Not every program can digitize an analog recording or create an audio track for a movie. CHIP will talk about the best audio editors.
The arsenal of tools available to modern audio editors is impressive Sound processing is a task no less difficult than, say, retouching a portrait, and restoring old audio recordings can be compared to restoring a damaged photograph. But, unlike computer graphics, where Adobe Photoshop dominates, there is no clear leader among audio editing applications. In this article, we will look at some of the most successful, in our opinion, applications that will allow you to digitize the rarest recordings from reels and audio cassettes, make a ringtone on your mobile, remove noise that has arisen when recording voice through a microphone, etc.
Sound Forge Pro 10: Restoration Expert
Noise Reduction uses several different noise reduction algorithms Sony, which develops this audio editor, has managed to create a very convenient, simple and powerful sound processing tool. Many users rightly give their preference to this particular program. Sound Forge Pro is a professional editor that, in the right hands, can do wonders for the material being processed. As in most other sound editors, the loaded track is presented in the program window in the form of a diagram. Any defect, any recording error - all this is visible on the "sine wave" of the track. By examining the waveform of the signal, the user can accurately determine which section of the recording needs to be processed. Sound Forge Pro is one of the best audio data recovery solutions. In addition to accurate restoration of frequency characteristics (the editor has three types of equalizer - graphic, paragraphic and parametric), the program contains many tools for removing noise. The recording defect may be due to different reasons- crackling of a vinyl record, extraneous hum, etc. Each type of noise requires a special approach to its elimination, so there are many ways to restore a damaged audio recording. Depending on the nature of the sound artifact, in Sound Forge Pro you can interpolate the value of the sound, “masking” the damaged area with neighboring values, you can replace the missing fragment with data from the adjacent channel. The Noise Reduction module, which is present in the program, can use four different noise reduction algorithms, and the best option is determined empirically in most cases. In the simplest cases, you can use a threshold filter for noise - it will cut off all interference, the amplitude of which will be lower than the value specified by the user. One of the program's most powerful and advanced tools is the composition spectrum analyzer. The characteristics of the audio recording can be viewed in individual channels, you can set the frequency range for building the spectrum, etc. Most audio editor commands can be called using keyboard shortcuts. If some of them are inconvenient or keyboard shortcuts are not assigned to them, this can be done manually in the program settings. Sound Forge Pro allows you to save lists of custom keyboard shortcuts. They can be loaded depending on the tasks performed in the program or activated after the system is reinstalled.
Adobe Audition CS5.5: Audio with Video
The Audition sound editor, released today by Adobe, was previously called Cool Edit Pro and from the first versions won the favor of sound engineering lovers. When Syntrillium Software, who laid the foundation for the application, transferred the rights to the program to Adobe, the deal amounted to a huge figure - $ 16.5 million, and, I must say, the audio editor was worth its money.
The integration of the sound editor into the Master Collection CS software package for working with video and graphics only added pluses to the program. Now users of Adobe's popular suite of software can enjoy end-to-end editing. So, for example, when working with material in the Premiere Pro video editor, you can quickly switch between video and audio projects, preparing a multi-channel audio track for the created video sequence. The program also supports batch processing of files.
Many of the tools in this package are so convenient and perfect that developers practically do not make significant changes, releasing the next version of the program over and over again. With the help of Audition, for example, you can very quickly clear an audio recording of interference, especially if the noise is caused by cyclic processes, for example, interference from an electromagnetic field created by a transformer. In order to get rid of unwanted recording defects, in this case, it is necessary to highlight the noise profile on the sound diagram - the section of the recording where noise is heard the best way without extraneous sounds. Further, the program can exclude the cyclically repeating noise amplitude from the main audio material. In some cases, this method makes it possible to suppress noise very effectively.
The editor is quite flexible in customizing the interface. Appearance program changes depending on what task the user is working on. If it's a multi-track mix, the editor will look like a multi-track studio, if you're working on two monitors, Audition will take up both screens. If necessary, the program can build and display a sonogram right next to the waveform of the edited audio track.
The program can work in multitrack mode, in which the interface takes the form of a sequencer. The user can use an unlimited number of tracks, which makes this audio editor an indispensable tool for a musician or DJ. Using a multi-track virtual studio, Audition allows you to create professional mixes from dozens of different recorded parts.
Adobe Audition supports everything modern technologies digital audio, including support for 5.1 multi-channel audio, ASIO low latency data transfer protocol, and VST plugins.
