Audacity® is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds. It is available for macOS, Microsoft Windows, GNU/Linux, and other operating systems. Learn more about Audacity... Also check our Forum for more information.
License: Audacity is free software. You may use it for any personal, commercial or educational purpose, including installing it on as many different computers as you wish. Audacity is licensed under the terms of version 3 of the GNU General Public License (GPL) as published by the Free Software Foundation. The full text of the license is also available when running Audacity, via the Help menu > About Audacity... command > GPL License tab.
BIAB & RB2024 Win.(Audiophile), Sonar Platinum, Cakewalk by Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M Monitors, Pioneer Active Monitors, AKG K271 Studio H'phones
For my duo's backing tracks (http://s-cats.com) I make the tracks using MIDI, then record into Audacity. I export them as 192 mp3 files, and load them on a ThinkPad laptop to take to the gig.
Why mp3? I started this when 2G was the maximum RAM a computer could access.
I did a blind test with musicians, one who had her ears recently tested as perfect. Then I played them rendered as WAV and mp3 with various bit rates. 192 was the best compromise. The difference in the very high frequencies was barely noticeable, and in the noisy nightclub environment which I gig in, that would not be noticed.
If I had to start all over again, I'd choose WAV files.
I've been using Acon Digital's Acoustica Premium Edition for years, and haven't looked at Audacity for a long time. But...I recently switched from Presonus' Notion (which has been stuck on v6 for a long time, and for a couple of years has failed to connect to its update server) to MuseScore v4. I never realized that MuseScore and Audacity were related. A couple of weeks ago, I uninstalled MuseHub because it irritated me, but I think I'll reinstall it and check out Audacity.
ThinkPad i9 32GB RAM 7TB SSD; Win11 Pro; PreSonus Studio 1810c; BiaB 2024 Ultra Studio One 6 Pro; MuseScore 4; Melodyne 5 Studio; Acoustica Premium 7; Guitar Pro 8 Gig Performer 5; NI S61 MK3; Focal Shape 65; Beyerdynamic DT 880 & 770
For my duo's backing tracks (http://s-cats.com) I make the tracks using MIDI, then record into Audacity. I export them as 192 mp3 files, and load them on a ThinkPad laptop to take to the gig.
Why mp3? I started this when 2G was the maximum RAM a computer could access.
I did a blind test with musicians, one who had her ears recently tested as perfect. Then I played them rendered as WAV and mp3 with various bit rates. 192 was the best compromise. The difference in the very high frequencies was barely noticeable, and in the noisy nightclub environment which I gig in, that would not be noticed.
If I had to start all over again, I'd choose WAV files.
Insights and incites by Notes ♫
In my tests many years ago, 192 was a pretty good trade-off. I actually rendered everything at 320 because I could hear a slight loss of the very low end between 256 and 320 on the 9 speaker (8 plus a hefty subwoofer) Harmon Kardon stereo in my Nissan truck. I couldn't even hear any difference on my home DAW monitors at the time.
Now, it's .WAV or .FLAC. I have 7 TB of SSD, so I'm less concerned about disk space used. Also, Gig Performer added a Streaming Audio File Player (SAFP) with a recent update, so the whole backing track doesn't need to be loaded into RAM at once.
Last edited by TheMaartian; 11/06/2310:43 PM.
ThinkPad i9 32GB RAM 7TB SSD; Win11 Pro; PreSonus Studio 1810c; BiaB 2024 Ultra Studio One 6 Pro; MuseScore 4; Melodyne 5 Studio; Acoustica Premium 7; Guitar Pro 8 Gig Performer 5; NI S61 MK3; Focal Shape 65; Beyerdynamic DT 880 & 770
<...snip...> Now, it's .WAV or .FLAC. I have 7 TB of SSD, so I'm less concerned about disk space used. <...>
If I had to do it all over again, that's what I'd use.
I can't bring 7TB of SSD in my laptop and bring it to the gig. We have over 650 songs in our playlist, and some of them have been recorded more than once at different tempos or arrangements to make them useful in different circumstances.
I'm thinking about 320, but I don't want the new songs we learn to 'outshine' the old ones. But I suspect the general public wouldn't notice.
I'm using ElectroVoice ZLX15P speakers on the gig, and they reproduce the sound quite well for the gig needs. I also use a BBE Sonic Maximizer which when used properly, brightens the highs without over EQing them, and with the low contour, I can add more bass punch if I need it for a particular gig.
