Yes, I may be a decrepit geriatric, and that may be the real explanation, but, first, for me the track controls on the left are now next to unusable through too compact a size and low contrast small text, the changes having no obvious practical reason. On the track volume slider I cannot now set a precise value; the numbers whizz by either direction but, for example, I cannot set zero precisely. Also, to see which of the tiny Mute / Solo buttons is which, I have to take my glasses off and hold them closer as a crude magnifying glass. Not a recipe for smooth, unstressful working.
Second, one of the most important effects for my work — ‘Change speed and pitch’ apparently has been dropped — unjustifiable, for that gives the highest-quality pitch change because its mechanism doesn’t produce noticeable artifacts as ‘change speed’ (without pitch shift) and ‘change pitch’ (without speed change) functions do (albeit minimal for Change pitch with high-quality option checked. Therefore it’s not a redundant luxury, but every bit as important as the speed-only and pitch-only changes are.
As those points are show-stoppers for me, I sadly had no option but to stop exploring Audacity 4, uninstall it, and continue my work in 3.7.9.
The “Change Tempo and Change Speed” option needs to return. Who ever needs to adjust the speed or tempo by a whole number or by 500%? I often have to align to two recordings together (from tapes) and often need a number like 0.005%.
Sound designers use Change Speed often, like, hundreds of times daily.
I just told a classroom full of students “Audacity 4 might have a few glitches but it’s basically OK” – next session, I will have to tell them that, no, Audacity 4.0 will not be suitable for sound design work, wait for 4.1.
Hi Philip. I’m not of help alas but have just posted the same complaint. I use “change tempo but NOT pitch” as a great tool, with the very easy alterable “%” change button and preview, to really hone the delivery of even speech as well as instruments for the “perfect” version. I sympathise so much with all you say. It is a constant frustration how often , instead of just ADDING improvements, there is this totally unnecessary meddling with things that do NOT need alteration and are perfect as they are. And once you have learned all this stuff it would be relatively easy to ADD new items to our process it is MUCH more complicated when we have to simultaneously UNlearn much of what we are proficient with already. Grr. And that is at ANY age. !
PS Philip, keeping on topic here I’d be intrigued if you can send me email me a link to the 3.7.9. as I am getting no work done today; it’s a struggle anyway with the local bell ringers practicing in the nearby cathedral! I’d have a word with the person in charge if I only knew how to contact them! Oh well.