How To Remove Vocals From Music Tracks Using Audacity

How It Works

Vocals are normally placed in the “center channel.” Stereo tracks have two channels, but not all of the instruments are balanced evenly. Sometimes the bass is pushed more towards the right channel, rhythm guitar might be found more towards the left, and so on. Usually the vocals are put dead center, so we can split the stereo track and invert one channel. This cancels out the vocals but leaves the rest in tact. Primus often has extremely unbalanced channels. These kinds of tracks usually work well because the vocals are left evenly balanced between the two channels and that makes them easier to remove accurately. Songs with a lot of vocal effects may end up being mangled by the process, and songs with reverb may leave an echo despite vocals being gone.

On the whole, however this process works really well if you start with good quality audio. One of the most well known adages of audio editing is “garbage in equals garbage out.” If you start with CD audio and work from there, the end result will be cleaner and clearer than if you start with a compressed mp3. In HTG Explains: What Are the Differences Between All Those Audio Formats?, we went over different lossless and lossy formats, so make sure you start from a lossless audio file for best results. This isn’t to say that mp3 and the like won’t work, just that lossless audio works much better.

Read More

Greenbelt Alliance backs Napa Pipe plan

NAPA – Napa Pipe, the 2,580-unit proposed mixed-use development in the county of Napa, has gained the support of Greenbelt Alliance, a group that focuses on smart growth in the nine-county Bay Area.

The project is in a comment period for its supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Report and hearings on the EIR are taking place today. The comment period ends March 31.

“We are releasing a letter during the comment period,” said Marla Wilson, sustainable development associate at the Greenbelt Alliance. “We have concluded that mixed use development is the best way to fulfill Napa County’s housing needs.”

The alliance was to officially announce its support at a public meeting this morning.

The alliance has determined the project is consistent with its vision for how the Bay Area can grow in a sustainable way and is consistent with Measure P and the general plan update, Ms. Wilson said.

“We’ve always been committed to develop a special project, one that reduces commuter traffic, protects rural land, adheres to the highest environmental standards and solves water problems for our community,” said Keith Rogal, developer of the project. “The public process of EIR review is for concerns to be raised and addressed, and the input of the Greenbelt Alliance in that process, will undoubtedly benefit the plan. We’re very pleased and honored to receive their support.”

One aspect of the project that the Greenbelt Alliance specifically supports is the more than 500 affordable homes it includes. Mr. Rogal said in the current plan there are 516 housing units permanently held at prices affordable for households of low and very low incomes, and 2,084 market-rate residential units, with size, character and pricing oriented to” younger Napans, starting out, the commuting workforce, and local empty-nesters.”

The alliance backs the affordable homes because the project is located in the county’s job center where there are roughly 35,000 jobs, hoping it would help cut down commute time.

“A third of the workforce commutes in,” she said.

The Napa Pipe site is also attractive to the Greenbelt Alliance because of there are mp other areas in Napa that could be developed at this scale that are not greenfields, the group said. The alliance works to promote “open spaces and vibrant places,” she said.

The alliance said that while it supports the project, it still has concerns.

First concern is water.

“We want to make sure any solution to bringing water should not have the consequence of sprawl elsewhere. We have been talking to the developer about how that would look,” she said.

Transportation has been a concern as well and the lack of available public transit. However, said Ms. Wilson, currently there is not a need for transit, so there isn’t much available. Once there are people there, however it will be important to have it available. “It is kind of a Catch 22,” she said.

Also, the group wants to see projects that focus on whole communities.

“Our plan includes all those elements which give a neighborhood cohesion, reduce unnecessary car trips, and allow for healthy mix of incomes and ages,” said Mr. Rogal.

The Greenbelt Alliance has supported a number of projects in the North Bay, including Sonoma Mountain Village and Larkspur Landing. This is the first to get support this year.

“It has not been easy arriving at this decision,” said Ms. Wilson.

She said they have been working with the developer for five years on this project and have visited the site numerous times. They have also met with advocates, elected officials, stakeholders and local residents with a wide range of viewpoints on the project.

“It has been countless hours of effort. I am happy we have arrived. It is the right position for the organization. We understand this project is a big deal for Napa County and this is the moment for us to make our position public if we are going to have our position.”

