An online audio editor for humans. Cut, copy, record and export to mp3 or wav files. Even though Audacity's interface may look a bit outdated, this cross-platform audio recorder and editor is still one of the best podcast recording software products you can find.
Audio recording software is a necessary thing when it comes to audio recording and related tasks. Whether it is for the basic sound recording needs or professional audio production, these software tools will help you in the process. They will not only help you to record audio but will also let you create professional outputs by letting you edit them as per your needs. But as the audio recording is our primary intention, we are now concentrating on the 12 best audio recording software.
12 Best Software to Record Audio
Most of the below-listed items are free recording software so that you don't have to worry about the money. However, it may include some paid applications as well because the quality of the service is also a factor that we considered during the sorting process. If you are not planning to buy a premium audio recording tool, you may skip the paid tools. Below is the best audio recording software.
1. Audacity
Audacity is a free open source digital audio editor and recording software developed by The Audacity Team. The software was first introduced on May 28, 2000, which makes it 17 years old as of now. Audacity lets you record audio from multiple input devices such as an external microphone, a built-in microphone, or even the PC streaming. The high-quality sound clips will be added to the interface allowing you to edit them further. You can control many audio features such as amplification, noise reduction, silence removal, etc.
The software is available for Windows, OS X, Linux, and other operating systems and supports almost all popular audio formats including such as MP3, WAV, FLAC, and OGG. So, if you are searching for the best audio recorder, Audacity is the answer.
2. MixCraft
MixCraft is nothing less than a fast, reliable, and efficient audio recording tool. MixCraft is developed by the Acoustica team well known for its software contributions. Powered by a lightning-fast sound engine, it is a complete audio production suite. Unlike Audacity, you have to pay a few dollars to enjoy the complete benefit of the software. However, a free trial version is provided by the company. Mixcraft is available for all the Windows versions and supports almost all of the popular formats.
3. Presonus Studio One Free
Presonus Studio One is a professional audio editing software which also allows recording it. Available for both Windows and Mac versions, this software is a dream of any DAW user. It contains a bunch of professional functions all are helpful for producing high-quality music content. If you are not satisfied with the free features of the Presonus Studio One, you could go for the premium version where tons of new features added.
4. Sonar
Sonar provides the most advanced audio editing environment among the software on this list. It supports some extra audio formats such as WAV, ASF, WMA, and AIFF. It is available for all Windows versions including Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP. Sonar The software consists of numerous functions like mixers and MIDI keyboards which are all helpful to product stunning audio outputs. In addition, virtual machines like samplers, drum machines, and synthesizers are also there in the software.
5. Reaper
Reaper is a lightweight audio editing application with a simple interface and comparatively professional functions. The clean interface is the most attractive feature of this sound tool. You could control the audio features like the stereo, surround sound, as well as the effects like pitch shift, cross-fade, and snap to grid. Reaper is available for both Mac and PC systems and supports audio formats including FLAC, MOV, W64, AIFF in addition to the usual formats.
6. Muse
Muse is an audio sequencer and recorder software dedicated to the Linux OS. If you are a Linux user, you should consider Muse above any of the above applications. You can record from the input sources in both stereo/mono modes. It also supports real-time audio recording. It is a free audio recorder and has no premium versions to upgrade. So, it is very likely for Linux users.
7. Ocenaudio
Ocenaudio is a good audio editing software with a good number of useful features. Being a fast audio editor, the software performs quite nicely in the recording part as well. The software offers numerous audio effects like 31 band equalizer, flanger, chorus, multiple filters, etc. It is one of the most popular audio editing tool for PC, Linux, Ubuntu, and Mac operating systems. Ocenaudio is completely free to use and supports the formats including MP3, WAV, and AIFF.
8. AudioDope
AudioDope is yet another tool that allows editing music files or other audio files. With minimal features, the software is still helpful for both basic audio editing needs and advanced needs. It contains a full audio waveform analysis to improve the quality of the recorder audio file. It features numerous audio filters and effects like high/low pass filters, normalization, pitch scale, chorus, and reverb. AudioDope is currently available for PC and completely free to use. The software also supports extending the features using the VST plug-ins like compressors and phrases. It is a must-try.
9. Wavosaur
Wavosaur is another free audio editor in this list for editing, processing, and recording sounds. The best thing that we attracted to this tool is its small file size. The software is only about 1.5MB in size and allows editing huge audio files. The lightweight interface is a sweetening factor of this tool that never failed to provide extreme performance on the editing and recording process. It has no price and is available for all Windows versions.
