Any way to finely position envelope?[SOLVED]

Audacity Help Forum GNU/Linux
1

The envelope feature seems to be exactly what I need, because the automated auto-duck cannot take into account different needs at different points in the audio. (It must not duck at all silences, and the fade-in and fade-out lengths are not all the same.)

However, I cannot find a way to finely tune the envelope. I’ll explain…

(I do not know the jargon, so please bear with me.)

I need to set certain areas to “duck” to a given level — let’s say to 0.3 of the volume — with the length of fade-in and fade-out varying.

The problem is that I do not know how to ensure that the bottom level in each area is the same. Doing it manually by looking at it, they all look like about 0.3, but one area is louder than another, leading to an inconsistent experience for the listener.

So, I need to be able to say, “Take this control point and move it to 0.3” or whatever I need at that point.

Is there any way to do this?

A suitable alternative would be Fade In and Fade Out, where the bottom level can be specified as something other than zero.

More information:

Linux:

  • OS: Linux Ubuntu 12.04 fully updated.
  • Audacity version 2.0.0 installed from the standard repository

Windows:

  • OS: Windows 7
  • Audacity version 2.0.0 downloaded from your website
2

Open Audacity full screen so as to maximise your work area.
Click and drag the bottom edge of the track to make the track height as big as possible.
To get an idea of the volume level, ensure that you look at the waveform, not the envelope.

Alternatively, try this plug-in https://forum.audacityteam.org/t/simple-plug-in-for-creating-partial-fades/16055/1
(User feedback is essential for developing plug-ins. There have been 193 downloads of this plug-in and feedback from only 2 users, so if you try it, please post your opinions/criticisms of the plug-in in that forum topic)

3

Thank you for the fade-by-DB.

It’s a bit fiddly, having to select an area; fade out; select the next area; amplify; the next area; fade in again.

But it works!

How do I mark this thread as solved?

4

One request that is made quite often is that the envelope tool should have hover tooltips for amplitude value when you drag the envelope point. Please say if you want to vote for that or some other solution.

You can edit the subject of your own posts, but I’ve done it for you.



Gale

5

If I haven’t already voted on that one, +1 from me, thanks Gale

6

+1 from me, please. That would solve the problem right away.

Thank you, Gale.

7

Thanks, I added your votes. The request also suggests showing amplitude in the Status Bar at the bottom, instead of a tooltip, but I assume you would both prefer tooltips. No need to answer unless you prefer the Status Bar.


Gale

8

Actually, I had been wondering about which would be better.

If the tooltip would get in the way, obviously the Status Bar would be preferable. It depends on how it is designed to appear.

Tooltip presumably would be easier to read, but if it becomes too hard to implement (for the programmers), the Status Bar would be a satisfactory compromise.

9

Further to my previous comments about using the Status Bar or a tool-tip, I fear that on Ubuntu the latter may be unreadable.

See a problem with moving tool-tips that I have just discovered, which, I believe, would affect exactly this type of tool-tip.

Perhaps the value could be displayed on both the Status Bar and the tool-tip (unless the problem is resolved)?

10

That background colour problem only occurs with click-to-see-value tooltips on specific classes of slider. It should not affect the type of tooltip proposed for the envelope point.


Gale