, those that give a nasal tone to the voice, while it softens the low and high frequencies.
In the following example, in oder to offset a low quality microphone,  the low and high frequencies will be emphasized, lowering the middle ones.

You will have to try on several regulation, clicking on the Preview button to listen to the output. When you see that it satisfies you, click on the OK button so you’ll apply the effect on the track.
Pay attention: to emphasize too much the low frequencies can lead to a cut out of the sound peaks and then to a distortion phenomena.

The equalizer will help you also when the voice gets mixed with the soundtrack. You’ll be able then to equalize  the soundtrack softening the frequencies that are typical of the human voice (from 500 to 2000 Hz) so that the spoken part will be better defined on the background sound.

Background noise reduction

Audacity gives the chance to reduce the background noise, that is more audible in the low sound intensity moments.
Search in the sound wave histogram a seconds of silence where only the background noise is audible and select it.
Go on the Effects menu and then on Noise removal, open the related window and click on Get noise profile. In this way the sofware understands that that’s the noise to delete.
Now select all the track, open again Noise removal and click on Preview to listen to the result. If you see that the sound changed too, it means that the removal value is too high. Drag down the cursor on the minimum level; if now you like the output click on Remove noise.

Exporting as MP3 file

Once you’re over with the optimization of the file  you have only to export the project as an MP3 file and now you’re ready to publish it here on Babelesque!
From the File menu choose Export as MP3. A window will open where you can add the title, author and eventually the album.
The compression and so the quality of the MP3 file is set up by the bit rate value in the Preference panel; as previously said, a value of 128 is recommended for most  cases.