10. Ardour
Ardour is an open-source DAW available for the Mac and Linux operating systems. It has the most useful multi-track recording feature alongside many other useful functionalities. Some cons of the software include the lack of built-in effects and filters and the unavailability of the Windows version. If you are ready to adjust to these issues, Ardour also is a good software to record audio.
11. NCH Music Recording Software
NCH is a very old program that allows different operations related to recording music, mixing audio, editing music, etc. It is available for both Windows and Mac platforms with professional functions packed inside. If you are not a fan of any of the above-listed programs, the NCH music recorder is a good choice. A free trial version is available in case you want to give it a try before paying some of your hard-earned money on it. So, don't hesitate to try NCH.
12. Rosegarden
Rosegarden is another music editor and recorder software which is specially developed for the Linux users. So if you are a proud Linux OS user, you should try this recording software for Linux. The powerful recording system on this tool is capable of capturing crystal clear sound. After finishing the recording, you will be able to edit the recordings as per your requirements. It is a must-try for the Linux users.
Which one is your favorite audio recording software?
Which audio recorder software will you choose for your audio editing needs? Would you go for free software or a premium one? Let us know your thoughts. Also, don't forget to recommend any other tools which we missed to include in this top audio recording software list.
This post covers top Audio Recording Software For Windows 10, 8, 7 PC & Laptop users. The list has various voice recorder programs that are suitable for both beginners & advanced users. So, whether you're looking for the best free music recording software that can help you in your school/college project or a professional sound recording program, the list is for all!
Table Of Contents:
1. WavePad
2. Mixcraft 9
3. RecordPad
4. Avid Pro Tools
5. Streaming Audio Recorder
6. Sound Forge
7. Adobe Audition
8. Zynewave Podium
9. i-Sound Recorder
10. Audacity
11. GarageBand
12. Free Audio Recorder
13. Ardour
14. Windows Voice Recorder
PART 1: List Of Top 14 Best Audio Recording Software For Windows 10, 8, 7
Explore our complete list of the best sound recorders for Windows PC. The first ten options are paid, while others are available to download for free or have freemium versions. So you get the list of best free music recording software as well in this article.
Best Paid Audio Recorder Software
1. WavePad
We are starting our list of top picks with the most accessible software to record & edit your audio files effortlessly. When it comes to professional audio recording, WavePad is a powerful option; you should not miss it. It offers you to do separately as well as multi-channel recordings. Hence, with this best audio recorder software, you can easily mix your audio to create a new one. This is available as sound recorder for Windows 10 and other versions as well as for Mac, Android and iOS devices.
Key Features:
- Offers a feature to create a bookmark, so that you can edit long audio conveniently.
- You can find various tools to scrub, search audio files for precise recording & editing.
- It has tons of effects, filters that can be applied both manually & automatically.
- Allows you to add distortion, reverb or delay to your songs.
- You can even amplify, reverse, fade out or equalize tracks with ease.
- It allows you to customize the toolbar to create an optimal workspace.
- Reduce or eliminate background noise in a few clicks.
PROS:
- Extremely easy to use.
- It has high compatibility with almost all file formats.
- Integrate filters & special effects for best outcomes.
- It has a clean interface, designed to encourage smooth workflow.
Video editing software for pc open source. CONS:
- Technical support is available only with pricey versions
PRICE: $69.95
2. Mixcraft 9
Designed & developed by musicians for musicians, Mixcraft is an amazing tool and one of the best audio recording software in the market. Best known for its ease-of-use & raw power, Mixcraft allows you to record & and mix your audio tracks to perfection. It presents an incredibly intuitive interface with nearly-universal support for third-party plug-ins for best professional results.
Key Features:
- Complete recording studio with unlimited features to edit, crop & crossfade sounds.
- Allows you to add tons of effects, mix & automate audios to master your project.
- Offers a huge library with over 7500+ professional loops, music beds & other sound effects.
- Lets you save the outcome in WAV, MP3 & other file formats.
- Built-in Freesound.org browsing & import functionalities.
- Has implausible features for live performance & loop-based compositions.
- Packed with lots of plug-ins like iZotope, Melodyne Essentials, Voltage Modular Ignite & more.
- Automation tools to create perfect MIDI patterns.
PROS:
- It allows you to rip & burn audios as well.
- Provides several handy tools to edit & enhance audio files.
CONS:
- It might take some time for newbies to learn the audio recorder software.
