# Mixing and panning tracks

## Using the Track Controls

You can adjust volume and panning per track on the left-hand side of any track:

![The Track Control Panel features a Volume Slider (+ to -) and a Panning Slider (L to R)](https://2387260374-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MhmBVzGzh8SctWQ6jPR%2Fuploads%2F0aIyyPMpPBgxoqE7V6rO%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=8afc9918-4bc6-4921-ba91-e49a4c103e0c)

{% hint style="info" %}
**Note:** If you collapse a track or make it vertically smaller, Audacity will hide the pan and volume sliders from view. To see them again, expand the track by dragging down on it's lower edge.
{% endhint %}

## Using the Mixer Board

You can access the Mixer Board via **View > Mixer Board**.

![](https://2387260374-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F-MhmBVzGzh8SctWQ6jPR%2Fuploads%2F3K7our4QH9Akv7IYq4AB%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=d36d81b9-8e19-41c4-b857-141dd42b865b)

This shows all track controls side-by-side, with a volume slider on the left per track, as well as per-track volume meters. 

By default, the icon for each track is the Audacity logo, but it can be changed if the track name contains the following keywords:

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Misc. instruments" %}

* **acoustic piano, acoustic pno** = acoustic piano
* **back vocal, back vox, bg** = backing vocal
* **electric piano, electric pno, key** = electronic keyboard
* **loop** = loop track
* **sax** = saxophone
* **synth** = synthesizer
* **trumpet, horn** = generic brass instrument
* **turntable** = record player
* **vibraphone, vibes** = vibraphone
* **vocal, vox** = lead vocal
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="String instruments" %}

* **acoustic guitar, acoustic gtr** = acoustic guitar
* **electric bass, bass, bs** = electric bass guitar
* **electric guitar, guitar, gtr** = (standard) electric guitar
* **string, violin, cello** = generic stringed instrument

{% endtab %}

{% tab title="Percussion" %}

* **clap** = handclaps
* **drums, dr** = drum kit
* **kick** = kick drum
* **perc** = percussion
* **snare** = snare drum
* **tambourine, tambo** = tambourine
  {% endtab %}
  {% endtabs %}

## Rendering the mix

Once you have your changes to mixing, panning and other real-time effects final and want to apply them onto the waveform itself, you can render the mix using **Tracks > Mix > Mix and Render**. This replaces all selected tracks with the mix. If you have used many tracks and real time effects, this may considerably improve performance. 

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Caution:** When rendering, all tracks are added onto each other, which may cause clipping. If this happens, undo the mix and lower the volume for all of your tracks. 
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="success" %}
**Best Practice:** If you have a several stereo tracks, but don't need a stereo-effect for them (ie. any left/right panning), consider mixing down to mono using **Tracks > Mix > Mix Stereo Down to Mono**. Exporting a mono track to a lossy format (like MP3) will let you have a higher quality at the same bitrate, or let you use a lower bitrate (and thus lower file size) at the same bitrate.
{% endhint %}