Comparing The Most Popular Sound Editing Programs

Comparing the Most Popular Sound Editing Programs
Introduction
For many multimedia designers, the issue of adding audio is a problematic one.
There is little doubt that adding audio can enhance a multimedia experience, and there are
authoring programs such as Macromedias Director and Flash that allow designers to add
digitized audio with relative ease. However, it is difficult to acquire usable digitized
audio. Using commercial digitized audio may involve the necessity of obtaining
permission. Furthermore, creating digitized audio used to require expensive equipment
and professional handling. Nonetheless, as sound editing becomes more accessible to the
masses, so do the possibilities.
Significance of the Topic
Understanding the use and capabilities of sound editors is an important step for a
multimedia designer. It is only with this understanding that a multimedia designer can
make informed decisions about what is needed to create the quality sound desired.
Depending on the project and the platform a multimedia project will be distributed, the
sound produced by a sound editor may vary in a permissible range. The platform on
which a sound will be edited must also be taken into consideration. Furthermore, cost of
the editor, ease of use, and the options offered all must also factor in the decision of
choosing a sound editor. Therefore, it is with these factors in mind that the most popular
sound editors were compared.
Steps to Digitizing Audio
If a multimedia designer would like to record some sound on an analog tape, and
then digitize the sound for a project, there are several items he or she must remember.
First, let us assume that the designer already has a sound on a cassette tape. The designer
must be able to connect a tape recorder to a computer using an AV cable. To do this, the
computer must have a AV sound card. This is not a standard issue card for most personal
computers and is usually bought separately. The sound is then captured into a computer
with the use of a sound editor. At this point, the sound selection may be manipulated in
several ways. After editing, the sound editor also saves the selection in a digitized format
for use in multimedia projects (Adams, 2001). This study does not look at various
analogs recorders or how to use audio for websites. Instead, this study looks only at the
sound editors used to capture and edit analog sound.
The Programs Under Consideration
There are four programs that seem to be the most popular: Sound Forge, Sound
Edit 16, Cool Edit, and Peak. To be sure, there are other editing programs out there,
such as Steinberg Wavelab (English, 2001), but this study focuses on programs that are
currently the most popular and under $400. However, keep in mind that the field of
digitizing audio sounds is expanding rapidly. Will Strauss of the market research firm
Forward Concepts explains that, Digital audio technologies are driving the consumer
entertainment market(Computing: Digital, 2000). This means that consumers can
expect to see more editors come out on the market as the technology hurries to expand
home audio editing programs.
First Consideration: The Platform
Once upon a time, it was a Mac world, digital audio-wise.Pity the poor
Windows enthusiast who tried to touch true quality. Audio editing and recording on a
PC has come into its own since then(Connell, 1999, p. 1). Interestingly enough, the
most popular programs are not cross-platform. You must choose whether to use a Mac or
a PC. Sound Edit 16 (from Macromedia) and Peak (from BIAS) are both for Macs, while
Sound Forge (from Sonic Foundry) and Cool Edit (from Syntrillium) are for PCs.
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Second Consideration: The Price
Surprisingly, there is quite a range. Sonic Foundrys Sound Forge for PC is the
most expensive, at around $300 (Sonic Foundry, 2001). BIAS Peak for Mac is the next
one in line, at around $250 (Preger, 1999). Sound Edit 16 for Mac is around $120, while
the cheapest is Cool Edit for PC, the light version of which runs only about $50 (Connell,
1999).
Third Consideration: The Output Quality
Not at all surprisingly, Sound Forge for PC is often stated as the best; it is hailed
as probably the best two-track audio recording and editing software available for
Windows(Louderback, 1999, p. 2). However, this program is often used by the
professionals in the music business. Therefore, those of us interested in simply adding
sound to a website can use any of the others. Keep in mind that some players, such as
MP3, highly compress sound (Matthews, 2000), so the end product may not sound much
different from that which was digitally re-mastered using the most expensive editing
equipment.
Forth Consideration: Ease of Use, Options, Popularity
All four editors can handle resolutions of at least 16-bit, and two at 32-bit, an
important aspect considering that the best output will come if all editing is done in the
highest resolution possible (Adams, 2001). All have cool functions and add-ons.
However, only one of the programs, Cool Edit, was often described as easy to use by
beginners (Chaikin, 1996). When people discuss sound editing, Cool Edit was the most
cited editor, and therefore wins the popularity contest (Chaikin, 1996; Connell, 1999;
Adams, 2001; Louderback, 1999).
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Summary
For the best bang for your buck, Cool Edit for PC seems to win hands down. The
cost is low, offers Aural Fetish Fun (Chaikin, 1996), is easy to use, and comes with all
the necessary options for good-enough quality for basic sound. However, if you would
rather work in a Mac platform, Sound Edit 16, an older tried and true program that still
offers much for a small price, would be the editor for you if all you want are simple
sound tracks. If you want something a bit more complicated, then opt for Peak for Macs.
References Used
Adams, P. (2001, March 13). Setting up and audio recording workstation. Webmonkey
[Online serial]. Available:
hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/01/11/index1a.html?tw=multimedia
Chaikin, A. (1996, January). Aural fetish fun. Wired [Online serial].4, Available:
www.wired.com/wired/archive/4.01/streetcred.html?pg=12
Computing: Digital sound system in your palm. ZDNet News [Online serial]. Available:
www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2666019,00.html
Connell, T. (1999, May 24). Cool Edit Pro 1.01. The Tapeless Studio [Online serial].
Available: tapeless.com/studio/cool_edit.html
English, D. (2001, May 3). Steinberg Wavelab 3.0. ZDNet Reviews [Online serial].
Available: www.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,2715082,00.html
Louderback, J. (1999, August 17). Commentary: From sound waves to MP3. ZDNet
News [Online serial]. Available:
www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2315695,0.html
Matthews, C. (2000, November 20). Commentary: Talk Back Central: MP3 players are
all hype. ZDNet News [Online serial]. Available:
www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/comment/0,5859,2666977,00.html
4
Preger, A. (1999, September). The role of digital audio editing in education: A review of
BIAS Peak 2.03. MusicTech [Online serial]. Available:
software.schoolmusic.com/articles/20/index.asp
Sonic Foundry Sound Forge 5.0. ZDNet Reviews [Online serial]. Available:
www.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,2701901,00.html
Related Links
http://www.bias-inc.com - For information about Peak
http://www.syntrillium.com - For information about Cool Edit
http://www.sonicfoundry.com - For information about Sound Forge
http://www.macromedia.com/software/sound/ - For information about Sound Edit 16
This paper was written by Ondrea Quiros for the course EDC385G Multimedia Authoring at the University
of Texas - Austin

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Comparing The Most Popular Sound Editing Programs

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Comparing the Most Popular Sound Editing Programs

Significance of the Topic

Steps to Digitizing Audio

The Programs Under Consideration

First Consideration: The Platform

Third Consideration: The Output Quality

Forth Consideration: Ease of Use, Options, Popularity

http://www.syntrillium.com - For information about Cool Edit

http://www.sonicfoundry.com - For information about Sound Forge

http://www.macromedia.com/software/sound/ - For information about Sound Edit 16

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