PRICE: $75
3. RecordPad
A leader in business audio technology, RecordPad is the best voice recording software with a huge bunch of features to record, rip & burn sounds. The standalone recording program supports audio feeds from multiple channels. You can certainly rely on this audio recording software program for perfect digital presentations, audiobook creation or simple message recording purposes.
Key Features:
- It allows you to save recordings on your PC in MP3, WAV, AIFF, or WAV file format.
- Record audios & perform other tasks using Hotkeys.
- Send recordings over an email or upload it on the FTP server directly from the software.
- Allows you to integrate with WavePad Pro Editing Tool to edit & add effects to sounds.
- A plethora of filters & effects like reverberation, equalize, fade in/out & more.
- The audio recorder software is available for Windows, Mac, Linux & Android.
PROS:
- The High-quality voice recorder for PC is quick & easy to use.
- Ideal tool for recording audios that can be added to digital presentations.
- Robust audio recording program for professionals.
- Configurable interface.
- File compression possible.
CONS:
- Compatible with a few file formats only.
PRICE: $29.99
Also Read: The Best Ways To Remove Audio From Videos on Windows, Android, and iOS
4. Avid Pro Tools
Pro Tools is an ultimate mixing software and sound recorder for Windows 10. Pro Tools is the software to use for turning music into magic. There are three main versions of this best audio recording software program. Pro Tools First, Pro Tools & Pro Tools Ultimate. Its subscription-based pricing system might confuse you, but at its simplest, new users can purchase the licensed version of Pro Tools for best outcomes.
Key Features:
- Pro Tools First, is the basic version & a free audio recording software designed for students, musicians & podcasters.
- Pro Tools is designed with industry-standard audio-production utilities for producers, songwriters.
- Pro Tools Ultimate is packed with demanding tools & features for music and audio post-production needs.
- Pro Tools the native version is packed with a decent selection of virtual instruments.
- Offers auxiliary tracks, video tracks, pre-sets, MIDI editor, loop record track comping & more.
PROS:
- Free Trial is available for all three versions.
- Comprehensive control surface support.
CONS:
- Plugins can get quite expensive.
- It doesn't cooperate with third-party interfaces much.
PRICE: $29.99
5. Adobe Audition
Adobe offers some recommendable products, but did you know it even has an audio recording software program for Windows 10 amongst its other offerings? Well, its Adobe Audition, a professional sound workstation with an extensive set of features to create podcasts and other audio recording clips. Its robust toolkit has all the features to record & edit audios quickly.
Key Features:
- The suite has a plethora of features to produce crisp, high-quality sound to your audio clips.
- Has several noise reduction tools for HD sound output.
- Allows you to adjust the levels for each speaker's voice & eliminates disparity in pitch.
- Adobe Audition offers a wide range of effects & plug-ins.
- Make the most out of real-time clip stretching & parameter automation.
- Enjoy the automatic voice alignment feature as well.
PROS:
- Multi-format & multi-track editing possible.
- Quick & intuitive editing simplifies the recording & mixing.
- An excellent voice recorder software for adjusting & performing the audio restoration.
CONS:
- Have to purchase the entire Adobe Suite to access Audition, an audio recorder program.
- For some users, the price & system requirements could be a problem.
- It can only be purchased on a subscription basis.
PRICE: $74.99 for monthly basis & $49.99 for a year
6. Streaming Audio Recorder
Did you know which is the best audio recording software for Windows 10,8,7, when it comes to supporting variable input formats? Well, Apowersoft Streaming Audio Recorder is an excellent utility to consider. It's capable of recording sounds from music websites, audiobooks, radio shows & even online conferences. The audio recorder features an incredible set of tools, let's have a look at them.
Key Features:
- Clean & user-friendly interface.
- Features an audio converter to help users convert audio into desired output formats.
- Add ID3 tags for music files, for easy searching based on the title, album, genre, year, artist, etc.
- Manipulate your recorded data such as merging them into a single file or eliminating extra or unwanted audio portions.
- Efficient file management system for renaming, removing & transferring files.
- Easy listening/playback features for quality check.
PROS:
- Record any kind of audio & yield high-quality outputs.
- Ideal audio recording software program for both novice & professional users.
- Compatible with Windows, iOS, macOS & Android.
CONS:
- Limited trial period.
PRICE: $23.97
Also Read: 14 Best Free Driver Updater Software For Windows 10, 8, 7
7. Sound Forge Pro 13
Sound Forge Pro 13 is an advanced audio recorder software & a little expensive than other professional counterparts. It offers a plethora of sound restoration tools to apply on recorded audios. The best part of using this voice recorder software is its entire interface & toolbar section that can be entirely customised according to user convenience.
