Toolbar ribbon or customizable buttons missing from current versions?

[Nudomi]

Hey Audition users -

I'm a longtime user of an early edition, having transitioned years ago from the Cool Edit Pro days, i.e. Audition 1.5. (Although the forum shows me as a newbie because the old forum system, with different logon, was apparently retired.) I never upgraded because v1.5 served my needs and was so intuitive. Due to finally needing to join the rest of the world, because of items like 3rd party plugins not working with old DAWs, I am upgrading to the latest version. I notice, however, that the very familiar (and useful) toolbar ribbon is gone, not only from the current version, but some older versions (maybe all after 1.5?). The only items I see on the toolbar now are a few selection tools and buttons for accessing spectral views. There doesn't seem to be a way to set up great one-click buttons to the variety of things I use. Yes, there is a Favorites heading, and there are keyboard shortcuts to learn. But for most of the tools, it appears that pulling down menus and sub-menus is the only path (more labor intensive and extra steps). Am I missing something? The old v1.5 toolbar ribbon, with the ability to customize it to virtually any need, seems too essential to have "modernized" Audition by kicking it to the curb. But that may well be ancient history.

Please clue me in.

Thanks in advance.
Michael

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

I'm afraid it went many years ago, never to return. Despite its potential usefulness, I think that system was regarded as 'clutter'... and TBH, most of the functionality that you actually need in a hurry, you can set up as a favorite - which can have its own keyboard shortcut.

So I know what you mean - but I don't actually miss it.

[Nudomi]

Hi Steve -

Thanks for the reply.  Nice to see that you are still around.  I remember connecting with you some years ago.

Bummer about that toolbar ribbon. It was very useful, not just potentially useful.

I took time to really try some editing in Audition tonight. I wanted to spot tweak levels on a wav file. Normally a very simple operation in v1.5. I tried just doing an envelope in a spot on a waveform. It was nearly impossible. Took multiple layers of sub-menus to even get to the Amplify/Fade tool in Effects (with the idea of creating a Favorite) and then I could not just draw an envelope as I normally do, I had to pick from a template and try to modify it, which was like trying to squeeze a water balloon in various spots. Every time I clicked on the envelope line, which normally gives me a keyframe point in 1.5 so that I can "free draw", the line jumped up or down, creating a new point in a different spot and I had to chase the point and move it, which sometimes created yet another one in a different place! And if I clicked anywhere off the envelope line, then the whole highlighted area of the waveform disappeared and I had to start over. I don't know how people work with this, who've never had experience with the simplicity and one-step tool access of the old version. Granted, other things are perhaps clunkier in 1.5. Obviously, I need to dig into the manual, but if it's that UN-intuitive to do a simple operation I think this is a bust for me. Sad. I can still do all my tracking and comping quickly in 1.5, but for using any sophisticated 3rd-party plugins I have to upgrade. No choice.

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

It is certainly true that Audition reflects life to a degree; 'progress' isn't always better, and in terms of some of the changes made to the interface over the years, I can only agree with you. You get used to it after using it a bit, but overall I don't think it's either as good as it could be, or as good as it was.