Addinig Punch-n-Roll capability to Audacity.

[JimPotter]

I love Audacity, I use it for everything in my home studio. It's the greatest freebie ever!
One feature I'd LOVE to see is 'Punch-n-Roll' as seen in ProSonus Studio One software. I do this manually in Audacity by recording multiple phrases, then backing up and deleting the bad ones. Punch-n-Roll is a Godsend to recording commercials and audio books. Sure would be nice!
Thanks/Regards/Jim Potter

[steve]

I'm not familiar with ProSonus Studio One. How does it handle the transition from one take to the next? For example, if you inadvertently overlap the first word in the new take with with the last word in the previous take, how do you recover from that?

[JimPotter]

Good question, but it's handled. Since 'a picture is worth a thousand words' I refer you to several first-class videos on the topic. Google 'StudioOne Punch and Roll' and several excellent Youtubes will come up. The best is by a man named Baarns. He shows you exactly how to use PnR with several worked examples. Check it out, please. Much easier viewed than have me attempt explain it. Try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY40lbIyuhs
Thanks/Regards/Jim Potter

[steve]

Well that was a frustrating quarter hour.
Show me ONE place in that video where he plays across the join between takes. Every single time that it looked like he was going to do that, he either stopped the playback or started a new recording. Sorry but I just don't believe the phrase: "By the time I'm done, I'm done". I can see from the waveforms that most of those transitions will sound terrible.

On the other hand, I did note that he briefly mentioned "layers". That is something that I've used in other software, and it allows the transitions between takes to be carefully tidied up to give seamless transitions, (much like using multiple takes in multiple tracks in Audacity, but with the added advantage that the layers may be managed more easily than multiple tracks). This gives a "non-destructive" approach to punch-in recording, which I agree would be a very nice feature.

[JimPotter]

Please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY40lbIyuhs
I may have given you another URL that didn't hit the mark. In this video he clearly shows how to record and how to back up and record over flubs. You can set the pre-roll time to listen to yourself right up to the point where the over-record starts. There are no layers required in this technique. Please let me know if this is not clear. Thanks/Regards/jim

[steve]

Please let me know if this is not clear

The previous video was clear about what he was doing - I was just frustrated that he didn't even once play the result of the punch in.
Rather than me sitting through another quarter hour episode, perhaps you could give set the "start at" time for the relevant part of the video.

[JimPotter]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY40lbIyuhs
This video is limited to Punch-n-Roll and begins to demonstrate it within about 30 seconds. Sorry I gave you the wrong URL the first time.
Regards/J

[steve]

I can see how he is using it (and that is the same video), but what I'm saying is that he gives a false impression of "how easy it is".
Example: Here we see him use punch and roll to make a correction: https://youtu.be/kY40lbIyuhs?t=4m30s
We can see from the waveform that there is a gap between the last word of the first take, and the first word of this take, and from that we can make an intelligent guess that when played back it is not going to sound like a smooth transition. The video hides that from us because nowhere in that video does he play back a transition.

The answer is buried in two little snippets which I can't be bothered to locate, but if you watch the whole video you will probably spot them:

The first is when he says something like: "by the time you've recorded your 5th book". OK, so he's not talking about something that we will pick up in 5 minutes. He's talking about hundreds of hours experience with the software.

The second is when he mentions layers. Layers are terrific, and this is the feature that allows the transitions to be carefully edited in post production to produce seamless transitions. This is not shown in the video.

I've already added your "vote" for punch and roll, but I'd suggest that you look for a demonstration of using layers - it is similar to using multiple tracks in Audacity, except that the tracks are "stacked" in one visible track. I'm expecting that you will also want to vote for "layers" in Audacity because either layers or multiple tracks (or "virtual tracks" or some other equivalent) are essential for high quality transitions when using punch recording.

[JimPotter]

Good Morning: OK, thanks for following my suggestion. I find punch-n-roll very useful, and setting the gap is within my control.
It's simple and easy to use. I prefer the design and mechanics of Audacity; I've been using it for years. Sure would be nice to have PnR functionality incorporated in Audacity. Good New Year to you.
Regards/J

[steve]

Good morning and good New Year to you too
I'm sure it's just a matter of time before Audacity gets punch-n-roll. It's a popular request.