Audacity Recording Volume

• Check the recording level you've set within Audacity. You set this volume with a slider to the right of the microphone icon in the upper, right-hand corner of the display. As you record, move the volume slider toward the right until the green bars in the recording meter top out just below the red zone. If you achieve this meter setting but the recording still sounds too quiet, your problems are with your playback volume, not your recording volume.
  
  

Windows Sound Device Volume

• If you're capturing audio from your CD drive or from streaming audio on your computer, check to see if these volumes are set correctly in your Windows Systems settings. You'll find these in the "Sounds and Audio Devices" menu of the Control Panel. In particular, you should try increasing the volume settings under "Volume" and "Voice."
  
  

Microphone Problems

• If you're recording using a microphone, two problems can crop up. There can be an impedance mismatch between the microphone and the computer's microphone jack; this is particularly the case when your microphone has a 1/4 inch "phone plug" and you need an adapter to fit it into the much smaller jack on your computer. Also, some microphones have a "sweet spot," a certain distance beyond which they don't capture much sound. Switch to a microphone made for use with computers and experiment with your distance to the mic to resolve these issues.
  
  

Low-Volume Fix

• One way to fix low recording volumes is simply to boost them in Audacity itself. Drop down the Edit menu and choose "Select" and then "All." Then drop down the Effect menu and choose "Amplify." Increase the amplification and preview the new setting until you get a more reasonable level.