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Mac Sound Editor Please?
I am sitting in the lobby of my Seattle hotel with a beautiful MacBook Pro on my lap, kindly lent to me by Exbiblio on Monday. For the past 20 years I have been a PC / Windows user, but already I am looking with a scornful eye at the Compaqs and Dells of the other hotel guests. The Mac is a beautiful (expensive) and quite possibly elitist machine, and I love it. BUT, and this is a big but, I can’t for the life of me find a decent audio editor that runs on the Mac.
For my money, Sony Sound Forge (review) is the best sound editor in the world. Adobe Audition is the choice of many sound engineers. But neither have Mac editions. This is a huge gap waiting to be filled – surely. I’m trying to get to grips wth Apple’s Garage Band when I wake up from jet lag at 3am, but it just baffles me. Audacity is free, and I hate to knock it because it’s a noble effort, but its interface is horrible.
What makes Sound Forge so good? It’s the fact that you can place markers in your sound wave at the beginning at end of a region you want to select. You just double click between the markers to block that portion of the wave, and then cut or copy or transform or whatever. If you’ve ever tried scrolling back and forth along a sound wave you will know how easy it is to lose your place. Nobody else has made editing a wave as convenient as this.
[...] I’ve mentioned my search for a good sound editor on the Mac. Well I’ve found one. It’s Sony Sound Forge. Ah, but that’s Windows only, I hear you say. Ah yes, but with Parallels, you can run Windows on your Mac, so long as it’s one of the new ones with Intel inside. [...]
You may want to check out Freverse Software’s “Sound Studio.” (http://www.freeverse.com/soundstudio/). It’s a LOT cheaper than Sony’s Sound Forge, in OS X native, and is incredibly easy to use.
Thanks Ron, Will do, Hugh
It probably isnt the most powerful; audio editor in the world, but the easy to use features you wanted for selecting, and copying and pasting are there in iMovie. We actually use Audacity just to beef up the sound quality of the basic recording and then use iMovie to polish everything up for our podcasts. It is really simple and free of course.
I’ve been looking for a good sound editor to handle a variety of formats, minor edits, perhaps eq two different recordings, and can be used to import live from a mixer.
Audacity does the basic work, but it’s ability to work with different formats is limited – but you have to love the ability to drag your selection edges!
I demo’d the latest version of sound studio for a while, and then in the middle of a project after saving various times that day, it brought up a window saying it couldn’t save the file unless I purchaced it at that time. “Fine.” I thought, and clicked the register/buy now button but nothing happened? I thought maybe I could cpy/paste it into Audacity or some other Q&D trick to get me out with the last set of edits, since the buy button wasn’t working . No dice. So I haven’t gone back to that program.
I’ve worked with a friend’s earlier version of BIAS’ Peak DV LE program, that came with his final cut program. It seemed alright, and some hardy options, but when looking at the price, it makes me wonder if Apple’s Sound Studio Pro has the same thing with a little easiier funtionality? The kicker on that one is that it no longer comes separatly, so I’d be looking at $1200 rather than $280.
Then there’s Protools to look at too, which includes an auxillary line line box with it.
…I guess I’m still looking for the right program to work with.
Good luck in your search. Sound Studio is a good program for the money – I just have that bad experience lingering.
Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I think it all goes to show that there really is a need for a reasonably priced, top quality sound editor on the Mac. For now I’m using Sony Sound Forge with Parallels. I know the Mac enthusiasts will be horrified that I’m contaminating my MacBook with Windows, but it’s very hard for me to give up my favourite sound editor.
Since using the Mac, I’m amazed at the enthusiam that users have for it, and the desire to share information and make it even better.
As for the top notch, reasonably priced, Sound Editor on the Mac, the search goes on…
SndSampler (http://www.sndsampler.com) offers an editing feature with markers similar to the one you describe above. In this case you control-click between two markers and the segment between the markers becomes selected.
Bias Peak LE is a total piece of crap. It’s full of bugs, it crashes, it won’t ever work properly with plug-ins. The more expensive versions are little better. They should close up shop, up there at Bias, quit wasting their investors’ money on worthless products. Audacity doesn’t have nearly enough features. ProTools and MOTU’s AudioDesk and DP5 work well, but they use tons of system resources, and you cannot easily get the screen set up to do intensive editing on just a stereo file. Soundtrack works well but costs thousands. I am afraid you are just out of luck, until someone decides to develop something analogous to Sony’s Sound Forge, which is excellent.
I’ve been using Sound Studio 3 for a while, and I don’t really know about the issue that Shawn had. Sound Studio’s powerful, stable, and easy to use, and you can get a fully functional demo from freeverse’s website. I use it to make ringtones for my phone, pump up voice-mails that I can’t hear, and rip LP’s. I hear it’s good for podcasts too, although I don’t know how to do that.
And the price is right, at $80. I bought it just by going to the website.
I’ve been using Sound Studio 3 for a while, and I don’t really know about the issue that Shawn had. Sound Studio’s powerful, stable, and easy to use, and you can get a fully functional demo from freeverse’s website. I use it to make ringtones for my phone, pump up voice-mails that I can’t hear, and rip LP’s. I hear it’s good for podcasts too, although I don’t know how to do that.
