What app should I use to edit audio?

Audio editing is the process of manipulating and altering audio recordings. It is used throughout many industries including music production, filmmaking, podcasting, and more. With audio editing you can cut clips together, remove unwanted noise, adjust volume levels, add effects, and enhance the overall quality of audio files. Finding the right audio editing software is crucial for creating professional sounding results.

In this guide, we will compare the top audio editing applications to help you determine which one best fits your needs. Whether you are a beginner looking for an easy to use option or a seasoned professional requiring advanced capabilities, we will cover the leading choices available. Our goal is to provide key information to help you pick the ideal audio editor for your projects and budget.

Key Features to Look for

When selecting audio editing software, some key features to consider include:

• Cutting, splicing, and mixing audio – Being able to cut sections of audio tracks and splice them together seamlessly is essential. Look for options to mix multiple tracks together into one cohesive piece.
• Applying effects and filters – Most programs offer a selection of audio effects like reverb, equalization, compression, and more. Filters help remove unwanted noise and enhance the overall sound.
• Noise reduction – Tools that can reduce background noise, static, hums, and other unwanted sounds help clean up audio tracks.
• Support for common formats – The ability to work with popular audio formats like MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, OGG is vital for compatibility.

These core features allow for full editing and polishing of audio files to achieve professional sound quality (Diyvideoeditor.com). When evaluating options, make sure the program contains these robust tools for cutting, cleaning, and enhancing audio.

Top Audio Editing Apps

There are many excellent audio editing apps to choose from, depending on your needs and budget. Here are some of the top options:

Audacity – This free, open-source audio editor has a simple interface but powerful tools for recording, editing, mixing, and exporting audio. It’s available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Audacity supports effects like reverb and distortion and can handle multiple tracks.[1]

Adobe Audition – Part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite, Audition is a robust digital audio workstation for podcasting, sound design, and audio restoration. Key features include multitrack editing, spectral display, and built-in effects. Audition integrates smoothly with other Adobe tools.[2]

Apple Garageband – Garageband comes free with all Mac computers and iOS devices. Its simple interface makes Garageband easy for beginners to learn, yet it offers advanced capabilities like virtual instruments and MIDI sequencing. Garageband is ideal for music composition, podcasting, and sharing tracks online.

Avid Pro Tools – The industry standard DAW for audio professionals, Pro Tools is known for its superior tools, seamless compatibility, and workflows designed for recording studios and audio post-production. Pro Tools requires an Avid audio interface and iLok key.

Reaper – Reaper offers a fully-featured digital audio workstation and MIDI sequencer with a highly customizable interface. It supports VST plugins, multichannel recording, notation editor, and more. Reaper has a generous 60-day free trial.

Hindenburg Journalist – Designed for radio production, Hindenburg Journalist streamlines the technical parts of audio editing so you can focus on content. Key features include audio restoration tools, multi-track editing, and cloud collaboration.

Descript – Descript makes editing audio as easy as editing text through its Overdub feature. It also offers transcription services and tools to edit voice tracks, remove filler words, and optimize audio. Descript integrates with Zoom and other platforms.

Comparing the Top Options

When deciding which audio editor is right for your needs, it’s important to compare the top options across a few key factors:

Price and availability across platforms – Some editors like Audacity are completely free and work across Windows, Mac, and Linux. Others like Adobe Audition cost money but offer subscriptions and free trials. Consider what platforms you need support for.

Learning curve – Apps like GarageBand are designed for beginners and easy to pick up. More advanced software like REAPER may have a steeper learning curve. Evaluate your skills and how much time you want to spend learning the tool.

Audio quality – Pro-level software like Pro Tools offers pristine sound quality and bit depths up to 32-bit float. More basic editors may be limited to 16-bit or 24-bit.

Effects and plugins – Look for a robust effects library with options like compression, EQ, reverb, and more. Support for third-party VST plugins allows limitless customization. Check if the editor comes with many effects built-in or if you’ll need to purchase add-ons.

Considering these key factors will help you find the best audio editor tailored for your exact needs and budget.

Best for Beginners

If you’re just starting out with audio editing, you’ll want an app that’s easy to use without too steep of a learning curve. The best audio editing apps for beginners have an intuitive interface, helpful editing tools, and tutorials to guide you.

Apps like Anchor are designed to make recording and editing a breeze. Anchor has a simple workflow for recording, editing, and distributing your podcast or other audio. Its free plan includes basic editing features like trimming, transitions, filters and background music to help polish your audio.

Another top pick for beginners is Audacity, a free open source audio editor. While Audacity has more advanced options, it also has an intuitive interface and helpful effects to start with like reducing background noise. Audacity also offers detailed documentation and tutorial videos for learning the ropes.

Focusing on apps with straightforward tools, easy learning curves, and tutorials will ensure you can pick up audio editing skills quickly as a beginner.

