New features in this release

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This page is an overview of the key new functionality that has been introduced in Audacity 2.4.0

• Details of all the major changes since 2.3.3 can be found in Audacity Release Notes 2.4.0.

Contents

1. Split view
2. Loudness Normalization
3. New effects
   • Noise Gate
   • Bug Fixes

Coming up soon (Paul):

• Nyquist Effects now translatable.

Not in 2.4.0

1. Quick Fix
2. Improved Compressor effect

Split view

TBP - Spectrogram and Wave of same audio shown in the same track.

File:Split-mono.png

See Split view

Loudness Normalization

A new effect has been added "Loudness Normalization" which , as its name suggests, normalizes for loudness. Use the Loudness Normalization to change the level of the audio (normally reduce it to recommended limits). It is based on EBU R 128 recommendations on limiting the loudness of audio signals. See Perceived Loudness for the technical details about it.

Why use Loudness Normalization rather than Normalize or Amplify?

When preparing audio for television/radio programmes, podcasts and some websites you may be subject to loudness restrictions for the audio. Loudness is usually measure in LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale). The LUFS level restrictions can vary by application. For example the level for television in the US is normally -24 LUFS and the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) recommends -23 LUFS. Out of all the standards, this one is the most serious in that a television network can get its broadcast license revoked for a violation. Send in a program with a higher level, and it will be returned for a revision.

Using Loudness Normalization rather than Normalize or Amplify helps you more easily set the required LUFS loudness target when normalizing.

Another use case is creating an equally loud playlist from different sources.

For more details please see Loudness Normalization.

Noise Gate

A further new effect has been added "Noise Gate" which can be used to reduce the level of sound below a specified threshold level.

A noise gate is a kind of "dynamics processor" that allows audio above a specified threshold level to pass through unaffected (gate "open"), and stops or reduces sounds below the threshold level (gate "closed").

Noise Gates may be used to cut the level of residual noise between sections of a recording. While this is essentially a very simple effect, this Noise Gate has a number of features and settings that allow it to be both effective and unobtrusive and well suited to most types of audio.

For further details please see: Noise Gate

Bug Fixes

There will be some ...

==Additional new features== This page New features in 2.4.0 - appendix gives an overview of further new functionality that has been introduced in this release of Audacity.

Links

> Audacity Release Notes 2.4.0 - detailed release notes for this release of Audacity