audio editor (HELP)
 

I'm not exactly sure what I am looking for. I've been recording stuff on my computer now, but it always sounds flat and boring to me. I need something that allows you to edit the sounds, to warp it, crush it, bend it, whatever.

I know that is a horrible description, but it's the only way I can describe it.

Any suggestions?

You need Steve Albini...
Seriously , I don't know.

I need Steve Albini like The Wyld Stallions needed Eddie Van Halen :)



OK, but seriously, anybody know a good program to get?

audacity
pro tools

i just use audacity to bump up the sound... i mainly record to 8-track

What soundcard do you use? It might be the problem for the bad sound.
Audacity (which is free) will do the trick, but the soundcard is the most important.
Also, if you have a good soundc and you wanna spend some money get Protools, Adobe Audition, Steinberg Wavelab or Sony's SoundForge.

Just get adobe audition.

I have two answers to this: the first is that the music may just not be any good. That's possibly a little harsh, but people can make great music on the shittest equipment imaginable. The second answer (this from my friends in the classical world) is that you should invest in decent recording equipment, think about spacing and miking before you think about post-production.

I generally tend to prefer when recordings get the sound right before production. Having said that, I've known mate's records that were ruined by too much after-recording faff.

even though audacity is free the program is actually not a good sounding program it is destructive to the quality of the signal even when ripping an mp3. if you are a member of any torrent sites you should be able to get protools or digital performer, both high quality programs, however i personally am not a fan of the midi side of protools i find it tedious and not as accurate os digital performer. i would say the sound card depending on what you use in not the problems with your recordings. the most likely problems would be a) wrong mics b) bad mic placement c) bad cable [something like canare star quad cable will give you 3db more gain due to less resistance]. I am in total agreeance with Glice about getting a good sound before hitting record. The flat and boring may also be your monitor speakers and maybe even your expectation about what you think it should sound like before you have done any eq'ing etc. If it isn't sounding right, just sticking a whole lot of plugins isn't going to fix the problem, in fact almost everyone i know sees through that immediately.

I would recommend digital performer or protools. These are both highly regarded programs in the industry and there is a reason for this, simply they are good. Now I'm not recommending you go out and steel them but I am recommending you download them and try them out. Keep in mind that protools is hardware specific where as digital performer will function with any soundcard.

And in the end you may just be expecting far too much out of the gear that you actually have. Mic preamps can get very expensive even just for a single channel you can pay over $5000au. SO i guess don't expect your stuff to sound great if 1) you don't have the knowledge about how to make it sound good and 2) you don't have the equipment to produce the sort of results you may be looking for.

but if you have any further questions, I am always happy to answer, knowledge is to be shared after all.

Cool edit, mofo's

at least include the link if nothing else

http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=coolpro

Jump into the deep end with Ableton Live

btw - whoever cited albini, he's one of the dudes that really doesn't work on computers...

The deep end?

It just means 'going big' as oppossed to a wave editor

Ableton is godly, but loses points for having no working cracked versions.

wierd concept I know but how about BUYING the software?

I'm 17, no money

so that makes theft ok?

ha ha

You've been seventeen for a couple of years now.

If they wanna inflate prices of software to the point where it's unrealistic, then they can't expect me to buy it. I don't believe in paying very much for software at all.

Well there is 'some considerations' of theft...

Like that song about stealing bread.

Anyway get Audacity, it is free....

I don't believe in paying very much for software at all.

Its like music in that if it is paid for it will keep coming. It will add to your life, so you should buy it...

Unless everyone wants to go back and work in a mine.....

Music is reasonably priced. CD's, LP's what have you. Software is way overpriced for what you get.

Also, it is a 'venture' for a band to go and pay for a recording studio

Different story, really.

sound forge

Do you know any software developers? I'd guess not.

Yes. My uncle runs a software company here.

Ha. Ok, so you know how much work goes into developing software, and you still think it's over-priced? Fair play to you then.

Don't get me wrong, some software is great value, but when it's stuff you could whip up in pure data in about a day then it seems less worth it.

Yeah, I know what you mean actually. It's always difficult to know how many man hours go into something. The company I work for paid out somewhere in the region of a £500,000 for some software that would probably take a team of five or so developers less than 6 months, and there's load of business software out there that goes for a grand a licence. It's mostly good/ workable stuff, but you wonder if people only pay this money because only a handful of companies make the software. I suppose that's the open-source argument, free markets and all that. I think now, certainly with things like recording software, there's definitely a lot of scope for prices coming down with more people making it.

Oh, don't get me started on this: Sundance Television Automation software costs zillions of dollars and what do you get? A suite of 4=5 programs all with entirely different GUIs.

I really don't care if you steal software or not as long as you acknowledge that you are a thief. Don't rationalize it saying 'its to expensive' or 'i'm too poor'.

I am not a thief; I've paid for everything on my computers (I think). But then, I use Sony Vegas and GV/Canopus Edius rather than Adobe or Avid. I own MSOffice '97 but now use OpenOffice.

Heck, I even paid money to the NPR station I listen to.

Heck, I even paid money to the NPR station I listen to.

Amen...NPR has some good stuff

i know what the deep end is, i was questioning ableton live as the deep end, when in fact it is one of the best designed audio apps out there and is incredibly easy to use. i wouldn't necessarily recommend it as an editor or multitracker though, even though it has those functions.

what software are you using?

Right now? Max/Msp, which ironically, is the only software i'd pay fuckloads for. Otherwise I'm using FL 8

no multi tracker?