Audio editing software is used to edit audio files stored on a computer. It allows the user to copy and paste different parts of the file together or change their length by fading in or out (in addition to adding effects).
There are many types of audio editing software, but the following are the most commonly used by many professionals in music production.
Audacity allows you to record, edit and mix audio files. The software is cross-platform with the same features on a Windows machine and a Mac or Linux machine.
The program is free for non-commercial use, and there are many different price plans available if your project requires you to use the program for longer than 30 days.
Features of Audacity are:
GarageBand is a free, easy-to-use music creation application that allows you to make your songs, play along with others and create great sounding recordings.
With GarageBand for iOS, you can easily compose, record, edit, and remix using loop pedals (guitar-style loops), built-in drum machines (and even real drums), and built-in synths, as well as record a song from a microphone or a line-in source.
In addition to recording your music, GarageBand for iOS allows you to play along with others wirelessly via AirPlay and create multi-track recordings using professional multi-track recording technology (based on PC-based ProTools) mix your recordings down to a stereo file.
You can also create awesome ringtones, sound effects, backing tracks for podcasts or radio shows, loops using built-in drum machines (including real drums), play along with others via AirPlay, and record whole concerts live – all within the GarageBand app!
GarageBand includes a fully-featured set of instruments, loops, and sounds for you to create your music with.
These include:
Adobe Audition is a fantastic tool for editing audio files. I use it to edit all my audio files. It doesn’t matter if they are MP3s or WAVs; I always go to it first before anything else. The reason is that, even though you can do basic editing with any other program out there, you won’t be able to add effects or do much in the way of mixdowns.
Adobe Audition features:
The one thing that I like about Adobe Audition is how it has a built-in mixer right on top. This means you can drag and drop tracks, change volume levels, etc., without having to open up another program to do so. It will also allow you to play multiple tracks simultaneously, useful for anything from music editing to mixing videos.
I’m sure there are other great audio editing programs out there, but I like Adobe Audition, and once you get used to it, it’s not too hard to learn how to use it.
Ableton Live is the industry-standard DAW for music creation and performance. Flux (the developer) has taken steps to make sure it’s accessible, including adding a color scheme that makes the interface more easily understood by people with low vision or color blindness. Once you’re up and running, you can access the Ableton community for tutorials, guides, and more.
It is an application that lets you create musical compositions with live instruments, samples, and virtual instruments. You can also use any MIDI-compatible instrument in it to compose your music in real-time. It has useful features like recording multiple tracks, editable clip markers, a built-in sampler, a full-featured MIDI editor, etc. It is a complete audio production tool.
Check out Ableton Live 8 Trial Download to see what it can do for you!