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With so many audio editors out there, finding the right tool for the job can be tricky. The multiplatform, open-source editor Audacity has leaped to the top of our list with its clean interface, excellent features, and support for 32-bit floating-point audio. Audacity succeeds at being both feature-rich and flexible, while keeping the toolbar and work space uncluttered. It does this by relegating most functions--such as effects, edits, and project management--to handy drop-down menus.
Audacity supports uncompressed audio standards such as WAV and AIFF in addition to OGG and MP3 files. A full complement of basic effects such as reverb, delay, and compression are included. Virtual Studio Technology (VST), Linux Audio Developers Simple Plugin Architecture (LAPSDA), and Nyquist plug-ins also are available if you're looking to expand. Another eye-catching feature is the Beat Analyzer, which helps you peg the beats per minute of a phrase.
The performance of most functions is quick--even CPU-hogging tasks such as exporting to MP3 or adding complex effects. Though Audacity doesn't offer advanced effects or features out of the box, its usability and price set this freeware wonder above the crowd.
Publisher's Description
From Audacity Developer Team:
This editor can record and play sounds and import and export WAV, AIFF, MP3, and OGG files. Edit your sounds using cut, copy, and paste features (with unlimited undo functionality), mix tracks, or apply effects to your recordings. The program also has a built-in amplitude-envelope editor, a customizable spectrogram mode, and a frequency-analysis window for audio-analysis applications. Built-in effects include bass boost, wah wah, and noise removal, and the program also supports VST plug-in effects.
Version 1.2.6 enables FLAC support and contains some bug fixes.
What's new in this version: Version 1.2.6 enables FLAC support and contains some bug fixes.
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All versions:
4.2 starsout of 763 votes
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Current version:
4.1 starsout of 499 votes
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My rating:
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"Easy solution for FLAC conversions"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
Downloaded to convert lossless FLAC format audios to WAV files.
Did job quickly.Cons
Menu selections could use some work. Not perfectly intuitive, but great results.
Summary
As freeware with many features this can't be beat.
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"Wasted my time"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
It would be an awesome piece of software if it exported files in a useable mp3 format
Cons
Waste of time...see above
Summary
2 hours of my life I can't get back. Don't waste your time.
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"Simple, clean, effective"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
Interface is very intuitive. Easy to clip and snip and move and pad.
Cons
Limited function, if you're looking for more. But I'm not, so it doesn't really count.
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"Great Tool - Be Careful of Too Long Recordings"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
I've used this program for 6 or 7 years. It has made podcasting and recording classes amazingly simple. The editing function is really easy and quite intuitive once you get the hang of it.
Cons
It can be a bit challenging to learn initially. And, this is the big one, if you record for along time (over an hour) it can crash and lose your data. Recovering the data can happen, but it's a MASSIVE hassle. Here are the work arounds I've used to prevent this from happening.
1) Do a test recording and try saving it. If it's going to crash, it is usually (in my experience) because it didn't boot properly. So let it crash on the test recording. Reboot it and try testing again. If it saves once, generally it will continue to save.
2) Save your recordings every hour. This way you don't max out your RAM or the system's ability to handle the files in progress or whatever it is that causes it to tip over.
Otherwise, it's awesome.Summary
Love it!
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"Absolutely magnificent; it's now my mastering software"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
- Extremely intuitive if you understand audio engineering
- Excellent custom effects (including the best compression algorithm I've ever used)
- Great detail on the waveform analysis (especially when zoomed)
- Very thorough; clearly conceived and developed by someone who understands the needs of an audio engineering professionalCons
- Poor web site support (come on dude - get rid of the acronym LAME - it carries poor connotations)
- Developer doesn't make it clear this isn't a noodler's toy or a snipper for cell phone ring tones - IT'S AN AUDIO PROFESSIONAL'S TOOL, and if you don't understand things like compression and normalization and if you can't glance at a waveform and know in a wink what you're looking at this tool is massive overkill. You will probably hate it.Summary
I've been disappointed by tools I've spent serious money on for waveform mastering, but there are no disappointments here. Once I figured out Byzantine web navigation (egads friend - get some graphic art support) I was able to pull down what is hands down the best suite of MP3/WAV mastering tools ever. The compression and normalization algorithms are absolutely beautiful tools - I was able to give my sloppy post-production waveform the haircut it needed then nomalize to produce a perfect, fat, distortion-free high res MP3 that sounds incredible on every player I use. Audacity is my studio master-monster now! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!
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"Can't export MP3s - WASTE OF TIME"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
Program was doing exactly what I wanted it to then...
Cons
...I found out it won't export to MP3. Gives a message stating you have to find some file named "lame" something or other. TERRIBLE.
Summary
Does not do the simple task that it is supposed to do. I'll find another program that was completed properly.
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"Doesn't Stay open long enough to save file"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
it sometimes works
Cons
What a hunk of crap the program isnt stable enough to stay open before crashing so you can save the file you record fix it please and ill give it more than half a star
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"Simple and seems to work"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
Simple to install and use. Effectively blocked a trojan horse when I clicked on an email link that I thought was safe.
Cons
None so far.
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"Good software for working with music files."
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
Powerful, largely intuitive for basic functions.
Cons
Advanced functions require a learning curve, and the information is sometimes hard to find.
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"Good, love That is free but I agree what jwith54 said"
Version: Audacity 1.2.6
Pros
Free what more can I say
Cons
Save features could be tweeked so it is more usable
Summary
all and all good program for free but could use some tweeks like in the save features to win the hearts of those of us that remix our audio
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