Audio Editing Software

Audio editing tools enable you to record and edit sound as if you're using a word processor. You can cut, copy, paste, delete and arrange sound clips any way you want. Many of these applications allow you do edit on multiple tracks which makes if very easy to add background music and sound effects to produce a truly professional quality sound. After you've edited each track, you can mix the tracks down to a single MP3 file for your podcast.

Audacity Audio Editing Software

Audacity is a free, easy to use multi-track audio editor recorder. When you download Audacity, you should also grab the LAME MP3 encoder which you will need to export the Audacity wav file to an MP3 format.

• Audacity Software Manuals(http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/documentation)
  
• Audacity Software Tutorials(http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/audacity-tutorial.html)

Sound Forge 8 Recording & Editing Software is a powerful two track audio recording and editing program.(http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/products/soundforgefamily.asp)

Sound Forge Audio Studio is the light version of Sound Forge 8. (http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/products/soundforgefamily.asp)

Garage Band 2 is an excellent audio recording and editing program from the Apple that comes bundled with the iLife series. Garage Band is good for both recording and mixing sound, but you'll need something more for serious editing.(http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/)

• iLife ’06 Multimedia Tutorials: GarageBand - Apple web site provides a tutorial for using GarageBand. (http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/garageband/)
  

Pro Tools Free from Digidesign - a light version of a professional quality audio editing program known as Pro Tools. Pro Tools is a high-end professional quality audio editing program.(http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm)

BIAS Peak 5 (http://www.bias-inc.com/)- a premiere but expensive audio editing program

DSP-Quattro 2 (http://www.i3net.it/Products/dspQuattro)- another high end audio editing program for the Mac.

Audition (http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/)- Formerly known as Cool Edit Pro, Audition is a powerful multitrack recording and mixing program from Adobe for the Windows platform.

n-Track Studio (http://fasoft.com/)- n-Track Studio is an inexpensive multitrack recording and mixing program for Windows. Cost only $49 for the limited edition and about $75 for the full version.

Additional Sound Recording Applications

Other applications specialize in just sound recording. Some of these are used for taking sound directly from other applications in addition to traditional input devices like microphones. If you needed to record audio from Skype, for example, some of the applications below will make that possible.

Total Sound Recorder (http://highcriteria.com/)- Total Sound Recorder is an inexpensive recording application for Windows. It will record from all of the standard input sources as well as other software applications.

Virtual Audio Cable 3 (http://ntonyx.com/vac.htm)- also records directly from Skype