Audacity 1.3.13: Reasonable Sufficiency
Audacity can normalize the signal level throughout the audio session, create a smooth decay effect, automatically remove segments with silence, eliminate vocals from the composition, and it is also cross-platform. Free software that could be used by professionals for their own purposes is a rarity. Audacity audio editor is one of the few free solutions that can compete on equal terms with expensive commercial developments. Not every commercial audio editor can boast such a powerful sound processing engine - up to 32 bit floating point. Also, the program can work with audio material in 16/24-bit modes with sampling rates up to 96 kHz. Another undoubted advantage of this audio editor is support for Linux and Mac OS X platforms. The functionality of the program in any operating system is almost identical (with the exception of additional modules). The program allows you to record audio from an external source, such as a microphone. Recording can start automatically as soon as the program detects an increase in sound volume. Signal level at which it will work automatic recording, is determined by the settings. If the project you're working on uses external files, it's easy to lose some components. To prevent this from happening, you can check dependencies in the editor or specify in the configuration settings to automatically copy audio data to the project when it is saved. In Audacity, it is very convenient to control the level of a track. With the help of control points, you can adjust the amplitude envelope of the sound, so that the recording in the desired areas becomes louder or quieter. Audacity can fix corrupted data - open audio files that are missing or corrupted header.
Connoisseurs of "high-quality" uncompressed sound in FLAC, APE, etc. formats will appreciate the built-in tool for generating the frequency spectrum in Audacity. By the shape of the constructed curve, you can easily determine from which source the audio CD image found on the Internet was made. Although the program has many tools that can be found in other similar applications, they often differ in how they work. For example, Sound Forge Pro's counterpart to the Pencil tool is a tool called Envelope Change. He, like the "pencil" in the audio editor from Sony, makes it possible to manually draw a shape sound wave. However, in Audacity it can only be used when the track is zoomed in enough to see individual sound samples. You can find many interesting filters in the program, and many of them help to solve specific problems. For example, Audacity can normalize the signal level throughout an audio session, create a smooth fade effect, automatically remove silence, and even eliminate vocals from a musical composition, creating a karaoke effect. Audacity contains a built-in hardware benchmark. After a short test, the program will show the potential of the computer - how many audio tracks at the same time, this configuration can handle. Those who find the standard arsenal of the program not enough can use add-ons for Audacity. True, in this case, you need to keep in mind that many plugins are commercial developments, and you will have to pay for their use. Another plus of the program is the correct shutdown, after which a minimum of “garbage” remains in the system in the form of temporary files.
Conclusion
In order to make the sound editor interesting for a certain category of users, the creators select its features in such a way that the application is targeted at the target group. For example, if you often do video editing, it will be convenient to keep Adobe Audition close at hand. To restore rare recordings, it is best to use Sound Forge Pro. Well, if you are not engaged in professional processing of audio files and open an audio editor no more than once a month, be sure to take a closer look at Audacity, whose toolkit is enough to solve the most popular tasks.
Comparison table of audio editors:
| sound forge Pro 10 |
Adobe Audition CS 5.5 |
Audacity 1.3.13 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Program website | http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com | http://www.adobe.com/ | http://audacity.sourceforge.net/?lang=ru |
| Interface language | English | English | Russian |
| Operating system | Windows XP/Vista/7 | Windows XP/Vista/7, MacOS | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X, Linux |
| Distribution terms | shareware | shareware | for free |
| Price | from 11040 | 12057 | - |
| MIDI import | - | - | + |
| Data import from audio CDs |
+ | + | - |
| Creating an effects chain | + | + | + |
| Program benefits | High fidelity audio processing, rich selection of noise reduction products | Tight integration with Premiere Pro video editor | plugin extensions |
| Cons of the program | high price | high price | unusual interface |
| Import video files | + | + | - |
With new technologies, the work on audio recordings has ceased to be exclusively a parish of professionals. Now every home PC user has the opportunity to trim, mix and apply effects to sound files.
What can we say about transcoding them into various formats. Along with the installed programs, such actions allow you to carry out online services. The most convenient of the programs and services will be discussed further.
Downloadable editors
The traditional way to edit audio is to use installable programs.
Such programs provide ample opportunities, but for solving simple tasks, such as transcoding a file or trimming a composition, there are “too many” of them. However, many users prefer to use the programs.
"People's" program for sound processing. With a free distribution model, it offers a solid toolkit.
The first version of the software became available to the public in 2000. Since then, the development and improvement of the project has been continuously carried out. The latest version for today was released on March 29, 2015.
Audacity supports reading and writing many formats, and various codecs, including: WAV, AIFF, AU, Ogg, MP2 and MP3. A wide range of possibilities is available for transcoding the audio signal between formats.
In fact, any source file can be transcoded into any format supported by the program.
Among other possibilities, it is worth mentioning an unlimited number of tracks for mixing and a large number of additional filters and effects.
Audio editor: Wavosaur
A free music editor that can seriously compete with other sound processing programs. The program does not require installation and does not make any changes to the system registry. A special feature is the possibility of a detailed representation of the track in 3D mode.
