Audio software
This is a selection of computer software for audio applications which is either free or inexpensive. It has been compiled from various sources, and inclusion in this listing does not in any way imply any endorsement by the IPS, or any warranty that it will be satisfactory. User (and buyer) beware!
Contents
- 1 PC Software
- 1.1 Free
- 1.1.1 Players, Editors & Recorders
- 1.1.2 Utilities
- 1.2 Shareware or Budget
- 1.2.1 Players, Editors & Recorders
- 1.2.2 Utilities
- 1.3 Commercial
- 1.1 Free
- 2 Android Software
- 2.1 “Cart” Machines
- 3 iOS Software
- 3.1 “Cart” Machines
- 4 MAC Software
Windows Software
Free
Players, Editors & Recorders
Audacity Open source audio editor and recorder.
DigicartPC Freeware “cart” player software but no makers website available. Can play more than one “cart” at a time and the levels of each one can be adjusted but only in the setup screen for each button. Unfortunately you can’t access the setup screen for a button that is playing. Keyboard hot keys can be set but are not displayed on the button.
Jazler Show! Free Latest version 1.5.1 – English supports 800×600 screens. Support for via the Jazler online forum. Cart type playback software.
XMPlay Audio player, can play 24 bit files on a 16 bit sound card.
Utilities
BWF Manager enables you to analyse a selected BWF poly format file and create individual mono files for each track of the poly format file. Also available for the MAC.
Header Investigator Allows you to inspect and edit WAV file header information.
On screen meters Many on screen meters that emulates the characteristics of the classic PPM. Multi-channel meters also available.
WaveView Allows you to look at the bext and mext data chunks in WAV and BWF files.
Winmod Allows you to evaluate and/or design frequency plans for radio mics free from Intermodulation products.
Shareware or Budget
Players, Editors & Recorders
Boom Recorder €15 for the two channel, €185 for the 64 channel.
Reaper Cheap ($39) audio editor and recorder.
Sound Byte Sound Byte is a computerized cart machine for your computer. Also available in a MAC version. Not happy under Vista or Windows 7 unless you set it to run in at least “Windows XP SP2” compatibilty mode. Also requires Quicktime and GDIPLUS.DLL on old versions of Windows. The unregistered version will pop up a nag box every five minuets or so, registration is US$39 (Sep 2012). Can play more than one “cart” at a time and the levels of each one can be adjusted On Air via on screen sliders. Each button shows the shortcut key if one has been set.
Soundplant Allows you to assign WAV or BWF (or even MP3) files to keys on your keyboard. The keyboard can then be used to trigger playback of the sounds. Unregistered only allows .wav or .AIF 16 bit or less files to be loaded, registration is US$35 (Sep 2012). It doesn’t seem able to cope with big files, a 26 MB .WAV caused it to crash, eventually. Lots of features to manipulate the sounds loaded which makes the screen a bit messy. Can play multiple files at the same time.
Total Recorder Allows you to record audio from your PC’s audio card. From $18
Utilities
BWF Widget A collection of programmes for the manipulation of BWF files. Basically they are a BWF file toolbox. The Pro version allows editing of Metadata. $49.95 or $99 for the Pro version.
PPMulator+ A cross-platform VST plug-in meter for digital audio workstations which mimics the look and feel of a PPM. This new version adds features such as surround (5.1) capability, user-configurable colours and layouts, a fully-featured phase-correlation meter, surround peak-logging, RTAS-compatibility and more. Available as a free trial or £49.99. A £19.99 upgrade from the earlier PPMulator is also available.
Commercial
Adobe Audition Formerly Cool Edit Pro from Syntrillium Software.
McQ Edit Lister An Edit Decision List (EDL) editor and tracker.
Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation software can also be pressed into service for basic scripted playback requirements. Simply add an action to a sequence of slides that plays a sound.
Samplitude Complete DAW software. See also Sequoia on the same site for a rival to SADiE.
SADiE Hardware and software DAW systems.
Sound Forge From Sony Creative Software. 30 day free trial download is available, limited a little as export to certain formats that require third-party licensing (i.e. MPEG and MP3) is not included.
SpotOn Developed by people who know about broadcast sound. 5.1 Surround Sound playback is now also available.
Android Software
“Cart” Machines
Custom Soundboard Plain interface without custom button colours. Only plays one file at a time, stopping any currently playing file first. Tapping a blank button stops the currently playing file. Button text changes colour for the playing track. Advert supported doesn’t get upset if there is no network connection. Portrait mode only.
Soundboard Maker Pro Customiseable interface with selection of buttons/colours or your own images. Only plays one file at a time stopping any current playing file first. Tapping a blank button stops the currently playing file. There is no indication of which file is playing. Trial advert supported version available. Portrait or landscape display.
SoundIT Custon SoundBoard This paid for version has built in recorder and text to speech, also a Lite version without these two features.
iOS Software
“Cart” Machines
Sound Byte Requires iOS 3.2 or above, works on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Cut down version of Sound Byte for the PC or MAC.
Soundcue Requires iOS 4.2 or above and an iPad.
MAC Software
BWF Manager enables you to analyse a selected BWF poly format file and create individual mono files for each track of the poly format file. Also available for the PC.
ReadWav A simple Mac OSX programme to read bwav data.
Sound Byte Sound Byte is a computerised cart machine for your computer. Also available in a PC version.
Soundplant Derived from the PC version.