Sound Editors
When it comes to sound editing software, the usual recommendations I hear from People Who Know are:
- Audacity is free and very capable. Note that you'll need to download and install a special DLL from another site to convert sound files into MP3. There's a Mac version also.
- GoldWave is CDN$55 or about US$42 to purchase. Fully functional demo available.
- Sound Forge (formerly from Sonic Foundry, now owned by Sony) at US$400 (download version) or 450 (boxed)
- Adobe Audition (formerly Cool Edit from Syntrillium) at US$300
Goldwave's also got a good selection of links to free or inexpensive sound and movie software utilities
Other links to free or inexpensive sound editors/utility software:
dbPowerAmp Music Converter isn't an editor but as a sound format converter, it'd be a useful thing to have in your bag of tricks.
I was having zero luck recording live sound of any sort using several different laptops and an assortment of microphones ranging from the junky ones that came free with a computer to a couple of good-quality semi-pro units.
I ended up getting a MobilePreUSB unit from M-Audio and had immediate good luck with it, whether from microphones, electric guitar/bass inputs or from the home stereo system's line level audio.
Somewhere on the site there used to be a downloadable guide to choosing and using microphones as well.
Someday I'll find it again and post the URL here.
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