Stick Applied Effects to the Track, not the Show

[kozikowski]

I just went through a multi-track, effects-heavy (mercifully short) show. Having only one applied effects list is almost unworkable.

"Now that I got all the effects on track five settled, I have to back them all out so I can remove or change an effect on track one which predates track five."

Each track needs its own effects list — and readout.

Koz

[steve]

"Now that I got all the effects on track five settled, I have to back them all out so I can remove or change an effect on track one which predates track five."

The problem with wanting to change something that is buried in the history sequence is not unique to Audacity. It can apply to any type of destructive editor whether it be audio, images or whatever.

Workaround:
When doing complex effect-heavy multi-track projects it is often useful to make duplicates of tracks, mute and collapse the original, then continue working with the duplicate track. That gives you a "restore point" for the duplicated track.

Solution?
"Each track needs its own effects list — and readout."
How would you handle "Auto Duck"?
How would you handle tracks that had been mixed down?

Example:
1) Record track 1
2) Record track 2
3) Apply EQ to track 1
4) Select all then Mix and Render
5) Undo track 1 EQ ???

[kozikowski]

The obvious solution is open each track in its own Audacity and drag tracks back and forth. Each Audacity environment has its own UNDO and effects management independent of the others. I would have killed to be able to do that.

Koz

[steve]

I would have killed to be able to do that.

Why didn't you?

[steve]

I would have killed to be able to do that.

Why didn't you?

Perhaps I should clarify - I'm not inciting homicide, why didn't you edit each track in its own project?

[Gale Andrews]

Per-track-undo has been asked for before and is I think a legitimate Feature Request.

What happens if you Mix and Render would have to be handled but does not make the request illegitimate.


Gale

[kozikowski]

I wouldn't like to be illegitimate.

I hit the trifecta.

Everybody knows you can't open up multiple Audacity programs at once.

After completing the edit, I carefully saved the Project and then Exported the finished works as needed. I opened up Audacity the next day and realized I didn't remember how to do a particular effect. Use Project UNDO, right, to step backwards through the process?

[raucous buzzer sound]

Sorry. Audacity doesn't save Project UNDO and can't be forced to do so.

OK, I can just take a peek at the text effects list to get a hint.

[raucous buzzer sound]

Sorry, Audacity doesn't produce a text effects list.

Many effects settings reset when you restart Audacity and they don't follow the Project.

[email protected]#$%

I never did get back to the original sound.

I think isolated tracks is a matter of time. Photoshop resisted the siren call of graphic layers for years. You had to apply effects to the whole picture one at a time and back them out the same way if you needed to. Sound familiar? Then they got layers where you could pile up effects and paint what was on a single layer. Whole worlds opened up. I remember talking to one of the graphic artists and seeing her layers menu. It's a given it wouldn't fit on the screen, but I think her list went past the bottom of the screen, across the desk, out the door, down the hall and was last seen heading for the car park. She was creating a "plate" or background picture for a movie.

As we go.

Koz

[steve]

Everybody knows you can't open up multiple Audacity programs at once.

[raucous buzzer sound]
Use the File menu.

[steve]

I think isolated tracks is a matter of time.

Give Audacity real-time processing and the job's done. That's how most DAWs work.

[waxcylinder]

Give Audacity real-time processing and the job's done. That's how most DAWs work.

And as Leland is likely to be giving this in 2.0.7 there should be cheers all round - we saw a draft of it demonstrated at AU14

Peter