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How to Create a Song Medley on My Computer

This D.J. could be using a song medley to keep the party going.
DJ at work image by Barlev from Fotolia.com

Popular D.J.s use song medleys as way to keep music flowing all night long. A song medley allows the host to mingle at a party and keeps the mood going without a break. Many people may shy away from the idea of creating their own song medley, thinking it takes expertise and complicated equipment. However, you can make one on a personal computer in your own home.

Download a free music editing program. Audacity is an excellent choice for both Mac and PC. Open Audacity and create a new file by selecting "File" and "New."

Select "Project" and then "Import Audio" from the drop-down menu. Select the songs you wish to use. You have to import audio multiple times or use the "Ctrl" or "Command" button to select more than one file. The songs will appear, each as its own track.

Select which parts of the songs you want to use. If you don't want to use each song in its entirety then you can delete parts of the track. Using the "Selection Tool" (in the upper left-hand corner), click on the track where you want to split it. Go to the "Edit" menu and click on "Select" and either "Start to Cursor" or "Cursor to End." Select "Edit" and "Cut."

Line up the songs in the order in which you want them to play. Though they are all on different tracks, drag and drop the second song to start when the first one ends. Do this with all the songs. The blue bars will line up. If you want to fade one song into another, overlap them a little.

Fade the songs in and out. Using the "Selection Tool," select which part of the track you want to fade in or out. Click on the "Effects" menu and select "Fade In" or "Fade Out."

Listen to your medley. The songs should be the length you want and should smoothly fade in and out. You can always undo anything you don't like.

Export your medley. Select "File" and "Export Selection as MP3." This will give you an MP3 file that you can play on a portable music player or burn to a CD.

Tip

It is best to choose songs that have similar keys and tempos. If you don't know a lot about music, just try to pick songs that have the same feel and that you think will sound good together.

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