It’s no secret that audio is one of the biggest sources of media in the world. Whether you’re jamming out to Ariana Grande in your bedroom, listening to the New Orleans Saints ball out on Sunday afternoon, or listening to your favorite podcast on your way to work, audio is important to all of us.
If you’re creating audio, finding the right program to do audio editing is important. If you’re using a Mac you already have the right hardware for the job, now you just need to find the right software.
Whether you’re setting out to be the next big electronic producer, recording a podcast about your favorite television shows, or just making a cute ringtone or voice greeting for a loved one, we have the software for you.
Read on for our choices for the best applications to edit audio files on mac, from the free and easy to the complicated, high-end software.
Audacity
Audacity is one of the most popular audio editing apps, and for good reason. The free, open-source software has been around for years and is extremely popular for smaller projects.
Audacity supports a ton of different audio file types including the always popular mp3 and WAV files. The program also allows you to voice record directly into the application.
While not the most powerful program, it’s extremely user-friendly and allows you to mix a lot of tracks at the same time. It’s a great program for making demos and it’s very simple and helpful for podcasting.
If you’re looking to create complex mastered music, keep on reading, but for ease of use and price, Audacity can’t be beaten.
Avid Pro Tools
Pro Tools is one of the most popular apps in the music industry, and a standard for anyone trying to create professional music using their Mac.
Avid Pro Tools allows up to a whopping 128 tracks per session with 32 inputs. That’s a lot of recording power. It also has over 60 plugins to help you along the way.
This is not an app you can just pick up and start making music with. You’ll need to read quite a few tutorials, enlist the help of a seasoned pro, or at least watch a bunch of YouTube videos.
There is a free version of Avid Pro Tools, but it doesn’t truly harness the power that is meant to be used by Pro Tools. Consider it more of a trial run. Avid Pro Tools First is too complex to be used for simple audio production, but not powerful enough to use it for what Pro Tools is meant to be used for. However, if you want to get the hang of Pro Tools before you commit to paying for it, Pro Tools First is a good start.
If you want to go all-in, Avid Pro Tools is still affordable for professional audio production, with monthly plans around $30 and the entire program at $599 for life.
GarageBand
Anyone who has ever owned a mac knows about GarageBand. It’s literally probably what you used to make music for the band that you started in your garage in high school.
As one of the oldest and most popular apps for making music on Macs, there are hundreds of guides for maximizing the potential of this relatively simple app, https://setapp.com/how-
GarageBand is primarily used for making music with all of its instrument sounds, but it can also be useful as audio editing software. It’s popular with podcasting as well since it has voice-optimizing features and is easy to use.
Best of all, GarageBand is free and is most likely already on your Macbook when you purchase it. You can also download it for free onto your iPhone for making audio while on the go.
Apple Logic Pro X
GarageBand isn’t the only audio editing program created by Apple, and it certainly isn’t the most advanced. Welcome to Apple Logic Pro X.
Apple Logic Pro X is a powerful audio editing app that is still accessible for those who are just dipping their toes into the audio editing world.
The software comes with a ton of instruments and sound effects bundled in, allowing you to make complex music at the press of a button. The program allows you to create projects that feature hundreds of instruments at the same time and meld a ton of tracks together.
If you’re looking for the professional quality of Avid Pro Tools with a little more simplicity, Apple Logic Pro X is where it’s at. And with a price tag of $199. It’s more accessible for your pocketbook as well.
Adobe Audition
Adobe makes a plethora of amazing software, whether you’re editing audio, video, or photos. Adobe Audition is their audio editing software, and it’s another great professional-level editing app.
One advantage of choosing Adobe Audition over other professional programs is that Adobe has a full library of tutorials already included, so you can learn how to edit audio directly from the program.
Adobe Audition also integrates with other Adobe programs, so you can add audio to your video projects, or whatever else you’re working on.
Like most Adobe products, Adobe Audition offers monthly plans in addition to buying the entire thing. The software isn’t cheap, but if you’re going to create high-quality audio it’s totally worth it.
Other Applications to Edit Audio Files On Mac
While these are some of the best applications to edit audio files on Mac, they certainly aren’t the only ones that are worth checking out.
OcenAudio is another free audio editor that is easy to use and supports a ton of different file types. If you want an alternative to Audacity, this is the app for you.
Ableton Live is the highest-end audio program and mostly used for live recording. However, this app is also extremely well-suited for audio editing.
Now that you have all the info you need on audio editing programs, keep reading for more info on sports and everything else, right here at your fingertips!