Read More

NCAA Tournament Scores: Kansas State Hangs On, Beats Utah State

I feel even much better about this Kansas State team following they escaped Utah State, 73-68. The Aggies just wouldn’t go away and seemed to be that pesky opponent that you can’t very get a comfy lead on. As the game went on, they had been hanging around making you wonder if this would come down to…totally free throws.

A dreaded word for the Wildcats who shoot just 64 percent from the line. Instead, the free throws had been a position. K-State hit 11-of-14 from the line within the last minute-plus and 24-of-28 for the game. Incredible.

Jacob Pullen had 22 points in the victory and hit 9-of-12 totally free throws.

“It was just understanding that our last game of the season could come if we do not shoot the ball well from the free throw line,” said Pullen, who produced 6 of 8 free throws in the final stretch. “It’s about focusing and I believe we did a great job of that.”

If someone wasn’t hitting free throws, head coach Frank Martin was going to blow a gasket. He was fuming, as expected, on the sidelines. I said prior to the game that Pullen
and someone else, like Curtis Kelly, would need to step up, As it turns out, Kelly did step up ending with 15 points and six boards.

Kansas State moves onto play fourth seed Wisconsin, who beat Belmont on Thursday.

Read More

Aristide's Haiti Return Anticipated With Joy

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide has returned home after seven years in exile.

The ousted former leader arrived in the capital Friday on a jet from South Africa. Aristide waved from a window at journalists, airport workers and dignitaries who had gathered at the entrance to the plane on the runway.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) – Joy filled Jean-Bertrand Aristide's most ardent followers early Friday as they waited the last few hours until the former president considered by many a champion of the poor returned from seven years of exile.

Thousands were expected to throng the airport to greet the chartered jet carrying Aristide from South Africa, where the government assisted his departure despite a request from U.S. President Barack Obama that the homecoming be postponed until after Haiti's presidential runoff election Sunday.

"We are going to party," said 36-year-old mechanic Assey Woy, discussing the news of the ousted leader's return with friends on a street corner downtown. "It will be like New Year's Day."

During a refueling stopover early Friday in Dakar, Senegal, Aristide reiterated that he wants to work in education. His comments also reflected his awareness of his huge popularity and influence among Haiti's majority poor.

"I think that the Haitian people are very happy," Aristide told Democracy Now!, a U.S.-based independent news program. "Happy to know that we are on our way heading to Haiti. Happy to know that finally their dream will be fulfilled by things on the ground because they fought hard for democracy. They always wanted the return to happen and now it is happening."

Energy spread through Aristide's followers Thursday as word spread across Haiti that he was heading home. Some joined in a raucous, horn-blaring victory procession. Others decorated the courtyard of his foundation headquarters with Haitian flags and photos of the former president. One woman waited with a bouquet of flowers.

Read More

0 Dukan Diet: Another Dangerous Fad for Young Girls?

Another diet is about the make waves on the shores of the United States: the Dukan Diet. Like Atkins, it’s high in protein and low in carbs. Like many other diets, there are complicated and unrealistic phases to follow. And like virtually every other fad diet, I’m willing to wager that most of the people who go on it will gain all the weight they lose as soon as they go off it.

Straight from France, meet the Dukan Diet. But please, don’t go on it if you have preteen and teenage daughters. As someone who, from the age of 4 was self-conscious and paranoid about her weight, they will know if you’re counting carbs and eating an inordinate amount of bunless burgers in an attempt to be svelte. They will think diets are a way of life, and that fad diets are shortcuts worth trying.

The New York Times Styles Section had a write-up on the Dukan Diet this week, which isn’t surprising given the envy factor — American women have admired sophisticated red wine sipping, cheese nibbling Parisian women since the beginning of time. While your daughter might not read the Times, don’t be fooled into thinking she and her friends aren’t aware of what’s happening in the adult world of trying to be as thin as possible as easily as possible.

The example you’re setting by going on a diet like this is that healthy eating is not the answer even if health is the goal. You’re telling them that there’s an easy way to look like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model when the reality is no one in your family will ever look like one, and there are no shortcuts to being fit.

Don’t underestimate how what, how and when you eat affects your daughter. When she sees you trying the diet du jour (and eventually failing — because believe me, you will), you are just setting a yo-yo example that could become a way of life for her for her whole life.

Besides, a new report says there is a possible links between sustained high protein diets and colon cancer. For your daughter’s health — and yours — stay clear of the Dukan Diet.

Read More