Although Mixcraft is simple enough for people of all levels, the recording tool has an intimidating UI and functions (such as digital audio stations). But do not worry! Anyone who spends a few minutes fiddling with the program will quickly discover that it is packed with strong tools for recording, editing, enhancing, and burning audio files.

Mixcraft is the most costly application we examined for music recording and audio engineering, but it is also the most flexible. Over 7,900 loops, special filters, effects, samplers, and digital instruments are available in the Mixcraft library. You may also stack as many sub-mixes as you like, giving you complete control over the sound of each recording. The program provides all typical effects and editing tools, such as equalizers, faders, and reverbing options. In addition to reducing or eliminating background noise, it can also edit silences.

Nevertheless, creating stereo audio from a mono file is impossible. The major drawback of this application is the lack of a voice-activated recorder. No burning or tearing options are another small disadvantage.

Pros:

• Pitch correction
• Plug-in support
• 7900 loops, effects and filters
• Integrated recording timer

Cons:

• No burning and ripping options
• No availability on Mac

Rate: 4.5/5
Buy it on: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MZFF1IQ

The Mac already had a long history of GarageBand, which allowed users to make songs using straightforward controls and a large collection of instruments and prepared loops. The iOS version, on the other hand, required Apple to come up with new methods to record music using just a trackpad, and we believe they did an excellent job. AudioBus is now supported in GarageBand's newest edition, allowing you to record effects and sounds from other music programs into GarageBand songs.

Once opening GarageBand, you can begin making music right away. Kickstart by selecting an instrument from the list and then experimenting with the several settings available in GarageBand. With GarageBand, you have the option to operate real-time or Smart Instruments, which will take care of the hard work for you.

Each instrument has a distinct sound and feels that you may enjoy when playing it. Certain instruments feature additional controls such as effects boxes that you may switch on and off to enhance your sound qualities. The only drawback of GarageBand at this expense is that it is a little difficult to use at first. Still, with enough effort, anybody can master it.

Pros:

• Possible adjustment of more than 1 track at once
• Different MP3 sizes to export

Cons:

• Large project files
• Inconsistent EQ edition

Rate: 4.5/5

Buy it on: https://www.apple.com/ios/garageband/

An Audition subscription may be purchased as a stand-alone product or part of Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription. Those in the industry may recall Cool Edit Pro, a program lauded for its ease of use and extensive feature list. In 2003, Adobe acquired Syntrillium and developed Audition as a spiritual successor to that software.

Even though Adobe Audition is primarily designed for podcast creation, you can still use it for musical purposes despite the lack of MIDI support. For example, a track can be isolated from the rest in Adobe's DAW so that you can work on it to remove the background hum. Audition's dynamic noise reduction feature makes it easy to get rid of a buzzing sound: it allows you to choose a quiet part, and Audition will use this reference to remove any frequencies that cause noises.

There is a good chance Adobe Audition is already installed on your computer if you have the Creative Cloud subscription already. It is an excellent toolkit for audio engineering; however, better solutions are available elsewhere if you are looking for music composition.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Multiple Creative Cloud benefits
  

Cons:

• Required subscriptions
• Lacking MIDI support

Rate: 4.3/5
Buy it here: https://www.adobe.com/products/audition

For a good reason, Audacity is one of the most widely used audio and voice editing applications on the market. Even though it's free, it has all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a qualified voice recorder. Moreover, it works on all major operating systems, including Linux, Windows 10, and macOS.

Thanks to its user-friendly UI, beginners will have no trouble using Audacity. External equipment can be quickly and easily connected and set up so that you can record, adjust, blend, and polish your work before uploading it. Also included are tools to analyze the sound frequency and extract sound from video clips.

However, it is mostly aimed towards podcasters and voice actors rather than those who wish to record multi-layer music tracks. Or put it another way, because it is more of an audio editor than a full-fledged DAW, any changes you make will erase the prior version of your audio.

Pros:

• Free version available
• High compatibility to multiple systems
• Feature-rich interface

Cons:

• No non-destructive editing
• No beat-producing tools

Rate: 4.3/5

Buy it on: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1936906341

With WavePad, even a complete newbie may record their voice with ease and intensity. It lets you convert audio files and supports a wide range of file formats. Most importantly, WavePad can mix and divide audio files, adjust silences, decrease or remove background noises, incorporate special filters and effects, and even transform a mono audio track into stereo.

The program's interface is simple and easy to facilitate a seamless workflow. It achieves an excellent level of feature parity without sacrificing usability. The toolbars will change as you switch between tabs to organize functions and features better. Customize the toolbar to add or remove any tool to create the workspace you desire.

Hundreds of effects and filters are available in WavePad, many of which are fully automatable. Sound effects like distortion, reverb, and delay are a breeze to use. With this software, you can even magnify, reverse, and fade out your songs.

Pros:

• 20 filters and effects
• Easy operation
• High compatibility with multiple file formats

Cons:

• Time-consuming click and pop removal
• Limited fade options

Rate: 4.3/5
Buy it here: https://www.nch.com.au/

Do you want a 225KB download for a full-featured editor that supports VST FX and ASIO? Wavosaur's programming is tight and then some. This free audio editor, despite its small size, has many functions. They include the power to change bit rates, construct, apply and convert volume envelopes, slice, split, chop, and detect beats, as well as equalize and more.

