One feature I miss is being able to create tracks with templates. I found a couple of requests like this in the wiki page, but I’m not sure they are asking for the same.
In my case, I use an audio interface with several inputs and I usually open the same number of tracks and name them in the same order. For instance, when we record vocals, I create 5 tracks and name them [Soprano-Alto-Tenor-Bass] and a time track. Another example is to have 3 tracks [Vocal-guitar_sound-guitar_frets]. It would be nice if I could save these (or any other) configurations as templates and use them directly from the menu with something like Track->Add_New->Template->choir, Track->Add_New->Template->voice+guitar, etc. to create and name the tracks as desired at once. Right now I have to create an empty project, set all names, save it and open it as a project template to achieve the same, but it would be easier with track templates (since I sometimes forget to save it as a new project and overwrite the template).
It would also be useful if the “Default audio track name” value for track preferences accepted templates, like “Track %d” to automatically add tracks with sequential numbers in their names.
Are you aware that you don’t have to create the tracks before you start recording?
Just press “R” (or click the Record button) to start recording as many channels as you have selected in the device toolbar.
Shift + R (or shift + Record button) to record to new tracks (rather than appending the current tracks).
You could save a project with the required number (and named) tracks and use that as a “template” (use “Save As” to save the project with a new name once you start recording).
In Audacity 2.3.0, if there are track names that you frequently use, you could create a Nyquist Script to name the tracks.
For example, you could run this in the Nyquist Prompt effect to create 4 mono tracks named “Vocal 1”, “Vocal 2”, “Guitar”, Keyboard":