Open the project that contains the recorded music tracks. If the tracks are not arranged in a multi-tracking program, open a digital multi-tracking program and click "File" and "Import" to import the tracks. In some cases, there is an "Import" button. If there is no multi-tracking program, try a free program Audacity, Ardour or Qtractor.
Select a track to edit. The imported tracks appear as horizontal bars across the computer screen, with shaded regions corresponding to the recorded audio. Click the track title in the left column to highlight the entire track.
Adjust the track settings. Use the "Volume" or "Level" indicator to raise or lower the volume, and use the "Pan" indicator to move the audio into the left or right speaker. If the "Pan" indicator looks like a knob, turn clockwise for right or counterclockwise for left. These options are in the left column of the track or along the main editor strip of the program, found at the top or bottom of the project window.
Locate the effects editor. Some programs, such as Audacity, place the effects options on the menu bar under an "Effects" menu. Others, such as GarageBand, feature a clickable button on the project window to expand the options and view a list of effects on the main window. Some programs, such as Logic and Cubase, allow access to the effects from a "Mixer" window, which looks like a series of columns. Click "Effects" or "Inserts" to see a list of available effects.
Apply effects to the selected track. Choose effects for the recording. For instance, the "Reverb" adds a light, hollow echo to the recording. By adding "Distortion," guitars sound edgier and more rock-oriented. "Pitch Enhancement" improves off-key vocals, "EQ" helps to balance uneven frequency ranges, and "Compression" helps smooth out unpleasant volume peaks. Experiment with each effect and determine what works best for the track. Most programs allow many effects to be applied to a single track.
Select subsequent tracks, and apply effects to each track in the audio mix.