Wavosaur supports the most common formats: WAV, MP3, OGG, AIF, AIFF.
Ample opportunities are available for transcoding a signal between formats, editing an unlimited number of tracks and processing in real time.
A significant drawback of the editor is that the supported operating systems are limited to the range from Win XP to Vista. Owners of common 7, 8 and 8.1 will have to look for an alternative.
Audio Editor: Audio Editor Gold
Audio Editor Gold, unlike previous programs, is not distributed free of charge. Trial access is limited to 30 days and a permanent registration reminder pop-up. It has a friendly interface.
Track editing is performed on a wave model, which can be scaled in detail for more accurate selection of track sections. You can edit each channel separately.
The software supports free transcoding between all supported formats, including WAV, WMA, Ogg and MP3. Any file can be freely transcoded into one of the available formats.
Online audio editors
Network technologies are evolving. Their current level allows you to transfer the functionality of many programs to the browser. Editing audio and video using network resources is no longer fiction, but a reality available to any network user.
Audio editor: TwistedWave
With TwistedWave, there is no need to download and install separate audio editing software. The service offers the ability to trim, transcode or add a filter to the audio recording using the browser.
Among the possibilities are about 40 VTS effects, fading effects throughout the track or its sections, recoding and saving the finished track in the cloud.
The service supports multiple formats: WAV, MP3, FLAC, Ogg, MP2, WMA, AIFF, AIFC, Apple CAF. By means of TwistedWave it is possible to freely transcode files between supported formats.
You can manually set the bit rate for the saved recording from 8 kB/s to 320 kB/s. That is, the service turned out to be a good audio converter.
Info! Free processing is possible only for mono mode. You will have to pay extra for processing recordings in two or more channels.
Audio Editor: Online MP3 Cutter
With this service, cutting music will turn into a simple process that takes a minimum of time. To get the required segment of the composition, you need only three steps: open the file, determine the segment and download the finished piece of the song.
The saved segment can be recoded into a more convenient format. The service supports five formats: MP3, AMR, WAC, AAC and Apple CAF. It is also convenient to use it for simple audio transcoding.
It is enough just not to define a segment to extract from the composition, and choose to save it in a different format. That is, despite the fact that cutting music is the main purpose of Online MP3 Cutter, you can successfully reformat audio with it.
Payment is not required at any stage of working with the service. A simple and intuitive interface with a minimum of necessary features is the best suited for everyday use.
Audio Editor: Make Your Own Ringtone
A convenient online service designed to create your own ringtones. Unlike the previous service for cutting audio, it has 16 effects that can be applied to the recording.
Six audio encoding formats are supported: MP3, OGG, AAC, M4R, MPC and MP4. Saving the finished file can be done both on a computer and on a mobile device. It is possible to send the finished segment by e-mail.
Make Your Own Ringtone can also be successfully used as an online music converter. All supported formats are freely convertible among themselves. That is, it is not necessary to trim the composition, you can simply save it in the desired format.
A very simple and elegant application for recording sound on iPhone and iPad, which also allows you to broadcast the signal from your device to the remote control, stereo system, camera, etc. through the headphone jack. There are only six buttons in the application menu: turn on / off the microphone, record, record list, playback, mute (in case of switching with another device) and equalizer. Audio recorded in AIFF format can be sent to e-mail, SoundCloud or shared via Wi-Fi.
2
A free program for recording sound, again for iPhone and iPad, with a wide range of settings. The application supports three formats - MP4 (AAC), MP3 (MPEG) and WAV (PCM). Sample Rate - from 8 to 48 kHz (for WAV up to 96 kHz); Bit Rate - from 32 to 320 kbps; Bite Depth - from 8 to 32 Bits. The application also has a built-in VU meter that shows the current sound volume, which is adjusted using a special slider located below. The finished file can be sent by e-mail, saved on various cloud services, posted on social networks, and also carried out various manipulations with it - convert, crop, rename, etc.
3
This recording tool Android devices, judging by the reviews, is famous for its better sounding tracks than many others. The application has advanced functionality: it works in three different formats (MP3, OGG, WAV), allows you to set the sampling rate to 8 kHz, 11 kHz, 22 kHz, 44 kHz or 48 kHz, edit audio files and make other useful settings. RecForge Pro not only records audio from the microphone, but also calls and games. For widget lovers, there are four options to choose from.
4
The official iOS application from the well-known Australian company Røde Microphones, which allows you to record sound on the built-in microphone of a smartphone/tablet or on an external RØDE iXY stereo microphone. The program creates audio files with a resolution of 24-bit, 48 kHz (up to 96 kHz when using an external microphone), allows you to edit them using a nice built-in editor and output them in AIFF, WAVE, CAF, MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, FLAC, etc. formats. On the iPad, you can also view waveforms, edit and manage tracks on the same screen.
