Shift multiple tracks and keep my work [SOLVED]

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

I’ve been working on a podcast for the past couple of days, toying with the dramatic timing of about 15 tracks, with character voices, sound FX, and everything.

I was just about to finish it up, when I realized I hadn’t inserted an important 9-second clip in the first minute of the podcast. To put it in, I’d have to reposition everything that followed it, which would be frustrating and time-comsuming.

Is there any way to save the settings of the tracks that FOLLOW this possible insert, move them all 9 seconds later, and leave all the timing intact?

2

Step one. Save your show as an Audacity Project with a unique name (and maybe on a different drive). That’s so you have something to go back to if it all goes into the toilet. Thumb drive in your pocket is good.

I’m sure there are far better ways to do this, but Shift-Select all the tracks and use the Time Shift Tool to push everything nine seconds to the right.

Alternately, Export the show as a super-high quality WAV file. Open just the composite WAV file and insert the missing clip using standard insert, paste or Time Shift Tool, etc.

There are ways to sync-lock all the tracks, etc. I’m not an award-winning editor.

Koz

3

Thanks Koz! I will give it a try, and work backwards if I have to, by moving everything to the right 9 seconds, then only having to shift 4 files (the music and slate in the very beginning)

4

It helps to say what version of Audacity you are using (see the pink panel at the top of the page).

If you are using 2.1.2 and you can paste the clip where you want it, all you need to do is enable the Sync-Lock Tracks icon in Edit Toolbar. http://manual.audacityteam.org/manual/o/man/sync_locked_track_groups.html.

Gale

5

Thx. I’m using 2.1.1, so I think I’ll save everything, update, and use your suggestion.

6

Did you solve the issue of inserting time before multiple tracks? I tried selecting all tracks and using time shift but nothing would move. I tried copying all the tracks to a new file with inserted time gap at the start but only one track would paste. I tried sync lock all tracks but nothing would move.

For clarity I have a file with 30+ tracks and need to insert 10 seconds at the start of all of the tracks (obviously without affecting the track timings). I searched but could not find this problem being solved.

Thanks
Mark

Audacity 2.1.2

7

Hi Mark. It’s generally better to start a new question in a new topic, otherwise discussions quickly become very confusing.
The simplest way to insert 10 seconds silence at the start of all tracks is “Ctrl+A” (to select All), “F5” (to switch to the Time Shift tool), then click and drag to the right.
If that does not solve it for you, please start a new topic.