And the price is right, at $80. I bought it just by going to the website.
Lucie is right. I actually bought Peak at their office in Petaluma. At the time, they seemed like an agreeable bunch. Once installed the problems started: crashing, missing features, erratic behavior. And when I tried working with them on the phone, zero support, one-hundred percent arrogance. And for the money I paid, to be treated like that. I’m an experience audio person; I’m not going to keep calling — that is, once I get over the hump. But they don’t like customers; they don’t want them to succeed. Sound Forge, on the other hand, is the greatest, most intuitive program ever done. You don’t bother about the poor tech support because everything works or is easy to figure out. Too bad I hate PCs. Guess I’ll have to buy a MacBook Pro and run Sound Forge on it. One question:Can you move file easily between the two platforms?
Hello Lucy – if you have an intel mac, you can transfer use parallels and transfer files easily between Windows and Max OS. Another approach is to use Apple’s free bootcamp program which loads windows separately.
Before you go to this trouble, try Sound Studio 3 http://www.freeverse.com/apps/app/?id=5012
I’ve just been playing with the free trial. It isn’t as powerful as SoundForge, but it’s simple and good at what it does. And it does have nice markers which you can insert, click into highlight, and then cut.
Hugh, I’ve switched almost completely to Amadeus Pro. I think it’s a one-man band operation like Sound Studio, which I explored two years ago and dropped on account of — I can’t really remember why.
I’ll try it again on your recommendation. Anything’s better than BIAS Peak. They got their name right: they’re biased against their customers!
I have just switched to a I-Mac, and wonder if there is anything like Sony Sound Forge For my mac. I Loved Sound Forge on my PC and may Go back to a PC If I can’t find a music platform like Sound Forge.
Hopeful Howard
Howard – since writing this piece I have come to agree with some of the people above. Sound Studio for mac is very good. It has most of the features of sound forge, including editing between markers. It’s also got a very clean interface.
http://www.freeverse.com/apps/app/?id=5012
Guys, you aren’t getting it… None of these programs touches sound forge for a very simple reason.
When I’m editing a sound, loop or whatever, and I’ve selected a region, I can actually go in and drag the beginning and end of those regions with my mouse. Trying to find the end of a drum loop in Sound studio 3? If you missed the END point, you have to highlight from the BEGINNING of the god damned loop and eyeball it.. This is rediculous, do you people actually USE these sound editors?
Oh, and looping, I want my F’n SELECTION to loop not the whole peace of music…. and I don’t want to hit play every time I nudge my start and endpoints.. every time it loops, it should recognize my CURRENT region, not the one I had last time I hit play.
Here’s a list of programs that will waste your time if you’re trying to do what I described above (which happens to be 100% of my job)
Amadeus – no deal
Sound Studio 3 – nope
Peak – no (not stable and really gray dull looking, causes depression)
Audacity – too much an eyesore for me to even TRY
Pro Tools – LIKELY.
Logic – unbelievably, NO!
Sound Studio 3 is the least offensive out of the ones listed above but for crying out loud, you mac guys have NO idea what you’re missing…..
I miss Sound Forge greatly…
update…
AMADEUS PRO – The ONLY program that seems to do it.
THanks everyone for clueing me in.. I’m MUCH MUCH HAPPIER now..
AMADEUS PRO does seem to function like Sound forge…
I’m here after again getting fed up with how awful Audacity is. On PC I’m used to creating a wave file then doing a few bits of ‘eq’ing, trimming and compressing before generating the final file or compressing to MP3. It was also useful for creating effects that where tricky in whatever program I was using (currently Ableton Live).
One thing I relied upon was the preview in sound forge – it worked like a real preview – unlike audacity that appears to play you a second – what use is that?
I’m going to be checking out the options give here, otherwise it’s sound forge on parallels.
Freeverse Sound Studio is quite simply the exact thing that I was looking for! I am so excited that I stumbled upon this site because I downloaded the trial version and was able to do everything that I used to do in Sony SoundForge within 30 minutes. If you are a former PC user and are looking for something that is similar to Soundforge for MAC then you need to try Freeverse. It’s almost too simple!
Just doing some research. I have been a mac user since day one but did have a job years ago and used pc/soundforge constantly. I LOVE the program. I too have never found anything close to it for easy editing and features. Going to try Freeverse app and Amadeus. Like aaron i do a lot of loop based edits. SF was awesome for that.
Maybe you should try DSP-Quattro X.
@aaron:
Sound Studio 3 also has the ability to edit selection borders. You just have to hold SHIFT.
Ok, Aaron, you are seeking a loop editor, not a audio mastering and restoration tool .
To get what you are seeking you must purchase something to handle the job professionally so go to:
http://www.propellerheads.se/products/recycle/
For straight up audio editing check out these products. It is all about the power you want, and the money you are willing to spend to get the results you want
My personal favorite for many years and to which I now use on my Imac is
NUENDO
http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/audiopostproduction_product/nuendo4/nuendo4_system.html
If the aforementioned are out of your price range then
check out PEAK (mastering) and DECK (recording/mixing) at
http://www.bias-inc.com.