Wavosaur is super fast and non-destructive, meaning you can go back and reverse your changes with no need to load the original file. Note that chorus, flange, reverb, and compression are all missing from Wavosaur. Instead, the application makes use of VST plugins. That is the probable reason why it is so compactly arranged. You can purchase some on Wavosaur pages if you do not have your own to use beforehand.

The Wavosaur user interface is functional despite its dated design. There are multiple toolbars around the editor window, which either stay firm on their spot or float freely depending on your preferences.

Pros:

• Fast processing
• High compatibility with most file formats
• Advanced features

Cons:

• No tempo and pitch change

Rate: 4.1/5

Get it at: https://www.wavosaur.com/

Even though RecordPad is part of a broader set of digital audio programs developed by NCH Software, it may be used as a stand-alone recording tool to handle numerous sources of audio streams. Still, it is possible to supplement and extend its functionalities with other apps. The loop-cable approach and default program settings enable you to collect audio from any source, including the internet, a line-in port, or your computer's playbacks.

Using this qualified program, you can easily record, extract, burn audio, or plan future recordings. However, you may need to activate a plugin to edit, convert, or burn files. Reverb, noise removal, pop/click extraction, fade, and equalizing are just a few of the tools available to you if you wish to work with your audio on RecordPad.

Nevertheless, it is worth noting that the major downside of the program is its restricted file format support. While other apps serve a range of audio formats, this one only works with MP3, WAV, and FLAC.

Pros:

• Varied recording functions
• High compatibility for ripping and burning

Cons:

• No format changing option
  

Rate: 3.9/5

Buy it here: https://www.nchsoftware.com/

Avid Pro Tools continues to be one of the greatest computer-based digital recording alternatives available, with unrivaled workflow efficiency. Over the years, the corporation has put in a lot of effort to fine-tune the software to run smoothly. Every advancement has been solely practical. Avid's innovations have been developed to simplify the production process, a stark contrast from hardware and analog alternatives.

Avid Pro Tools has a two-window interface that keeps things simple to use. Everything is accessible from the main window. The editing task is done in-line, without the need for additional windows to pop up. Avid has phased out the outdated plugin formats in favor of a new AAX framework designed to compensate for latency. It has a 64-bit audio codec that allows for excellent memory space. Whatever the size of the project, it performs to its full potential. You may use the track-freeze and monitor commands to prioritize essential tasks and remove unnecessary assets.

An indicator will also alert you if you begin writing over a file. It is possible to trim the beginning and finish of two clips at once should their start and end marks overlap. You may easily make crossfades with the help of the fade manipulator. There will be no phase difficulties while mixing since it automatically adjusts for noticeable delays.

Pros:

• Controls over individual clips
• Seamless transfer among users

Cons:

• MIDI Production
• Plugin lags

Rate: 3.9/5

Buy it here: https://www.avid.com/pro-tools

Finally, a fantastic audio recorder for musicians has been discovered! GarageBand provides an all-in-one solution for editing both voice and music, whereas Ardour focuses mainly on the augmentation of recorded voice. Ardour is a joy to learn and work with with a simple and intuitive user interface. This DAW is quite similar to others, except it is completely free. It can record, mix, edit soundtracks, and even play in the studio or live concerts.

The product features include almost everything a creative professional might require. The fact that it suits almost every current operating system is a remarkable feat in and of itself. Plus, Ardour allows you to record and edit many audio tracks at once. You may also mix your tracks by importing MIDI files from a free audio database or your computer's hard disk.

Still, crashes and other issues are a problem for many software users. Even when accessible, the Undo feature may be demanding at times. Multiple song alignment and beat-matching are also cumbersome: Working on a single song appears to be Ardour's strong suit instead of multiple songs at once.

Pros:

• Linear interface
• LADSPA plugin supports
• Inline mixing console

Cons:

• Not user-friendly
• Sluggish navigation

Rating: 3.8/5

Get it here: https://ardour.org/

OcenAudio is an intelligent audio editing program that takes off the whole burden of audio editing and recording for its users. As a result, it is a device that begs users' attention, especially those who need a lot more automatic reaction from their editing software. OcenAudio is now one of the most effective inter-platform audio editors in wide circulation.

Now, OcenAudio is a fantastic audio recording device, but it is most known for its ability to work as a superb and powerful editor. The tool's numerous complex functionality is wrapped up in a user interface that is both visually appealing and intuitive to use. Users may utilize the program to create many audio effects and listen to them in real-time while the editing process is still operating.

Also available is the option to choose numerous separate segments of the same file to edit, listen to, or add effects to at the same time. It can function flawlessly on all operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and Mac.

Pros:

• No fees
• Customized plugins

Cons:

• No multiple-track edition
• No option for altering and organizing filters
• Time-consuming copying and pasting

Rate: 3.7/5

Get it here: https://www.ocenaudio.com/