Key Features:
- The latest version has VST2/3 engine & ARA2 interface extension.
- High-quality audio visualization tools.
- Sound Forge Pro 13 offers several new plug-ins & effects for cleaning audio files.
- Advanced features included to record high-resolution audio.
- Has a professional recording workflow to capture up to 32 audio channels.
- It has a threshold recording feature so that you can set a beginning, which is a recorder over using an input device.
- Add the Delay & Reverb effect using a wide array of tools.
- Eliminate uniform white noise.
PROS:
- It offers a one-touch recording feature to allow users to start recording with a single click.
- Record without necessarily being in both the recording & control room at the same time.
CONS:
- A bit clumsy to use, especially if you are used to any DAW program.
PRICE: $299
8. Zynewave Podium
Meet, Podium a modern Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) designed for Windows users only. The voice recorder tool supports both the recording and editing of audio & MIDI. It even hosts several VST instrument & effect plug-ins. It also offers an embedded editor that allows users to adjust settings without opening a new window. Users can easily zoom and click, change edges & so on.
Key Features:
- It's a modern production host that integrates audio recording, sound gear, external MIDI support & VST plug-ins.
- It allows you to color scheme files or set up a dialog to change the general appearance of the User Interface.
- Use Podium, the best audio recording software for creating songs, ambiance sounds, themes, or whatever ideas fly through your mind.
- One of the best sound recorder programs for post-production purposes.
PROS:
- Excellent UI & navigation is suitable for both novice and advanced users.
- It offers users to learn how to use the audio recorder program & how they can make the most out of the suite.
- The company regularly updates the software to fix bugs & known issues.
CONS:
- Low compatibility, available for only Windows platform.
- The demo version of the audio recorder software has certain restrictions.
PRICE: $50
9. i-Sound Recorder
An affordable audio recording option, i-Sound Recorder is a fundamental tool with some beneficial features. Ranging from the excellent audio input, ripping features, i-Sound Recorder also has an advanced recording scheduler & voice-activated feature set, which makes it stand out from its competitors. Some essential features include universal audio input, recording scheduler & voice-activated recording.
Key Features:
- It offers a record timer to define the duration of recordings.
- Advanced recording scheduler can be utilized to schedule future recording events with date, time, duration & repeating occurrences.
- Features like low pass, high pass & notch filters are available.
- Utilize the auto splitter functionality to fragment voice at set time intervals.
- Features a functionality to convert mono audio files to stereo.
- Has a built-in audio converter to change file formats.
- Unlike other audio recorder programs, i-Sound Recorder lets users add or edit metadata.
PROS:
- You can open & save files to MP3, OGG, FLAC, WAV, WMA & other file formats.
- The sound recorder software is moderately easy to use.
- This software includes ‘help files' to guide users about the product & how to use it.
CONS:
- Audio filters & effects are quite limited.
- Compatible with Windows 10, 7 & XP only.
PRICE: $29.95
Best Free Audio Recording Software
Check out some of the great options in Free Audio Recording Software category:
10. Audacity
Audacity is the most popular & useful name in the category of best free audio recording & editing software. With a clutter-free & straightforward dashboard, the program makes the recording sound a hassle-free process. The audio recorder is an ideal choice for recording live audio, such as podcasts or interviews. Additionally, you can use Audacity to edit sound files for professional results. All the features and simplicity of this tool make it the best free music recording software.
Key Features:
- Lets you record live audio via microphone or mixer.
- It allows you to digitize recordings from other media.
- Lets you import & edit sound files quickly & efficiently.
- Export recorded files in various file formats.
- Batch processing can be done.
- Multiple editing features available to create professional recordings.
- It offers a spectrogram view for frequency adjustments.
PROS:
- Ultra-complete yet straightforward graphical interface for more professional use.
- Excellent audio recorder software for freelancers.
- The file size is comparatively lighter than other sound recording programs, merely 62.5 MB.
- Supports Windows, macOS, Linux & Unix.
CONS: Apple magic wireless keyboard with numeric keypad.
- Several unknown bugs exist that make voice recorder software unstable sometimes.
- Certain aspects are complex to understand & not user-friendly.
Also Read: Best Duplicate Photo Finder Tools to Remove Duplicate Images
11. GarageBand
GarageBand is the best free audio recording software to record and create music in a multi-track sound environment. The voice recorder program helps individuals who love to create podcasts. With the motto, 'For Musicians: No Experience Is Needed', the voice recorder is designed with an intuitive interface packed with essential features that need to record your songs & instruments.
