Audio processing software question....

[Tard]

In a bit of a connundrum here.

Been on the hunt for the "best" programs in both audio-processing capabilities and multitracking user-friendliness.

NOTE: I used plural above, so am not expecting one program to be Gawd's gift to what I want.

AUDIO PROCESSING - Should start here first. CoolEdit Pro or SoundForge?

Have heard great things about both, (well, Audition came up too) and looking for as wide-ranging pros&cons as there are, so not discounting anything yet.

Seeking a good blend of effect-processing and noise-reduction/remastering functionality combined with user-friendliness in this processing search.

MY REQUIREMENTS: At least 24-bit 48000Hz PCM input, and the same output. Saved as WAV, not some strange "(dot)what"? that can't be read by anything except that one program.

All help appreciated.

[Tard]

In meantime, someone at another record company is making available SoundForge6 with an MP3 encoder, soundFX files, a couple plugin programs, and some other extra password cracks.

So was thinking... Could handle these larger programs on this CPU, why not review the "full versions"? Functionality vs User-Friendliness (and how steep of a learning curve it might be).

Rocketmaster? You still alive? Haven't read a post from you in at least a year!

David, I know you tend to go the "unplugged" acoustic route, but couldn't imagine anyone NOT using 'puters in some form of the recording/editing/mastering process. What programs do you use?

<font color="#007FFF" size="1">[ July 01, 2007 01:01 AM: Message edited by: reved ]</font>

[avantodd]

I've used Sound Forge 8.0 and it does everything you need it too. It was also very user friendly. I'm scared of Audition, though. I tried a demo once and all it seemed to do was crash the computer.

[Tard]

I don't wanna touch SoundForge "vesions" since SONY bought the program. ver.6.0 was the last that Sonic Foundry had direct input into its functions.

Might be able to get CoolEdit Pro from a Radio/webradio DJ am acquainted with, but incase that doesn't happen was also wondering about Rocky possibly RE-loading the program. I was on a real craputer when he last sent me the program, and couldn't run it & didn't have a burner to make a copy for later.

[Tard]

LOL! I probably overstepped my learning-curve here.

Few days ago installed SoundForge6, which is great for audio-processing. Granted, the pitch-transposing & time-stretch functions sound better on Acoustica (Hell, with a lil fine-tuning, pitch & time-warp sound better on Goldwave!), many more unexpected audio-artifacts crop-up when extreme-time/pitch shifting on SF.

Also got a copy of Cakewalk's "SONAR6 - Producer Edition" today, and Sonar6 just confused the be-jeezus outa me until realizing it doesn't really multitrack audio files per-se, but deals with MIDI (something I've never needed to use before). There're just too many windows & buttons to click and abbreviated terms never heard-of before, thrown onscreen simultaneously to be easily comprehensible. (ie; throw a garage-band into the most sophisticated hi-tech recording studio out there, and they wouldn't know which buttons to press either!)

Maybe I should put the 'Producer Edition' on the backburner & try a demo of a home-studio version first. Learn the basics before getting a facefull of first-impression gibberish..... [img]wink.gif[/img]

[Tard]

The learning-curve for Cakewalk Sonar-6 is a bit much for me to take-in. MIDI just seems unnecessary with how I mix noise.

Basically, I just need a simple freebie multitrack program like Audacity (non-destructive to the original WAVs), that can be used as a VST host, and will input/output in 24-Bit 48000Hz.

Any suggestions?

[DAVID HESS]

hey rev,
try garage band. i think it will solve your problems and it now has a pc based program. its a free download from apple.

[Tard]

Googled "GarageBand" but only found a whole buncha $70-downloads for the MAC OS, even snooped around Apple.com for awhile. Couldn't find a single word written about PC-based versions, or even "free-trial" downloads.

Closest match I found was another Acoustica product; MixCraft.
Luckily, have had very positive experiences with other Acoustica products. I might pay for that one without a test-drive.

Hehee, I MUST be a dinosaur. Been pricing Korg synths to use as MIDI-controllers.
And find myself wondering why current music sucks.
Oh Yeah! Cause it's not played live anymore, but programmed into a harddrive! DUH.

[CallyGull]

I have about 6 yrs experience in audio recording, and this is my process. You want to use Cool Edit Pro for your original recordings(mic recordings). This program runs at 32bit as compared to 16 or 24 that almost all other programs use. This gives you a bigger file, but the quality is much better, and leaves you room to apply affects and let the sample/rec take sound a lot more professional. I then render the wavs out of cool edit and arrange inside of Acid Pro. This is a great multi-track arrangement interface, great design, user friendly, but once you have rendered out of cool edit, really you can use any editing software you want. Then take rendered tracks out of your editing software and master the rendered wavs, and compile the songs together as you prefer.


~callyG~
Need Boat insurance?

[Tard]

24bit/48kHz seems large enough, as that's the limit of my live/field recording equipment. That also goes into frequency ranges beyond human hearing, so seems like a lil overkill to me.

Besides, have had some difficulties burning CDs recorded higher than 24/48. Usually burn as Data discs, as Audio disc WAV recordings tend to be compressed to 16bit/41kHz anyways.