I upgraded to Audacity 3.42 the day it was made available. Been using Audacity since the early 2000s. It's the closest thing I have to a DAW. With these new updates, it covers almost all my editing and mixing needs. Every vocal my wife and I have recorded was accomplished using Audacity with an AT-35 condenser mic. We get pretty danged good sounds with it. If interested, we have a couple of songs on the first page or two of the Showcase forum - you can listen to one or two of them to hear the quality sound we get with it. Not looking for cheap listens or comments - just letting you know they're there for you to evaluate the quality of our efforts, as a reference, using Audacity, should you choose to do so.
I have Cakewalk but don't really really know how to use it - so I don't. Audacity has served me well. And my budget likes the price!
Although it's a bit early, Merry Christmas to everyone. Hope it's the best ever.
User Video: Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box®
The Bob Doyle Media YouTube channel is known for demonstrating how you can creatively incorporate AI into your projects - from your song projects to avatar building to face swapping, and more!
His latest video, Next-Level AI Music Editing with ACE Studio and Band-in-a-Box, he explains in detail how you can use the Melodist feature in Band-in-a-Box with ACE Studio. Follow along as he goes from "nothing" to "something" with his Band-in-a-Box MIDI Melodist track, using ACE Studio to turn it into a vocal track (or tracks, you'll see) by adding lyrics for those notes that will trigger some amazing AI vocals!
Wir waren fleißig und haben über 50 neue Funktionen und eine erstaunliche Sammlung neuer Inhalte hinzugefügt, darunter 222 RealTracks, neue RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, "Songs with Vocals" Artist Performance Sets, abspielbare RealTracks Set 3, abspielbare RealDrums Set 2, zwei neue Sets von "RealDrums Stems", XPro Styles PAK 6, Xtra Styles PAK 17 und mehr!
Add updated printing options, enhanced tracks settings, smoother use of MGU and SGU (BB files) within PowerTracks, and more with the latest PowerTracks Pro Audio 2024 update!
Download and install this to your RealBand 2024 for updated print options, streamlined loading and saving of .SGU & MGU (BB) files, and to add a number of program adjustments that address user-reported bugs and concerns.
Did you know... not only can you download your Band-in-a-Box® Pro, MegaPAK, or PlusPAK purchase - you can also choose to add a flash drive backup copy with the installation files for only $15? It even comes with a Band-in-a-Box® keychain!
For the larger Band-in-a-Box® packages (UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition), the hard drive backup copy is available for only $25. This will include a preinstalled and ready to use program, along with your installation files.
Backup copies are offered during the checkout process on our website.
Already purchased your e-delivery version, and now you wish you had a backup copy? It's not too late! If your purchase was for the current version of Band-in-a-Box®, you can still reach out to our team directly to place your backup copy order!
Note: the Band-in-a-Box® keychain is only included with flash drive backup copies, and cannot be purchased separately.
Handy flash drive tip: Always try plugging in a USB device the wrong way first? If your flash drive (or other USB plug) doesn't have a symbol to indicate which way is up, look for the side with a seam on the metal connector (it only has a line across one side) - that's the side that either faces down or to the left, depending on your port placement.
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows® Today!
Update your Band-in-a-Box® 2024 for Windows for free with build 1111!
With this update, there's more control when saving images from the Print Preview window, we've added defaults to the MultiPicker for sorting and font size, updated printing options, updated RealTracks and other content, and addressed user-reported issues with the StylePicker, MIDI Soloists, key signature changes, and more!
A few excerpts:
"The Tracks view is possibly the single most powerful addition in 2024 and opens up a new way to edit and generate accompaniments. Combined with the new MultiPicker Library Window, it makes BIAB nearly perfect as an 'intelligent' composer/arranger program."
"MIDI SuperTracks partial generation showing six variations – each time the section is generated it can be instantly auditioned, re-generated or backed out to a previous generation – and you can do this with any track type. This is MAJOR! This takes musical experimentation and honing an arrangement to a new level, and faster than ever."
"Band in a Box continues to be an expansive musical tool-set for both novice and experienced musicians to experiment, compose, arrange and mix songs, as well as an extensive educational resource. It is huge, with hundreds of functions, more than any one person is likely to ever use. Yet, so is any DAW that I have used. BIAB can do some things that no DAW does, and this year BIAB has more DAW-like functions than ever."
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