It’s easier than ever to be an independent musician today. There are more platforms out there to broadcast your music. There are also more avenues and cheaper studio equipment than ever before, along with some great programs to edit audio that musicians can use. These come in handy when you’re making specific tracks that involve a lot of effects which wasn’t the case before.
Even 10 years ago, this type of premium software could only be available to the biggest studios. Now, however, there are some free options that will not only get the job done but do the job well.
1. HYA-WAVE
It would be unfair to call HYA-WAVE barebones, but it is a pretty basic sound editor.
That’s not to say that it isn’t capable. It’s one of the best options for independent musicians out there.
The software is a web-based sound editor that can be used to cut and export audio flawlessly. There are also pretty great effects for your audio.
This is pretty much the best audio editor you can get for altering your live recordings on the spot. You won’t require any installation or premium membership. You won’t even need to make an account for this. You can simply start by dragging and dropping the sound file on to the upload space. From there on in, you can take the wheel.
It’s also great if you want to edit and put up podcasts. If you want to upload a small sample of your recordings on Twitter or SoundCloud, then this is your best option. It’s quick and clean and it works on all platforms. This is the advantage that comes with being based on HTML5.
As for negatives, it’s not a full-featured audio editor.
If you want greater capability and more premium quality, you can get better alternatives for free.
This is the best option you have to get the job done quickly though. Just type in https://wav.hya.io/#/fx and get to work.
2. Soundation
If multi-track editing is your game, then Soundation is the name you’re looking for. Soundation is known for its multi-track editing capabilities. While it is a lot like Hya Wave, a browser-based editor, it’s much more capable. It’s a fully-functional Digital Audio Workstation for some. That definition may be disputed by others though.
However, there’s no denying that Soundation features a lot of multi-track editing options and MIDI instruments. There are also some great non-destructive editing techniques that you can use for full-scale music production. What this basically means is that your recordings stay lossless, for the most part.
Soundation also has a lot of Dynamic Mixing and EQ effects that can be great for podcasts. For those wanting even more, there is a paid version of the editor. It features greater sound quality exporting and automation options. The free version isn’t blessed with these options.
You can sign up for a monthly subscription for Soundation for as little as $1.99 a month. The pricing goes up to $6.99 a month for advanced features like 5GB worth of audio imports and 12000 loops and effects.
3. Garageband
If you’re a Mac, iPad, or iPhone user, you’re very familiar with this product. It was announced when the iPad and the iPhone 4 came out. This software tool allows independent artists to compile and edit their songs. A lot of people that started making music with just an iPad and an old microphone on YouTube started with Garageband. It’s very simple to use and allows for multi-track editing. It also has a visual aesthetic that Apple is quite famous for.
Not only does it allow you to add multiple tracks and edit them together, but it has great presets. Hence, you can add a lot of instruments that will help you create an orchestral atmosphere. It’s one of those programs that are designed to look simpler than they actually are. With Garageband, you can make the most complicated compositions and learn along the way. It really doesn’t have a steep learning curve.
You can use this on your iPad or your Mac. It works perfectly with Final Cut Pro X, and you can exchange the files between your devices easily. With the best audio and graphics processors on Apple devices, this will help you make a masterpiece.
However, as you’ve probably guessed, this is a locked product. It can only function within the iOS ecosystem. Hence, if you’re a Windows OS user, then you can forget about it. Also, if you’re an Android user, there’s nothing for you here.
You can download Garageband for the Mac here.
4. Audacity
Audacity is probably the first name you hear when you look for audio editor free software tools. It’s made a name for itself among audiophiles, independent creators, and professional musicians as well. The first time I heard of it was on a how-to guide on analog to digital transfer many years ago. It’s remained resilient since that time and has simply risen in reputation.
Simple tasks like pasting and cutting audio clips as well as recordings are easy on Audacity. There is a huge library of effects on Audacity as well. These include effects like simple reverb and even the Paulstretch effect. Audacity ranks right up there with the best audio editing software that money can buy. This is not a personal opinion, but something that has been decided by consensus. If you want something that will give you the best experience for free, there is nothing out there that beats audacity.
5. Acoustica Basic Edition
Acoustica is a program that you may not have heard of before. However, it’s one of the best free audio editors out there. This allows you to make your own recordings and open files from your own PC. It even allows you to import tracks straight from CDs.
There’s no free edition of the newest version of the program. However, you can still get the free version of Acoustica 6, the penultimate version. It’s a shame that the company has decided not to continue the free product. This may give you some pause about continuing with this if you’re a long time fan. However, it still has a lot of tricks up its sleeve. If you’re looking for an audio editor that gets the job done well, then this is something you’d love to use.
For example, it allows you to cut and paste audio easily. It also has great support for things like DirectX and VST plug-ins. It also has support for editing multi-tracks.
The program is only available for Windows, however. If you’re on a Mac, this might not be for you. You can download the basic edition of Acoustica from here.
These great programs will help you improve your audio editing and music editing game. They will not only provide you with some great tools but also improve the sound quality of your music. Just remember to seek out tutorials and explore these programs. Don’t just stick to the cutting and pasting and reverb effects that everyone goes for. Be unique, be artistic. Be bold. Good luck!