Program for sound processing and for sound recording

Today, you can find quite a lot of programs for processing sound or recording your own compositions at home with an external electronic instrument connected, such as a conventional synthesizer or MIDI keyboard, and also, say, a guitar connected through the sound card entrance. Naturally, after recording, the content will have to be edited. Consider the most relevant programs for sound processing.

Representation of sound

No matter what extension the audio file has, the current programs open it in a wave view. If earlier it was exclusive to the .wav format, now any program for sound processing absolutely elementary opens MP3 or FLAC format files in the wave view.

The convenience of working in this case is obvious. After all, as well as in the WAV-file, here you can change almost any parameter of the audio, up to the frequency of the signal. However, it's worth noting that if the signal was originally recorded, for example, with a sampling frequency of 22500 Hz, then no matter how hard you try, you will not achieve a better sound even when you set the conversion to 48 kHz. Just the file itself will take up more space on the hard drive. Even if you save a file with a depth of sound of 16 bits or 32 bits, any program for processing the sound will give a significant difference in size. Do not believe me? Try making the conversion of frequency characteristics or format in any audio converter.

Windows Recording Tools

As for the recording systems themselves in the operating systems of the Windows family, there are their own means. Not the best, of course, but in case of emergency they will do. When you connect a microphone or an external device such as a key or guitar using a standard audio input or MIDI interface on a sound card, you can use the native sound recording and processing program found in the standard applications section.

As far as practical, each user decides for himself. The only thing that can be said is that these funds are worthless. This, in general, and understandable, because Microsoft is more specialized in operating systems and related applications, rather than on the narrow-based components of multimedia.

Professional and semiprofessional sequencers

As a fairly simple tool for audio processing, you can use sequencers, which often combine not only a pattern recording system using samples of different formats, but also the possibility of adding, say, a vocal track when recording from a microphone.

So, one of the most popular and most commonly used musicians is the program for recording and processing audio - FL Studio. The latest build version 12.0 is optimized for working with live sound, not counting the huge number of supported virtual synthesizers and effects.

The same goes for the latest version of Cubase, which is somewhat superior to FL Studio sequencer. This is understandable, because Steinberg is the developer of the VST interface, through which most virtual plug-ins are connected today.

Well, now a few words about what any person who is trying to work with sound on a computer should know.

Sound Forge

This program for professional sound processing is almost a symbol of the whole sound industry. When some of the current leaders of the world market just took the first steps, Sony Corporation managed to create a full-fledged software product capable of processing audio files.

However, in the first versions, the opening of files like "wave" was provided only for the WAV format. Support for MP3 appeared much later. In addition, initially plug-in plugins should have only DX (DirectX) format, and support for VST-host and additional virtual modules connected with it also appeared relatively recently. Nevertheless, the application can easily be used as a program for processing the sound of a microphone when recording from a fixed line input.

Cool Edit Pro

It is important to touch upon one more aspect, discussing such a task as sound processing. Programs in Russian are almost not represented. Of course, you can find crackers, but, as a rule, they are done clumsily. So it's better to use the English version (or some other one) even with a minimal knowledge of a foreign language.

As for the application Cool Edit, he does not have a Russian version. But, in principle, if you know at least the basics of working with sound, it is not difficult to understand the program. In fact, the main window and a set of basic functions are very similar to the Sound Forge application. Just today, a program like Cool Edit Pro, no longer officially exists. Rather, it is, but only in a somewhat transformed form.

Adobe Audition

The application Adobe Audition is just the successor of the program Cool Edit, because Adobe just bought out the copyright for the development of such software from the company Syntrillium, which was at the source of this powerful software package.

In fact, even the interface has not undergone any changes. The working field in single- or multi-track mode remained the same. Unless in versions CC and CS the support of some devices and virtual plug-ins has been added. But in general, this program for sound processing is the finest copy of Cool Edit Pro.

Samplitude

Speaking about the sound and recording of music, you can not bypass the Samplitude package. Programs for sound processing like this are primarily aimed at working in studios with direct connection of live instruments through mixing inputs.

A distinctive feature of this application is not only the unique system of signal recording and processing, but also the possibility of modeling multi-stage effects on one program track. In other words, one virtually unlimited number of effects can be hung on a single track with recorded vocals or a batch of instruments. And if you also use additional plug-expanders or rack racks, the total number of effects can be brought almost to infinity. What can I say, special modules allow you to hang 32 tracks on one track, but the module in the program is used as one effect, to which you can connect a lot more.

Cockos Reaper

"Coconut Ripper" is a fairly powerful and popular application. Like many other programs for sound processing, this package is focused on studio work, although it can be used as a means of multitrack recording at home.

Naturally, there is a huge number of built-in tools for editing content recorded in the "live" version. Interestingly, despite its rather low-key interface, the application has many hidden features. This is especially evident in the support of MIDI devices, as well as some sample formats used by software players (like Kontakt) or samplers like Halion, which recognize the AKAI format.

Pro Tools

This program for sound processing is almost the best. Again, it is used in professional recording studios. True, here at once it is worth making a small, but very important disclaimer: there is simply no version for Windows OS. This package is designed only for use on MAC OS X.

But in the presence of such a system, you can refuse even the "iron" mastering processors, equalizers, crossovers and in general all audio processing tools known today. The possibilities of this package are unlimited.

Conclusion

Of course, the article does not cover all the programs and utilities for working with sound. For example, when recording vocals for its correction, you can use a unique utility called Melodyne, which is able to automatically equalize the part recorded from the microphone. However, having understood one program, mastering other applications will not be difficult.