Key Features:
The free audio recorder software has a multi-track music sequencer to record multiple sound channels in a single song.
- Has a series of pre-sets that emulates several amplifiers & recording methods.
- It allows you to record audios using a regular or a MIDI keyboard.
- It offers synthesizers, pianos, choral sounds, guitars & more.
- Boasts a variety of templates & sound profiles for male & female voices.
- Bunch of sound effects, jingles & other audio elements are offered to users.
PROS:
- GarageBand UI offers sleek & easy to use experience.
- High-quality virtual instruments.
- Provides multi-touch features to trigger options for loop cells.
CONS:
- You have to record the correction on another track & cut/paste it.
12. Ardour
Popularly known as an advanced free & open-source digital audio workstation software. Ardour is a fantastic free audio recording tool designed for new as well as professional musicians. Packed with lots of features & backed with loads of add-ons & plug-ins, Ardour supports flexible recording with per-track adjustments. To enjoy advanced features, you can switch to its PRO version.
Key Features:
- Clean linear interface.
- Allows users complex mixer routings with multiple sound effects & filters.
- Gives users the capability to create & play virtual midi instruments.
- It offers multi-display support.
- The free audio recording software supports Linux, macOS, Windows.
PROS:
- Open-source & free audio recorder.
- There's no dedicated option to make a looping clip; you have to drag it to a new length so it auto-repeats.
CONS:
- Sometimes it gets too hard to find useful plug-ins.
13. Free Audio Recorder
Get the ability to record various kinds of sound inputs to MP3 & OGG file formats, with Free Audio Recorder. Use the tool to record audios from a CD player, microphone, tape cassette, Internet radio, line-in & almost anything you listen to from your PC. Free Audio Recorder is also capable of recording human voices via microphones. Its features set includes the following functionalities. The high quality voice recorder for the PC to save the voice samples locally on the device.
Key Features:
- Enjoy HD sound recording with Free Audio Recorder.
- It allows you to record & save audio formats like FLAC, AAC.
- Supports lots of DSP effects like tempo shift, noise remover, frequency filtering & so on.
- The audio recording tool works seamlessly with other volume sound mixers
PROS:
Free Sound Recorder And Editor
- Supports multiple sound inputs, ranging from audio/video playback, CD player, microphone & more.
- Supports modern sound cards: multi-channel/external/professional & more.
CONS:
- Limited sound filters & effects.
- Very basic audio recorder program.
14. Windows Voice Recorder
One of the best free music recording software for Windows with necessary features and options to record, trim, highlight important moments & share audio without any hassles. Windows Voice Recorder is an up-front program to record audios. You just need to have a microphone aside, if there's not one already built into the device you're using. It is the best voice recorder software for the beginners to try on.
Key Features:
- Start/Resume/Pause audio recording in just a click.
- Recorded audios are auto-saved & get stored in Documents folder for easy access.
- Lets you share recordings easily with friends & family.
- Features options to playback, trim, rename & delete audio recordings.
- It allows you to mark ‘key moments' in the recording.
PROS:
- Best free audio recording software available for PC, tablet & Windows phone.
- It doesn't eat much space on your system, merely 12.4 MB of space.
CONS:
Music Sound Recorder Software
- Doesn't receive regular updates for bug fixing or performance improvements.
PART 3: Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1. Which software is best for audio recording?
WavePad is a great utility to record high-quality audios on Windows PC. It features all the essential tools and options that an ideal audio recorder software has.
Best Sound Recorder And Editor Software
Q2. What is the best audio recording software for Windows 10?
Audio recording software for Windows 10 has to include certain features to become the best sound recording software. One that ensures features like necessary tools for recording, easy to use, has a wide variety of audio filters, special effects, provides technical assistance & has plenty of tools to edit audios. You can also use them as a voice recorder for windows 10.
Q3. What audio software do professionals use?
When selecting the best sound recording software, professionals look for all the features. Pro Tools is undoubtedly one of the most popular tools used by professionals & music production specialists. It features lots of advanced tools that make it one of the best audio recording software.
Q4. Is Pro Tools better than Audacity?
Pro Tools has certainly more features than Audacity, be its ability to record multiple tracks of audio at the same time or it always backs up your files while working with original copies for clients. It offers a user-friendly interface & you can certainly revert changes without having to start over again.
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