So, you import a bunch of audio files.
You get new tracks.
You select the portion of audio you need, you split the clip, trim/delete the parts you don't want from the track.
Now, you've got unused sections of audio that aren't needed, aren't on the track, but that source audio file is still part of the project, and thus increasing project size.
Is there a quick/easy way to delete the unused portions of tracks?
#Trim unused audio?
ionic tusk
cerulean moss
copying them to a new project gives you the option to discard the unneeded stuff. Alternatively, mix and render
modest oak
copying them to a new project gives you the option to discard the unneeded stuff...
Are there plans to make a less clunky way to delete audio?
cerulean moss
plans, yes, priority, not sure
given the functionality exists, maybe you can add a call to it and make an option for edit > remove special
modest oak
given the functionality exists, maybe you can add a call to it and make an optio...
Why not just make "Delete" actually do what it says? "Cut" and "Split" could retain their current behaviour.
cerulean moss
the difference between cut and delete is whether something ends up in a clipboard. I wouldn't want to tie smart clip behavior into this.
it's my main source of confusion for cut lines
modest oak
it's my main source of confusion for cut lines
Personally I wouldn't want Cut or Delete tied into the smart clip behaviour. I'd reserve the smart clip behaviour for resizing and perhaps splitting. Deleting is one of the most basic editing functions, but it can no longer be done without clunky workarounds.
violet cobalt
fwiw, trimming unused audio is an archival function in most other software, it has to be done with intent.
As a rule, when there's ambiguity in what an action does, it's never bad design to opt for the less destructive behavior. I think it's fair to say there's ambiguity here, given that Audacity is an outlier with its "hard" delete.
Also, "Where did my audio go" is a much worse question for the user to ask than "why is there so much unused audio."
ionic tusk
I agree, I wouldn't want the software to do this automatically with the delete key. Delete should just remove the current selection from the track. There are plenty of times where I will have a clip on a track, and then need/want to expand the beginning or end of it to retrieve portions.
But yeah, after a certain point, for the benefits of file-size and memory management, I've decided "if it's not in use, I need to have that data removed", and a way to trigger that would be nice. Copying/Pasting between projects seems, uh, cumbersome, but it's better than nothing. Appreciate the tip!
modest oak
fwiw, trimming unused audio is an archival function in most other software, it h...
I don't think "Delete" should be ambiguous. When editing, "Delete" should mean "delete" (remove) rather than "non-destructively adjust length" (hide the end). What happens in other kind of "editor apps" such as text editors / word processors? When you delete some text, do you expect the text to be deleted? Does your expectation match what actually happens?
violet cobalt
In other applications, deleting a portion of a clip doesn't immediately trim the file on disk, no. That would be disasterous.
I think it's important to not leak abstractions you don't have to. Regardless of the underlying data structures, to the user it's just tracks and clips, like any other editor. Clips aren't files.
modest oak
In other applications
Which applications are you referring to?
violet cobalt
any NLE really
modest oak
any NLE really
Audacity has gained a limited amount of non-destructive processing over the last couple of years, but it is still primarily DE.