I use multitrack songs.
Each song currently has 2 or 3 audio tracks.
The filenames of my audio files that I import contain a date stamp so I can manage different versions of files outside of ST (e.g. in case I need to revert to an older file for some reason). I've never subscribed to the idea of 'to update your audio files in ST, just replace the file using the same name in the Stage Traxx folder on your iPad'. That doesn't give me as good version control and rollback options.
Compared to ST3, I'm finding the process of replacing the audio file in an Audio Track to be a lot more cumbersome, and I think introduces more risk of messing up your audio routing.
Environment: ST4 Build 1810, iPad iOS 26.0.1
Current ST4 Behaviour:
If I want to replace the audio file in an Audio Track I can't simply replace it and retain the existing Track -> Bus routing, Track Name, colour, etc.
I have to:
- On the Song I want to update, open Song Details and select Audio
- Click
+ Add Tracks and in the File Picker select the new Audio File which creates a new Track
- Go into the new Audio Track and configure it to the same Bus Routing, and edit Track Name, colour, etc. to match the old track (let's assume I don't need to retain Transpose, Volume, EQ, as it is less likely, but not impossible).
- Click on the track that I'm replacing
- Scroll to bottom of screen and click
Delete Track
- Re-order the Audio Track layout (I always like my tracks in the same order).
ST3 Behaviour:
To achieve the same thing in ST3
- On the Song I want to update, open Song Details and select Configure Multitrack Playback
- Click on the filename in the track that I want to update
- Select new file in File Picker
Done!
Desired ST4 Behaviour:
Some suggestions on how to improve the replace audio file in a track workflow to make it safer and quicker.
- On the Audio Track details screen, at bottom of screen where there is a
Delete Track button that spans the entire width of the screen, add a Replace Audio File button that opens the File Picker and lets you select an audio file to replace the existing audio file in the track.
- On the Song Details -> Audio page in the Audio Tracks list, on each track restore the 'drag left on filename to expose file operations buttons' like in ST3 and have a
(1) Replace option that opens file picker, or
(2) Delete option AND a Replace option button, or
(3) If having Delete and Replace so close is a bit risky, drag left to expose Deleteand drag right to expose Replacebuttons