How to Edit Audio Files: Complete Guide to Basic & Advanced Editing

PDF download Download Article
Master sound editing with this comprehensive guide
PDF download Download Article

Digital audio editing technology has created many ways to edit audio. While professional studios use specialized equipment such as studio microphones and mixing boards to create sounds of higher quality, you can do some basic audio editing, such as cutting, trimming, or enhancing sound quality, using your computer, phone, or tablet. This wikiHow article teaches you the basics of audio editing. Whether you want to know how to make some quick basic edits or are interested in professional audio editing or mixing , we've got you covered.

How to Edit Audio: What You Should Know

If you want to trim an audio track or improve its quality, try a free basic audio editor like Audacity or WavePad. For more powerful audio editing, try a digital audio workstation (DAW) like GarageBand, FL Studio, or Pro Tools.

Section 1 of 4:

Basic Audio Editing

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Download an audio editor. If you want to make a few quick edits to a sound file, you can do so using free basic audio editing tools. The following are a couple of free basic audio editing tools you can download:
    • Audacity : Audacity is free, open-source software for PC, Mac, and Linux that can record and edit multiple tracks with a simple, easy-to-use interface. It also has a very effective noise removal function to remove hissing, static, and humming by selecting a sample of the noise and removing it from the whole track. Audacity is a good tool for making quick and simple edits to audio files, including cutting and trimming files.
    • WavePad Audio Editor : WavePad Audio Editor is a free, open-source audio editor you can use to quickly edit sound files. It works on your computer, as well as on mobile devices like iPhone and Android. You can download WavePad Audio Editor from the official website, the Google Play Store on Android, or the App Store on iPhone and iPad.
    • Power Sound Editor : Power Sounds Editor is a free audio editor that can record and change tracks that need to be mixed with other parts of a musical composition. You can also alter the audio data by adding time-shifting effects such as Echo, Chorus, and Reverb. Power Sound Editor lets you easily share your edited audio online or through email.
  2. 2
    Open your audio editor and import your audio file. Audio editors work differently, but you'll usually import the file you want to edit by clicking or tapping File in your audio editor, followed by Import or Open , then select the audio file you want to edit.
    • Different audio editors support different file formats. If you downloaded an audio file from the web, it'll usually be an MP3 , FLAC, or WAV . Other audio formats include PCM, AIFF, AAC, WMA, and ALAC.
    Advertisement
  3. 3
    Cut or trim audio sections. You can remove sections of audio from the clip by cutting and trimming the audio clip. Use one of the following steps to do so:
    • Cut audio: To cut sections of audio from the clip, highlight the section of audio you want to delete and then press Delete , or tap and hold to open the menu on mobile, and then tap Delete .
    • Trimming Audio: You can trim audio from the beginning or end of an audio clip. To do so on a PC or Mac, click and drag the edges of the audio clip starting at the beginning or end of the clip at the top of the audio file where the filename is. On a phone or tablet, tap Edit followed by Trim Start or Trim End . Tap and drag to select how much audio you want to trim, then tap Edit followed by Trim to trim your selection.
  4. 4
    Add effects to enhance the audio. Effects such as reverb or delay can add an echo to the audio. You can add EQ to enhance certain frequencies of a clip , or a Noise Gate or a noise remover effect to get rid of background noise or unwanted static.
    • Click or tap Effects in the menu to see what effects are available. Highlight the section of audio you want to apply an effect to and tap the effect you want to use. Select an effect to apply it.
    • Some effects may show a menu with different parameters you can adjust.
  5. 5
    Save and export your audio. Once you are finished making the edits to your audio, go ahead and click or tap the File menu at the top and then tap Save or Save As to save the changes to your audio file. Click Export to export the audio file as a separate audio clip, and choose a name and format for your file.
    6. Advertisement
Section 2 of 4:

