I mostly edit verbal speech, and do much repetitive fine-grained word and sub-word editing for clarity or emphasis.
For examples: I might custom fadeout, delete, paste background hiss, amplify 4 dB, etc, -say, three times a minute.
I love the Repeat Effect (CTRL+R) function, and would like to see that time-saving idea expanded.
One possibility would be frequently used functions/buttons could be placed by me into a custom section. …A small custom non-dropdown menu?
Or this might look like the Windows pin-shortcut-to-taskbar idea?
Less effective but better would be selected effects could be pinned to the top of the looong effects menu?
Another possibility would be to give all functions keyboard shortcuts.
The idea is to replace menu and menu-list searching with (ideally) one-click selection of often-used effects/functions.
Also to save clicks, -possibly these custom buttons or shortcuts would automagically repeat the last-used settings rather than asking each time for new settings. (Once set, I rarely change them.)
You can build Macros (formerly “Chains.”). If you have a sequence of individual events that repeats over and over, you can program the whole pile into one event.
And you can use Macros to contain just a single effect, but storing and using your favourite settings. You can then make a keyboard shortcut to such a Macro.
What I do on my production Audacity setup is to use the Plug-in Manager t disable all the effects that I don’t want or need - that way I get a much shorter set of effects showing when I select the Effect menu (this is effectively “My Favourites”).
It’s easy enoughto re-enable any disabled ones that you might need later.
Because the menus only shows shortcuts for commands that have shortcuts - we can’t assign shortcuts to all the commands, there would be far too many to recall - and we’d need lots of multiple-key shortcuts.
The Effects do not have shorctcuts set by default - you can add custom ones yourself. Onec you have done that thos shortcuts will show up in the Effect menu.
Y’all have expanded my opinion of Audacity! I love versatility!
It looks like I might be able to eventually make the eqiv of a a small custom non-dropdown menu.
Once I pound that out, it looks like I’ll be able to do even more than I suggested.
Currently I’m still learning both “advanced” audio editing and Audacity, --like yesterday I spent four hours butchering some machinegun talking that while technically more understandable, is worse due to my distracting artifacts that I don’t know how to smooth out. Call it “learning.”
Thanks again for your thoughtful replies, I’m saving it all.
–Doug
PS,
I saved this “to draft,” assuming that like Wikipedia Edit or “Talk,” it would show the finished version, how cool. Instead it disappeared. I had to look all around, and what for? Plus every time I save, I wonder, Did that take? I’m pretty sure I’ve lost some, but who knows? I’m “pretty sure.” Oh really. I quickly learned here: Save before sending. …just some newbie impressions…
Call it “learning.”