Using an Audio Editor
Computer audio applications are some of the most popular around. Windows comes
with the Windows Media Player and there are literally hundreds of third-party
programs for playing MP3 files, CD's and video. If you want to do more than just
listen to audio on your computer, there are also many programs for editing
audio. An audio editor will allow you to manipulate sounds in ways ranging from
the mundane to the miraculous.
Why would anybody want to edit audio? There are many reasons. Perhaps the most
common use for editing audio has to do with MP3 files. If you have built up a
sizable MP3 collection, you are sure to notice that some songs play louder than
others. An audio editor can be used to equalize or normalize the volumes between
songs. This way, you can avoid having to constantly adjust the volume control as
you listen to your songs.
An audio editor can also be used to edit out any glitches in an MP3 file. Some
editors can automatically detect digital distortion or other errors, or you can
edit out bad parts by ear. Most editors will allow you to zoom in to the sample
level of an audio file giving you visual clues about audio errors.
If you are dealing with voice files, an audio editor will allow you to edit out
pauses, hums and haws and other distracting sounds. A normalizing function will
allow you to even out the overall sound of the sound file, making soft passages
louder and loud passages softer. This can sometimes be useful for both music and
voice.
Most editors will allow you to add some kind of sound effects to your sound
file. The most common of these is reverb which can give extra depth to the sound
file. A more advanced audio editor will give you more options for adding
effects. These can include delay, equalizing, gates, vocoders, and many others
that can alter the original sound so that it is unrecognizable.
Many people wish to convert their old music collections into digital format. An
audio editor can assist in cleaning up the sound of scratched records or tape
hiss before burning the sound files to CD. Specialized software can
automatically detect clicks and tape noise making the music sound almost like
new.
Because audio editing is such a popular application, there is a huge range of
programs to choose from. These range from free shareware programs to expensive
commercial programs. Before picking an audio editor, do a bit of research and
see what's available. You may find a free program that does everything you need.
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