The need to work with digital sound often arises not only for people involved in the music industry, but also for ordinary users. When you need to compose, arrange or record a sound file, cut it up, make it louder/smoother, add effects, audio software comes to the rescue, the best of which we’ve gathered in this article.
It’s been a long time since audio went digital. Today no one will be surprised by a song that sounds from a smartphone speaker or speakers connected to the computer, although just ten years ago in our country listening to music, for example, from the phone was still a gimmick.
Gradually, users began to get more and more options for the playback and storage of digital sound. Not so long ago, the need to edit sound also appeared among ordinary users. They began to think about how, for example, to cut the chorus of a favorite song in order to upload it to the smartphone and use it as a ringtone or even create their own ringtone.
The developers made sure that professional musicians and ordinary computer users could work with sound comfortably and created a special software. There are not many good programs for such purposes, but most of them are created by well-known companies, and their names are known not only to people who are related to the creation of music. Below we will tell you about the best, most functional and convenient programs for working with sound.
Adobe Audition
Audition is a software program from Adobe, the world renowned for its powerful Photoshop, Flash Player and other products.
Audition is an excellent software for both professional and home use. The software allows you to record and edit audio tracks and create mixes.
Adobe Audition has a large number of standard plug-ins that make working with sound easier. In Adobe Audition, you can not only manipulate the volume and dynamics of the audio file, put it through different filters (equalizer, de-esser, etc.), do compression, but also process it with modulation effects, add reverb, dilute, work with channels and much more.
Adobe has also included the ability to connect third-party VST plug-ins that are compatible with Audition.
Sony Sound Forge
A handy sound editing program from Sony. It has gained popularity not only among professionals but also among amateurs because of the simple interface and a wide set of features.
Sound Forge lets you record, cut, manipulate and mix audio tracks and has tons of useful effects like reverb, equalizer, compressor and more.
Steinberg Cubase
Steinberg Cubase is a very powerful program that is very similar to Adobe Audition. Cubase allows you to record, edit and mix sound and much more.
Like any good audio editor Cubase has a lot of built-in tools and effects designed to make working with sound as comfortable as possible without using any third-party plug-ins.
However, if third-party plug-ins are still required, Cubase will provide a convenient way to use them. It gets along great with VST plug-ins that are popular with professionals and amateurs, such as Guitar Rig, Antares Autotune, and more.
Ableton Live
Studio software for working with sound. Ableton Live is used by music professionals and amateurs to create arrangements and do live sessions. The program is great for studio work.
The question is whether it makes sense to install Ableton Live on your home computer. In principle, this is up to each user. If you only need the program to cut audio and work with volumes and filters, then, most likely, there is no point in installing Ableton Live, because you can use simpler software.
However, if you want more features, good effects, and quality instruments as well as collections of live drum samples, drum machines, and instruments, then Ableton Live is your best bet.
Logic Pro X
A product known to many users by Apple. It is a high quality professional program that allows you to easily work with sound, record, edit, mix and create compositions.
Once again, a caveat should be made that if you don’t need extensive functionality, then Logic Pro X should not be installed. It’s better to use, for example, Sound Forge.
FL Studio
Fruity Loops is a music station from Image Line that has a huge number of features. This program is oriented, in the first place, on the creation of a musical product and has a large set of synthesizers, samplers and a good standard collection of samples, which the user can expand. FL also supports work with various plugins.
However, you can use the program not only as a tool for writing compositions and creating arrangements. FL Studio also has built-in utilities for sound editing and recording. They allow users to use the software as a full-fledged audio editor with standard features for such programs.
Reaper
Great professional software from Cockos Incorporated, which allows you to play, record, edit and process audio.
Reaper is not an audio editor, but it is very powerful and can be used as professional music creation system. The work of Reaper is focused specifically on music creation, arranging, rather than in-depth sound editing.
In the basic Reaper package there are about 200 different effects.
Reason
A great program developed by Propellerhead Software. Reason can be used not only as an audio editor – for recording, playing back and mixing tracks – but also as a set of virtual musical instruments for live performance.
The program has an interesting interface, designed in the form of a track rack, where the user can add the necessary instruments.
Wavosaur
The simplest program in our “collection”. This audio editor is ideal for use by beginners. Wavosaur has all the basic functions needed for audio editing and a simple interface that doesn’t take long to figure out. This software will turn working with sound for the novice user from a headache to an easy task.