5
Unlike Røde, the Japanese company ZOOM Corporation made their product free. All the most necessary information is placed on the main screen - duration, type and format (WAV 44.1/48 kHz or AAC 64/128/160 kbps) of the recording, volume level, playback and rewind buttons. The “Effect” section has a built-in equalizer, reverb settings and the ability to carry out elementary mastering. In addition, in a separate window, you can listen to and trim the audio recording. Many other additional functions and settings open only with the proprietary external microphone ZOOM IQ5/6/7.
6
A package of useful tools that allow you to measure the noise level, harmonic frequency and others using a mobile microphone important parameters. The application includes an audio calculator, a phase meter, a wave generator, a built-in voice recorder that records audio in WAV format with a sampling rate of 8 kHz - 48 kHz, and a bunch of other software modules that every audio professional needs.
7
A unique application for Android devices, which contains educational materials and articles on sound engineering, sound design and arranging, lessons from famous producers, reviews of VST plugins and instruments, DAWs, information about schools, exhibitions and audio equipment stores. The application also works offline, so the texts can be read anywhere, regardless of the Internet.
8
A well-known program among connoisseurs that turns your iPad into a universal studio with which you can mix sound and create various musical compositions. The menu has a huge number of buttons and subsections, and in order not to get confused, a built-in help system is provided. To create compositions, you can play a melody or rhythm yourself using the virtual keyboard, use your own music collection, or take built-in samples. Each track has a lot of fine-tuning, and the finished file is output in any of four formats (M4A, WAV, FLAC or MIDI). The only drawback is the high price.
So are complex ones (effects, equalization, audio recording).
Audacity
Audacity- . There are versions for popular editions of Windows, Linux and macOS. The functionality of the utility allows you to compete with commercial developments.
The app interface is rough. For experienced users, large icons and buttons for the main functions will remind the design of Windows XP. For adherents of macOS, the design of the utility will seem archaic. Although it cannot be called beautiful, it is nevertheless simple and understandable. ATalmost all the inscriptions are presented with a small exception, which will allow you to start working without a long study of the manuals.
The interface of the utility is built in such a way that even the user who has no experience with such software can perform basic operations with audio data. The main action buttons are located in the top bar of the main window.
In order for the program to start supporting the main popular ones, you need to install the free FFmpeg and LAME codecs. This is inconvenient, but the developers had no other choice due to licensing issues. Experienced users will like the fact that the utility can work with uncompressed data (FLAC, WAV).
When the user has finished editing and saves the file,automatically opens a dialog for filling in tags. If the user often edits audio, he will not need to enter information manually each time - the utility allows you to create templates.
To add files to the editor, use the standard dialog or simple drag and drop. With sound, the program can do everything that commercial products do: noise reduction, gluing, trimming, applying effects, changing the pitch. During operation, the source file is not affected in any way. The application copies the sections of the track that were operated on to the project directory. When the user clicks on the "Save" button, the utility simply combines the modified and original data to create a new file. In this way, maximum security of user data is achieved.
Can save the entire track or a separate part. If you are editing multi-channel audio, it is possible to save individual channels to different files.
In addition to making changes to existing tracks, the application can record sound from the line input of an audio card, a mixer built into the OS, and a microphone. At the same time, the utility allows you to start capturing after pressing a button or when the signal level reaches a predetermined limit.
Sound softwarehas in its arsenal an extensive set of effects. If these are not enough, you can install any third-party VST plugin. The frequency response analyzer as a whole works stably. But it has one significant drawback. After loading a file, the utility analyzes only a part of it.
Summary
Despite the fact that the program has flaws, it is the best free audio editor. Its functionality is comparable to commercial products. After downloading the application, the user gets a powerful tool. And the price of commercial analogues with the same functionality is very high. The download link is on the official Audacity resource. Windows- An OS that is most susceptible to virus threats, so it is not recommended to download the utility from third-party resources.
mixcraft
Mixcraft is not just an audio editor, but a whole virtual studio. Its main distinguishing feature is a large number of built-in samples, loops, effects, virtual instruments.
All this variety of tools allows you not only to perform the simplest operations on audio data, but also to create your own tracks and remixes.
Key Features
Sound softwarehas the following distinctive features:
- 7000 samples are supplied with the program;
- over 20 built-in professional-grade effects;
- 11 pre-installed plugins in VST format;
- the ability to import loops from popular library containers;
- The utility supports almost all modern audio file formats.
Mixcraft is a program that is best suited for users involved in mixing tracks or composing. The program interface is non-standard, so the utility will take some time to master.
The only drawback is this program for working with soundnot free. However, it can be used for two weeks without purchasing a license.