Apple’s Soundtrack
http://www.apple.com/soundtrack/
PROTOOLS http://www.protools.com It was designed for PC and I don’t like the interface considering the price they ask for it. Simply due to our American recording Industry making it the defacto-default for the audio-recording industry (way overpriced as well) it has become hugely popular with the prostudios simply because of the hardware it had to complement the software in days when computers didn’t have enough processing power on their own without PCI card help like Protools offered. Because of all this, it had a headstart, a pricetag to match, became the standard but by no means is it the best out there anymore IMHO but because initial investment by the ‘pro’ market was so huge they don’t want to move out of their ‘comfort zone’.
You still can get a free copy of its software to use as an editor but the audio multitrack recording programs such as Cubase, Logic, and Protools will have far too many bells and whistles for what many ‘laypersons’ are trying to do (record and restore/edit old records, tapes etc) and will only confuse them further with endless menus they’ll never use.
Good luck
LOGIC PRO
http://www.apple.com/software/pro/logic/
I was (am) a sound forge junkie. I started around ver.3 and am at ver.8. then my pc crashed for good. I’d worked on macs at work and thought it time to make the plunge because i didn’t want a new desktop with vista (my laptop running vista has to shut down nearly every day to upload a new fix). so i got the new i mac (sexy and beautiful) and installed parallels – still needed to buy a new copy of vista – there are issues with parallels and firewire and usb devices. my mac kept stealing my audio and wouldn’t let me record – playback was fine..sometimes. then i upgraded to macs newest os to take advantge of boot camp. running windows in boot camp is just like running windows on a pc only faster- really! i’ve removed parallels and am about to remove boot camp…just makes no sense to shut down to start up my audio program. i’m warming up to logic pro. the included soundtrack pro is about as close to sound forge as i’ve been able to find. i think i will get used to it. and the new wave burner is like cd architect on steroids..imagine mastering effects in the cd layout, you could try different compressions or equing on the final master without affecting the original. and the multitrack editor has to be one of the best around, and its easy to bounce a track to soundtrack pro for sample level editing then open it again in the multitrack editor. i’m going to spend the time necessary to make logic pro work for my sound editing needs, and i will learn to enjoy it,… and not worry about how sony blew it by not making the best stereo editor in the universe cross platform.
I was searching for a good editor too. Since Wave Editor dropped his price (now it costs only $79!) I got it and I think it’s the best deal at these days. Beside all editor’s functions, sound design abilities (apply effects with layers) it can also be CD mastering and authoring application. Keyboard shortcuts are fully customizable. And it has beautiful documentation, great support too. http://www.audiofile-engineering.com/waveeditor/
the best thing i did on my mac is install windows on it… So know im using windows programs…. *have the best of the 2 worlds in one computer*
HAVE YOU GUYS CHECK WAVEPAD AND WAVEPAD MASTER
ITS THE CLOSEST THING TO SOUND FORGE ON A PC.
WORTH TAKING A LOOK AT IT,
Hey Guys
Dont even try to use any sound apps on parallels or vmware – it is a nightmare!
they do work but you get a latency that takes you back to 386 pc days.
still looking for a soundforge for mac ! i like the REALITY that you get when recording and editting….it is the last app for PC you can actually trust – as much as i hate SONY … its SONIC FOUNDRY you deserve the credit anyway…
cheers
DJC
Seriously… I think the only way round for my fellow Soundforge junkies is so keep a cheap pc around on a network and use it for editing.
Best of both worlds no?
Man… you can all say what you want.
I do miss my sound forge so much.
I love my imac, but this program is unbeatable. Mac is so retarded sometimes, i don’t understand. For such a powerfull machine it lacks some good features… , and programs
Bias Peak Pro XT is the mac equivalent. You will not be disappointed!
Sound Forge, hmmm … I was a Cool Edit user (later: Audition) and i found it really, really disappointing that it’s not available on Mac … I still don’t have a good OSX replacement…
How about one where I can zoom in without getting lost (i.e. like Sound Forge, and not like Sound Studio (or Adobe Audition to pick a PC equivalent). Also, Sound Studio doesn’t seem to have a pencil tool, which for me, is inexcusable.
I too have been searching for a Sound Forge replacement since getting a Mac.
A specific feature I need that exists on Sound Forge and that I’ve seen nowhere on any Mac audio editing tool (and I’ve tried plenty) is that of being able to, very acurately, set the tempo of some audio and then stretch it (by tempo) to a new tempo. I find this invaluable for sampling and creating loops, enabling me to very easily set a sample at the speed of any project I’m working on. Furthermore Sound Forge has an auto-regions feature which you can get to automatically set markers on every beat making extracting loops blindingly simple.
It may be that the array of audio editors available for the Mac are indeed worthy and comparable or even surpass Sound Forge in many respects, but can you tell me where else can I perform these invaluable functions?
And for what it’s worth my two pence says that overall Sound Forge is a powerful, solid and well laid out bit of software. Given all these reasons I remain disappointed it is not available on the Mac.