Audio editing tends to be somewhat of a “second thought” when it comes to video development. It’s often a little too late when people realize how truly fundamental the right music and sound effects are. Poor song choice can be the difference between a mind-blowing viewing experience and a regrettable one. The same applies to sound effects; select the wrong audio clip, and it throws off the entire piece.
Choosing the right video and audio editing software can further improve the quality of your final output; giving you the opportunity to transcend mere image and text-based content. Most modern editing software assists users in creating videos that are entertaining without detracting from the “value” of the information contained therein.
Top 5 Most Advanced Audio Editing Software
We took the time to test a handful of the latest and greatest audio editing programs on the market to discover which are easiest to use, and which offer the best editing and restoration tools.
The following five professional audio editing software review options are our favorites:
Adobe Audition Review
Adobe Audition is a professional audio editing application that includes a non-destructive mixing and editing environment, as well as a destructive waveform editing mode. Adobe Audition can be used for Recording and mixing sound projects and creating original or remixed music.
Who Should Use This?
Audio engineers, podcasters, and broadcast editors make use of Adobe Audition to develop soundtracks, record voice-overs, and optimize audio content for broadcasting. The Multitrack Editor and Mixer help to speed up various editing processes, including recording lengthy multitrack projects from the ground up. Adobe Audition supports a vast range of audio input and output hardware and simplifies the noise reduction, sound enhancement, and editing processes.
How To Use Adobe Audition
Getting started:
- In the Project Panel, select a clip or audio sequence.
- Select Edit > Edit In Adobe Audition. Choose Clip or Sequence from the resulting submenu.
- Edit your audio in Audition.
- a. When applying the Edit Sequence in Audition command, Premiere Pro sends the currently selected sequence with rendered audio for further compositing to Audition.
- b. The sequence opens in Audition as a Multitrack Session.
Working with Adobe Audition:
- In the project panel, select a clip or sequence containing audio.
- Select Edit > Edit In Adobe Audition and then select Clip or Sequence from the submenu.
- Edit your audio in Audition.
Price Pointers and Final Notes
Subscribing to the Adobe “All Apps” plan is ideal for anyone intending to use several Adobe programs in their workflow. At $74.99 for the monthly subscription, or $49.99 for a full year, the plan guarantees access to Audition, Photoshop, Premiere, Illustrator, and a host of additional products.
Adobe Audition’s intuitive interface and powerful editing tools set it at the top of the food chain. In addition to the expected repair and editing functions, Audition also offers multitrack recording and editing capabilities.
Logic Pro X Review
As Apple’s DAW for systems running macOS, Logic Pro X is a popular choice for Apple users the world over. It is equipped with all the basic features you would expect to find in standard audio editing software, which makes it incredibly easy to use. It also comes with a smattering of advanced features, one of which is the “Smart Tempo” feature, which enables users to automatically match the timing of different tracks in a particular project.
Who Should Use This?
Logic Pro X is the ideal software for music both beginner editors and professional users. It is the program of choice for producers who need a one-stop-shop to compose, record, arrange, edit, and mix music. Equipped with a powerful set of tools it enables users to edit, polish, and fine-tune their clips.
How To Use Logic X Pro
- Open Logic Pro X. Select File > New to open a new project.
- To create a new Template file, select Empty Project.
- Select your audio input device and sample rate from the drop-down menus on the left.
- Select your audio output device from the drop-down menu on the right.
- Select the project’s tempo and key in this main menu (beneath the Template types)
- Choose the track types your project is going to consist of (choices include Drummer and External MIDI as well as Software Instrument and Audio).
Price Pointers and Final Notes
For a total cost of $199, users have access to a full host of features in Logic Pro X including extensive support, a comprehensive knowledge base, and a direct phone line to advanced technical support. Every plug-in offered by Logic Pro X is an incredibly detailed masterpiece, and the enormous selection of effects and 7000+ Apple Loops allow users to push their creative limits.
Audacity Review
Audacity is a popular open-source, cross-platform software choice that is available absolutely free of charge. It’s the ideal starting point for anyone wanting to take the plunge into the world of audio editing. It may be free, but that certainly doesn’t make it “cheap”; it comes with a vast range of highly desirable features including a wide variety of effects including bass, treble, distortion, noise removal, and tons of others. Users also enjoy the benefit of nifty analysis tools including beat finder, silence finder, sound finder, and a few more.
Who Should Use This?
Bands or singers who make use of backing tracks will benefit from the multi-track recording features offered by Audacity. The tool makes it easy to record individual tracks and stitch them together into a final, highly professional sounding piece. Similarly, podcasters and radio professionals can use Audacity to fine-tune their shows.
While it might be ideal for anyone just starting out, it’s just as useful to professionals who want a tool that eliminates lengthy, long-winded processes for smaller projects.
How to Use Audacity
To open an existing audio file:
- Find a file to edit (WAV, AIFF, or MP3.)
