Finally! Audacity is a getting a well deserved makeover! I’ve always hated that silly blue gray look. I mean, yes… It’s free, it’s been getting the job done for years, but…I’m sorry, LOOKS MATTER!
This update is a good call!
The Audacity Glow Up: Out With The Old In With The New!
The new interface looks cleaner, with customizable color themes, modern fonts, and better looking visuals.
You can now move and resize panels, giving you the ability to build your own layout for
- editing vocals
- slicing samples
- mastering podcasts (audio)
It’s kind of playing in the field where REAPER and Logic live.
New Audacity Features Worth Talking About
Here are some of the new features worth mentioning
Free Clip Movement: Drag clips anywhere on the timeline
Better Editing: Better fade handles, cleaner selection, new drawing modes
Custom Workspaces: Save your layout setups so you can switch from podcast editing to sample cutting in one click.
Theming: Visuals are everything these days
Then there is the AI portion.
Audacity is testing built in AI noise reduction and stem separation
Still Not a Full DAW YET
I don’t think this is going to replace anyone’s current DAW, but the stepping stones are amazing to say the least.
Looking through the video and I might have missed it, I don’t remember hearing anything about the improvement of MIDI Support.
Audacity 4.0 is an editor first, production suite second. If you’re trying to build full tracks, the way you would in a traditional DAW, it’s not there yet.
However, you can use it as a sequencer. So if you don’t mind working with audio samples. Drag and dropping, slicing up sample packs, you’ll be fine.
This is how I used to work in the early days of ACID, when I didn’t know what a MIDI controller was. It was tedious, but I enjoyed every minute of it.
Sample Libraries To use With Audacity
If you’re looking for a few good sample packs, I’d suggest Black Octopus Mega Bundle
INCLUDED IN THIS PACK
- Charting Future Pop (Reg $34.95)
- Mystical Sitar (Reg_$34.95)
- Enchanted Thailand & Burma by David Starfire (Reg $39.95)
- Temporal DNB (Reg $34.95)
- Dubstep Bass Nukes ($32.95)
- Mellow Mornings – Lofi Vibes (Reg $29.95)
- The Golden Hip Hop Principle 3 ($39.95)
- Funky Indian Rhythms (Reg $34.95)
- Just Organic Shakers 2 (Reg $19.95)
Just to name of few, it’s packed with a lot of nice sounds
12 Bit Soul Is Another You Won’t want to sleep on
Centered around the AMPlify Drum Plugin, which nails that gritty SP-1200 punch, and Soul Bass Plugin, built for rich, chest-hitting low end. Together, they give your drums and bass that dusty, analog soul producers spend years trying to recreate.
You also get 17 premium sound kits packed with WAV loops, one-shots, and MIDI files covering everything from boombap and trap to cinematic soul. The sounds are royalty-free, VST/AU-compatible, and work flawlessly with any DAW, including FL Studio, Ableton, Logic, or even MPC.
Audacity 4 Final Thoughts
Audacity 4.0 is starting to look like the free DAW I hoped for, I really hope they continue with the additions. If they can include better MIDI support, that would be lovely, but everything I hearing in the video is a plus and I’m all for it.
Audacity is starting to prove that open source doesn’t have to mean cheap looking or outdated.
