There are a lot of choices when it comes to Audio Editing Software, and while getting caught in the midst of competition and exclusivity wars is far from being one of the highlights of editing audio recordings in today’s day and age, it is much more effective to find one program that works well for your needs and to stick with it.
(You won’t have to use the analog tapes pictured above, we promise.)
In today’s post, we will be showcasing two of our favorite pieces of Audio Editing Software alongside a brand-new, online (cloud-based) solution. All three have been tested and recommended by our staff and have consistently provided outstanding results — time and time again.
Audacity is a free, easy-to-use and multilingual audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, GNU/Linux and other operating systems.
Brass Tacks: We recommend using Audacity if you are looking to perform basic to mid-level audio editing tasks, including but not limited to: adding/removing sections of previously recorded audio, mixing, fading or recording. Since it’s free and multi-platform, Audacity is an essential piece of open source software for anyone looking to get started editing their audio recordings.
[$64.95 – $374.95] [PC] Sound Forge
Award-winning Sound Forge digital audio editing software includes a powerful set of audio processes, tools, and effects for manipulating audio. Sound Forge software allows you to edit, record, encode, and master nearly any form of digital audio including WAV, AIFF, and MP3. Whether you’re new to editing audio or you’re a seasoned audio engineer, there is a Sound Forge product that is right for you.
Brass Tacks: Sony Sound Forge (formerly known as Sonic Foundry Sound Forge) has been the standard for audio editing on the PC for as long as we can remember. The product is aimed at professional and semi-professional user groups and allows for manipulation of audio in all shapes and sizes (5.1 Multichannel Surround Sound Output? Check. Extracting Audio from Video Files? Check. Noise Reduction Plug-in? Check.). Although the > $50 – $350 price tag can be a little daunting in today’s economy, the value of the provided software is priceless in itself. Become the sound painter you’ve always wanted to be. You’ll never go back … we can attest to that.
2013-12-16 Update: It appears as though Indaba has taken Mantis down at some point in the last three years. Try this as a substitute.
Online recording has never been easier. With the new Mantis by Indaba Music, you are able to record high quality audio, make precise edits, add studio effects, and share your mixes with the rest of the world all through your web browser.
Brass Tacks: Indaba Music has traveled forward in time and brought back a glimpse of the future for the rest of us firmly planted here in 2010.
By the time everyday users had started proposing questions about online web browser capabilities, Indaba’s team was already well underway with the blueprint for taking a (previously) software-only (before that, hardware only) process and placing it in the cloud; thereby alleviating the need of RAM and CPU for rendering while minimizing system requirements to the effect of ‘stripped-down’ and mobile-enabled with a strong internet connection (Mantis does auto-save, but dial-up and choppy wireless will tend to frustrate most users).
As this service is relatively new, there will undoubtedly be future revisions, but as far as a globally-available free platform for online audio editing and recording … there is no better selection than Mantis. Use it. Love it. We are, along thousands of others around the world, so … we’ll see you in the cloud!
There you have it. That sums up our top three Audio Editing Software Recommendations, and will hopefully provide our readers with a good sense of which of the three may be the right choice for their studio setup … whether it be cloud-based and mobile or resident on their desktop.
Coming up next … Video Editing Recommendations!
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