Best for Professionals

Professional audio editors need robust tools and advanced capabilities to create high-quality projects. The following options are used in recording studios and offer sophisticated editing features:

Adobe Audition CC provides industry-leading tools like spectral frequency editing, effects, and multitrack mixing https://www.videomaker.com/buyers-guide/audio-editing-software-buyers-guide/. It integrates seamlessly with other Adobe products and supports third-party VST plugins for added flexibility.

Cubase Pro 10 is a fully-featured digital audio workstation used by top music producers https://filmora.wondershare.com/video-editing-tips/professional-audio-editing-software.html. Key highlights include its advanced mixing console, channel strip presets, and array of audio effects. The plugin ecosystem provides limitless customization.

These professional-grade tools offer deep editing capabilities, customization, and seamless studio workflows for experienced audio editors and producers.

Best Free Options

There are several full-featured audio editing platforms available for free that provide powerful tools comparable to paid options. Two of the most popular free open source audio editors are Audacity and ocenaudio.

Audacity is an open source, cross-platform audio software that allows multi-track editing and recording. Key features include basic editing tools like cut, copy, paste, silence, and drawing. It also includes more advanced effects like noise reduction, equalization, echo, and the ability to change pitch and speed. Audacity supports exporting to MP3, WAV, AIFF, OGG and more. With its wide range of capabilities and constant development, Audacity is considered one of the best free options for audio editing.

ocenaudio is another free, cross-platform and open source audio editor. It provides an accessible interface with waveform, spectral and montage views. Key features include basic editing, filters, effects, noise generation and analysis. ocenaudio supports VST plugins and can export to MP3, WAV, OGG and more. While not as full-featured as Audacity, ocenaudio is noted for its ease of use and fast performance.

For users looking for advanced audio editing capabilities without paying, open source platforms like Audacity and ocenaudio offer robust toolsets at no cost. Their active development communities also ensure the software is continuously updated and improved.

Choosing What’s Right for You

When selecting an audio editing software, it’s important to consider your individual usage and skill level. Beginners should look for apps that are easy to learn and navigate, with intuitive interfaces and helpful tutorials. Platform availability is also key – make sure the software you choose is compatible with your operating system. Here are some top options for beginners:

For Windows users, Audacity is a great free open-source option to start with. It has an approachable interface and provides features like recording, editing, mixing and more. GarageBand is widely considered the best option for beginners on Mac. While not free, it comes included with all Mac computers and iPads, making it very accessible. The interface is simple but powerful.

Those with some experience may want more advanced capabilities. Tools like Adobe Audition provide professional-grade editing and effects, but have steeper learning curves. For electronic music production, FL Studio is feature-packed while remaining user-friendly. The price tag can be prohibitive for some budgets.

Evaluating your skills, computer platform, and budget will help narrow the options. But most importantly, download demos and try before you buy – the right software should be intuitive for your use case. With the wide range of excellent audio editors now available, you’re bound to find one that fits your needs.

Getting the Most Out of Your Audio Editor

Once you’ve chosen the right audio editing software for your needs, there are some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the program. Here are some ways to maximize your audio editing:

Take advantage of built-in effects: Most audio editors come with a variety of effects like compression, EQ, reverb, and more. Learn what each effect does and practice applying them to refine your audio. For example, the WavePad software has many built-in effects to enhance voice recordings.

Learn keyboard shortcuts: Most programs have handy keyboard shortcuts for common tasks like cutting, copying, pasting, etc. Learning these can help you edit faster instead of always relying on your mouse. Refer to the software’s documentation or online tutorials for a list of shortcuts.

Use presets and templates: Many audio editors come with pre-made presets and templates to get you started. Take advantage of these to quickly apply standard effects chains or set up tracks. For instance, Logic Pro includes many built-in templates for common projects.

Putting in the time to learn your audio editing software’s capabilities will enable you to produce higher quality results in less time.

Conclusion

When searching for the best audio editing app, it’s important to consider your skill level and specific needs. Beginners may benefit most from user-friendly apps like Apple’s GarageBand, which provides an intuitive interface and built-in audio effects. Audacity is also a great starting point, as its open-source platform offers advanced capabilities for free.

However, professionals require more robust features like multitrack editing, VST plugin support, and advanced mixing capabilities. For working audio engineers, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, and Adobe Audition are standard industry tools that enable precise editing on a sample level. They have steeper learning curves but allow immense creative flexibility.

Overall, the best audio editing app for most users is likely Adobe Audition. It strikes a balance between advanced functionality and ease of use. With its intuitive interface, multitrack editing, audio restoration tools, and built-in effects, Audition works well for beginners but still meets the needs of professionals. For comprehensive audio editing capability in a flexible environment, Adobe Audition is hard to beat.