Easy button switch Make Stereo Track/Split Stereo Track

Special Interest Groups Audio Processing
1

Is there a plugin or button that makes it easy to switch from Make Stereo Track to Split Stereo Track and back. When I am editing a skype interview with two tracks, sometimes I need to delete a whole section from both tracks. Sometimes I just need to mute part of one track. Going back and forth from the drop down menu numerous times is quite tedious. If there were one button to press to easily switch them back and forth, that would be great.

2

Why not just keep them as two tracks?
If you want to, for example, delete a section from both tracks, then just ensure that the selection is in both tracks,

Some handy shortcuts:

Select in all tracks: Ctrl+Shift+K
Move focus (yellow border around the track) to another track: Up / Down keys
Toggle the selection on/off in the track that has focus: Enter
Split Delete (deletes a section and leaves a gap): Alt+Ctr+K

(don’t confuse Ctrl+Shift+K with Alt+Ctr+K. If you hit the wrong one, Ctrl+Z to Undo.)

Another useful function when working on multiple tracks (though it takes a bit of getting used to) is the “Sync Lock” function. See here for details: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/sync_locked_track_groups.html

If you really need shortcuts for Split/Split mono/Make stereo then:

Make Stereo Track: Context key > K (press the Context key, then the “K” key)
Split Stereo Track: Context key > T (may change in Audacity 2.0.6)
Spit Stereo to Mono: Context key > N

“Context Key” is also called “Menu Key” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menu_key
When you press the Context key, the drop down menu for the track that has “focus” will appear. The Shortcut key is the letter that is underlined, for example:
Make Stereo Track

3

I did not realize I could select a section of both tracks at the same time. I figured it out. So much easier.

4

Make Stereo Track from a mono track?
Koz

5

And even if you do realise it is very easy to forget to draw the selection in both tracks. Others have made your suggestion and I think it is a very reasonable request.


Gale

6

Indeed it is.
Personally I’d like it to go further and allow working with a “group” of tracks in which the group can be easily “exploded” to allow working on individual tracks, or “collapsed” so that they can be worked on as one. It could even provide a mechanism for non-destructive “punch in” recording.