New features in this release

This page is an overview of the key new functionality that has been introduced in Audacity 2.1.3

• Fuller details on the changes since 2.1.2 can be found here in Release Notes 2.1.3.

• Bill 01Dec2016: At first I was put off by the "we did this" and "we did that" but I now see that this page is half hype and half documentation. As such, those phrases work.
  I've made a few minor changes here and there.
  • Simplified the sentences in the pinned head section
  • Change heading from "Distortion" to "Distortion Effect"
  • Simplify description of "Act when paused"
  • Fix a couple of typos
• Peter 01Dec16: Thanks for the feedback Bill. And yes this is partly intended to be a marketing "puff piece" designed to get folk interested in and excited by the new functionality - hence the "we did this" and "we did that".
• Peter 01Dec16: Gale suggested by email: DISPLAYTEXT that says "New features in <version number> on this page.

Contents

1. Transport improvements
   • Pinned play/record head
   • Scrubbing - user interface improved
2. Timer Record - completion actions added
3. Effects and Generators
   • Act when paused - edits available while paused
   • Distortion effect - replaces Leveler and Hard Limiter
   • Rhythm Track - replaces Click Track
   • Sample Data Import
4. Keyboard Shortcuts
5. New menu items
6. Audacity Tour Guide - Audacity features you may not know

Transport improvements

Pinned play/record head

We have implemented the long-standing and popular feature of a fixed and centered play/record head (called the "pinned head"). When the pinned head is selected the waveform scrolls continuously past the fixed head while you are playing or recording.

The pinned head can be selected by using the new button at the left of the Timeline. By default this is the familiar green downwards-pointing triangle (like the playhead) and the default behavior is the old familiar scrolling play/record head. The pinned head can also be selected in Tracks Preferences.

When pinned playback or recording is chosen, the playhead displays as a green drawing-pin (as shown in the image below) and the recording head displays as a red drawing-pin.

File:Pinned head playback.png

Clicking the drawing-pin reverts to default unpinned playback and recording, and the button will change back to the green triangle.

Scrubbing

For this release we have changed the way in which scrubbing works.

We have introduced a new Scrub Ruler which is on by default and sits just under the Timeline. You can turn it on or off from the right-click dropdown menu of the Timeline.

If you hover the mouse over the Scrub Ruler you will see green left- and right-pointing scrub widget appear (along with a tooltip if you continue to hover). Clicking anywhere in the Scrub Ruler and releasing the left mouse button will start Scrubbing from there. Note that in this image the green scrub widget is to the right of the green triangle playhead, indicating that forwards scrubbing towards the pointer is taking place.

To stop scrub play and set the cursor at the current playback position, just click the Stop button (or its shortcut SPACE).

There is also an optional Scrub Toolbar which is off by default, you can enable it at View > Toolbars. This toolbar gives you access to the scrubbing and seeking transport commands and facilitates turning the Scrub Bar on/off.

Timer Record

We have added some new features to improve Timer Record.

Ed 1Dec16 : In the following paragraph we have an aside which starts with "e.g.…". First, as an aside it should probably be in parentheses:

(e.g. Save and/or Export, etc.) and, as an aside, it would be better not to have an internal parenthetic clause: (on Windows only). Might I suggest: (e.g. Save and/or Export; Quit Audacity; and, on Windows only, Shut Down).

• Peter 01Dec16: Connie tells us not to use abbreviations like "e.g." "and i.e."

You can now specify optional actions on completion for example Save and/or Export, quit Audacity, shut down (on Windows only).

Audacity will now warn you in advance if it calculates that you have insufficient disk space for the length of your scheduled recording.

Peter 01Dec16: I decided not to include this here

• Protection against accidental canceling.

Effects and Generators

Act while paused

A big improvement that you will notice is that Effects, edits and other functionality are now available when paused. This used to confuse a lot of users and has also been a long-standing and very popular feature request.

Distortion Effect

We have introduced a new Distortion effect (which supersedes "Leveller" and "Hard Limiter" effects found in earlier Audacity versions). Technically this effect is a waveshaper. The result of waveshaping is equivalent to applying non-linear amplification to the audio waveform. Preset shaping functions are provided, each of which produces a different type of distortion. Presets are provided which suggest typical settings for a wide range of uses.

Rhythm Track

The former Click Track generator has been updated and renamed to Rhythm Track with improved sounds and new "Swing amount" control for unequal beat duration.

Sample Data Import

We have added a new Generator for Sample Data Import which reads numeric values from a plain ASCII text file and creates a PCM sample for each numeric value read.

Keyboard Shortcuts

We have added two new keyboard shortcuts to navigate between labels: ALT + RIGHT to Move to Next Label and ALT + LEFT to Move to Previous Label. As well as moving the edit position these shortcuts jump playback to the requested label.

These commands exist only as keyboard shortcuts; there are no menu entries nor buttons for them.

New menu items

Edit Menu

We have added commands to aid making selections:

• You can use Edit > Store Cursor Position to store the current cursor position.
• Subsequently use Edit > Select > Cursor to Stored Cursor Position to select from the current cursor position to the stored cursor position.

During transport the position of the playback or recording cursor is stored rather than the editing cursor.

Tracks Menu

We added Tracks > Type to Create a Label (on/off), when this is turned off, typing never creates a label in the focused label track. This lets you use shortcuts (for example transport shortcuts to play audio related to the editing cursor or selection) without accidentally creating an unwanted label.

You can also control this setting from the checkbox for "Type to create a label" in Tracks Preferences.

Please note that is turned "on" by default so you may wish to reset it to "off" to avoid accidentally creating labels if and when you use shortcuts.

Audacity Tour Guide

We have added Audacity Tour Guide to this Manual. It tells you about some of the features that exist in Audacity that you may not know about and will help you learn a little about those.

Ed 1Dec16 : 1Dec16 : I do not like that last sentence "It tells you…" Might I suggest something more along the lines of: "It gives you a brief overview of some of Audacity's more important features and acquaint you with some of the more common controls."

Links

> Audacity Release Notes 2.1.3 - detailed release notes for this release of Audacity