- Import the file into Audacity. Selecting File > Import > Audio.
- Listen to the imported audio by using commands on the Transport Toolbar. Click on the waveform to choose a place to start playback. Click Play to listen to the audio. Click Stop to halt playback.
- You can also click and drag on the waveform to create a selection and listen to a specific piece of the audio.
To create a 10-second clip from your audio:
- Click near the point where you want your piece to begin.
- Zoom in until the timeline shows 10 seconds (or more) before and after the cursor.
- While holding down the Shift key, click 10 seconds to the right of the cursor.
- Press Space to listen to the entire selection.
- Adjust the start and end of the selection with the mouse.
Price Pointers and Final Notes
Audacity is a lightweight, totally free option for people who want to get their software editing done on a shoestring budget. For professional editors, the basic interface may annoying to get used to, however, the lack of bells and whistles does help boost efficiency. Despite the fact this is freeware, Audacity is packed with enough recording and editing features that it gives some of its paid competitors a run for their money. This software makes it possible to record multiple channels at once, control levels, prevent clipping, and more.
Reaper Review
Reaper is another audio editing program that is ideal for anyone on a budget. It’s relatively rich in features and supports a vast range of file formats, including those that are on the unknown or unpopular side of the spectrum. This software’s interface is easily customizable, making it a cinch to adjust toolbars, layouts, and several other appearance aspects. Everything in Reaper is drag-and-drop oriented, so there’s no steep learning curve when it comes to usability.
Who Should Use This?
As a fully-fledged digital audio workstation, Reaper is a budget-friendly option for beginner music professionals and sound editors who are on somewhat of a budget. It’s a good investment for users who want to learn the ins and outs of using a proper DAW to discover more about creating music and building other similar audio projects.
How to Use Reaper
Getting started:
- Launch Reaper.
- The DAW will begin scanning for plug-ins. If there are no issues, it will move on to the next step.
- Reaper will tell you that you need to set up an audio interface. Click “Yes.”
- Select your audio device.
- While you’re still in the preferences section, select “MIDI Devices.” Double click on the input you wish to set up and select “Enable MIDI input for this device.”
- If your device has MIDI output, double-click on its MIDI output and select “Enable MIDI output for this device.”
Price Pointers and Final Notes
A discounted license for Reaper is available at a mere $60, and a commercial license costs around $225. The $60 version is intended for use by individuals, businesses with a yearly gross revenue under $20,000, or nonprofit and educational organizations.
Reaper remains an incredibly affordable option with a full stack of features that make it a powerful, highly compatible DAW with an easy-to-use interface. While Reaper does not come with a sound library of its own, it can read up to 25 different file types and can export projects into 15 different file types.
Ableton Live Review
Ableton Live supports unlimited audio and MIDI tracks, making it a forerunner in the music production game. Additionally, there’s support for MIDI capture along with 256 mono input channels and 256 mono output channels. The software also offers 70GB of pre-recorded sounds, 15 software instruments, and 46 audio fully custom effects.
Who Should Use This?
Ableton Live is ideal for musicians because of its quick workflow and live performance mode. It’s designed with live performance in mind, though it’s equally as useful for remixing songs, recording music, controlling stage lighting, and adjusting visual effects (VFX). Ableton Live’s audio warping feature is another major calling card which is ideal for anything from matching tempos songs while DJ’ing, fixing timing problems and more.
How to Use Ableton Live
- Open the program and acquaint yourself with the controls and features.
- Create a single track by finding samples, adding them to a track, and locating sounds that help to populate your files. It’ll take a bit of trial and error initially, but the learning curve isn’t particularly steep.
- Layer multiple tracks on top of each other for a more complex sound.
- Mix the tracks into the best sound combination possible. Use the volume or amplitude model at the bottom of the screen, as well as individual green dials for each track.
- Crop and manipulate sound to fine-tune your project.
- Play your Ableton Live track for a live audience by connecting your computer to adequate sound systems.
Price Pointers and Final Notes
Ableton is available in three price points $99, $449 and $749. The “Standard” version ($449) is best suited to musicians and small business owners who need a DAW that offers solid support during a live performance; though it’s equally as good for recording and mixing audio.
Ableton’s “Session View” is what truly sets it apart from similar software options in its sphere. It’s divided into columns instead of rows, which adds another dimension that allows users to experiment and save work quickly and easily. With five software instruments and over 1,800 sounds, it makes the customization process that much more efficient.
Choose the Audio Editing Software Based on Your Objective and Not the Brand Name
We have extensively tested all of the above-mentioned audio editing programs and believe them to be perfectly adequate for a beginner and advanced users. Despite their inherent flexibility and ease-of-use, as well as the full range of editing capabilities, we must stress that partnering with a professional sound editing team can take a good track and make it great.
Video Caddy, an industry leader in advanced audio editing services. Our talented and highly knowledgeable team members eliminate the need to spend time or money on extending your internal teams or relying on freelancers.
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