Audio recording is an important feature needed by most computer users. You may need to use audio recording software on your computer to record a call, share how-to instructions, create a podcast episode, or more. Evidently, computer users need access to the best audio recording software. But what features should this software include, and what types of voice recording software is available?
In this article, we will go over the features you should look for in audio recording and audio editing software depending on your needs. Consider whether each feature is necessary or optional for your recording. Then, we will consider the best audio recording software available for both Mac and Windows. This list includes both paid and free audio recording software so you can find the right sound recorder for your budget. If you are looking for a screen recorder with audio instead, then read this article.
The Most Important Features for Audio Recording
Trimming
Audio trimming lets you cut out parts of your audio recording that you don’t wish to keep. You can cut out pauses and mistakes to make your recording sound more professional. With audio trimming, you don’t have to start a whole new recording if you mess up; you can keep going and then cut out parts of your recording later.
Sound editing
After completing your recording, you want to make it sound as good as possible. Good audio recording software will let you adjust a recording’s volume, timbre, and more. It will also let you adjust certain parts of your recording without changing all of the audio.
Record multiple channels
The ability to record multiple channels is important when you are recording multiple forms of audio. For example, if you are creating a gaming let’s play, you want to be able to record both your own voice and the game’s audio. The best voice recording software record this audio simultaneously but on different streams so they can be edited separately. If you make a mistake in your voice-over, you may want the ability to edit that out without cutting out an important piece of audio from the game or app you are demonstrating. As such, it is important to be able to edit and trim different audio channels separately from one another.
Audio mixing
Audio mixing involves combining multiple audio tracks into the same channel. This process lets you adjust the audio of various tracks for volume, frequency, dynamics, and more. Audio mixing ensures that the separate audio tracks in your recording sound good together. If you are recording multiple channels, then you need audio recording software with audio mixing.
Noise reduction
Noise reduction cuts out extraneous noise in your recording. For example, noise reduction can cut out background noise or clicks and keyboard typing from your computer. This ensures that outside events do not interfere with your recording. Noise reduction makes your audio clear and guarantees that you won’t have to re-record because of loud background events outside of your control.
Call recording
Call recording is an important feature for businesses and podcasters. Many businesses record phone calls for quality control purposes. You may need to listen to a call to evaluate whether a client’s needs were meant and determine how they can be best assisted. Podcasters and others need call recording to record interviews. If you’re conducting an interview for a written publication, you may also want to record a phone call with a voice recorder app so that you can include all of the necessary information in a write-up or blog post.
Record other sites/apps
Like call recording, it is often necessary for individuals to record audio from other apps and sites. You may want to record a call on Skype, a set of instructions on YouTube, or a Zoom meeting for future use. You may also want to include your own audio in such recordings. Consequently, it is important to find audio recording software that lets you record your own audio and your computer’s audio simultaneously. At the same time, it is additionally helpful to find voice recording software that can cut out the audio from apps or sites that you do not want to include in your final recording.
Best Audio Recording Software
If you need to know how to record audio on Mac, then use QuickTime Player. QuickTime Player is a built-in screen and audio recorder for Mac. You can use QuickTime to record your voice with your computer’s microphone. During recording, you can adjust volume and audio quality. After, you can trim your recording or split it into separate clips. You can rearrange the order of these clips or add other audio clips to complete your recording. Once you’re finished, you can save your new recording to your local drive.
Overall, QuickTime provides easy-to-use, everyday free audio recording software. QuickTime is good for creating voice memos, aural instructions, and other simple recordings. However, it lacks advanced audio editor features such as audio mixing and noise reduction and cannot be used to record audio on your computer.
Voice Recorder is free voice recording software that comes pre-installed on Windows computers. Like QuickTime, Voice Recorder can record audio from your computer’s microphone, so you can record your own voice or record audio from computer devices. During recording, you can mark key moments so that you can easily find them again. After completing your recording, you can trim it down. Recordings are saved to your Documents > Sound recordings folder.
Like QuickTime, Voice Recorder is good free recording software for recording quick memos or instructions. It is also useful for quickly recording lectures or conversations as it lets you mark the most important parts of your audio. However, also like QuickTime, Voice Recorder is not adequate for professional audio recording and cannot record your computer’s audio output.
Audacity is one of the best free audio recording software, available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. With Audacity, you can record and edit multiple audio tracks in the same recording. Audacity can capture audio from a microphone, mixer, or computer playback. After recording, you can use the free audio editing software to trim and mix tracks and edit them for tone, pitch, volume, tempo, and frequency. More audio effects can be added with Audacity’s various free plugins. Finally, you can import audio files from other locations into Audacity’s audio editor.
Audacity’s free recording studio software is the perfect choice for those who want access to a high-quality audio recorder without paying. Audacity can be used to record voice-overs, interviews, instructions, podcast episodes, and more.
Cleanfeed provides a free way to connect and record calls with anyone in the world. It records high-quality audio from your browser. Only the host of the call needs a free Cleanfeed account; everyone else can access the call through a URL on Mac, Windows, Linux, or Android. You can also purchase Cleanfeed Pro, starting at $22/month. This pro plan adds in multitrack recording, channel mix control, and audio repair.
Cleanfeed is the best free audio recording software for interviews, conference calls, and podcast episodes with multiple participants. It is already used by high-profile organizations such as the BBC and Cumulus Media. Whether you’re a brand new podcaster or a seasoned reporter, if you’re conducting an audio interview, you should choose Cleanfeed as your audio recorder.
Audio Hijack can be used to record any website or app’s audio on Mac. (Unfortunately, there is no Audio Hijack for Windows). You can choose to record from a single application, a microphone or mixer, or all system audio. You can also set timed recordings so you can capture audio even when you’re away from your computer. During recording, you can add audio effects or pause, delay, or rewind live recordings. Audio Hijack is free to use for recordings under 10 minutes. It costs a one-time fee of $59 to unlock unlimited recordings and all of Audio Hijack’s features.
Audio Hijack is a perfect app for recording live streams and lectures over the internet. You can use it to record audio from YouTube, Discord, and more! You can also use Audio Hijack to record your voice. However, it includes fewer editing tools than other audio recording software, making it less suitable for professionals.
Adobe Audition is among the best professional audio recorders. For only $20.99/mo, you can record, edit, mix, and restore multitrack audio. Audition includes noise reduction, audio mixing, and editing with over 50 effects and analysis tools. You can also add hundreds of free sound effects from applause to gunshots. Audition can be used to either record a new file or edit a saved recording.
Adobe Audition is a solid affordable choice for anyone who needs access to professional sound mixing. It is perfect for podcasts, vocals, and professional voice overs. If you want to reach a large audience with your recordings, you should invest in Audition.
Getting Started with Audio Recording
By considering the above features and audio recording software, you should be able to get started with audio recording. Remember to identify the features you want and choose the audio recorder that best fits your needs! Whether you’re the best free recording software or a professional audio mixer, one of the above apps should fit your needs.