Using a Digital Audio Workstation

PDF download Download Article
  1. There are a variety of digital audio workstations you can download. Each has different features. Some are free to use, but many require a purchase or a subscription. Many paid DAWs offer free trials. The following are some DAWs you can use: [1]
    • Reaper : Reaper is a powerful and complete digital audio workstation (DAW) and music creation tool. While Reaper isn't free, it does have an indefinite trial period that allows you to continue to use the software for as long as you want. Personal and commercial licenses are very reasonably priced when you are ready to purchase.
    • GarageBand : GarageBand is a powerful audio editor and fully equipped DAW developed by Apple. GarageBand is free to download but only available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
    • Avid Pro Tools: Avid Pro Tools has long been the industry standard for professional audio editing. It is a complete digital audio workstation with the largest compatibility base, allowing you to collaborate with other artists and producers. If you are interested in getting into professional audio editing, Avid Pro Tools is where it's at. The only downside is licenses are pretty expensive.
    • Steinberg Cubase : Steinberg Cubase is another professional DAW used for music mixing and editing. It is excellent for mixing MIDI tracks and tracks that use virtual instruments. While Cubase is not free, it's less expensive than Avid Pro Tools.
    • Adobe Audition : Adobe Audition is a full-featured digital audio workstation that is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud series of applications. If you have a subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, you can easily access Adobe Audition. Adobe Audition is a great addition if you use other Adobe products (i.e., Premiere Pro, After Effects, Animate). You can use Adobe Audition to edit audio files for videos and import them into Adobe Premiere Pro.
    • Image-Line FL Studio : FL Studio (also known as FruityLoops) is another professional digital audio workstation specializing in recording electronic music and loops. This is useful for recording music that extensively uses MIDI and looping beats.
  2. 2
    Open your audio editing software and start a new session. Regardless of what DAW you download, the first thing you will want to do is start a new session. If your DAW doesn't open to a new session automatically, you can usually start a new session by clicking File followed by New , or clicking the option to start a new project on the title screen. When you start a new session, you will see a blank timeline. Most audio editing programs or digital audio workstations have multiple tracks that allow you to import or record multiple audio tracks and layer them on top of one another.
  3. 3
    Import the audio file you want to edit. DAWs all work differently, but you'll usually import the file you want to edit by clicking or tapping File in your audio editor, followed by Import or Open , then select the audio file you want to edit.
    • Different DAWs may support different audio file formats. The most common audio file format is MP3. This is a compressed audio format. Wave (.wav) files are the most common uncompressed (or lossless) audio format and will produce the highest quality sound.
    • Other audio formats include PCM, AIFF (for Apple products), AAC, WMA, FLAC, and ALAC.
    • Once you import your audio file, you can typically click and drag the audio file to any starting point in the timeline.
  4. 4
    Use fades when transitioning from one clip to another. Fading is when the volume gradually rises from or lowers to 0 over a period of time. A slow fade may take several seconds, while a quick fade may happen over a second or two. Fading is often used when transitioning from one audio clip to another. There are a couple of different fades you can use when editing audio:
    • Fade-In: A fade-in is when the volume starts at zero and gradually rises to full. This is usually done at the beginning of an audio clip.
    • Fade-Out: A fade-out is the opposite of a fade-in. This is when the audio lowers from full volume to 0. This usually happens at the end of an audio clip. You may have heard songs that end with a fade-out.
    • Cross-Fade: A cross-fade is when one audio clip fades out while another fades simultaneously. This makes for a smoother transition from one audio clip to another.
  5. 5
    Use effects to enhance audio. There are a variety of effects you can use to enhance audio. The options will vary depending on which DAW you are using. DAWs generally come with their own effects, but you can add more by installing plugins, which are usually in the VST or VST3 format. The following are some effects you can use when enhancing audio:
    • Reverb: Reverb (or reverberation) is when sound bounces off surfaces in a room. Reverb effects simulate sound reverberating through a room. Most reverb effects allow adjusting the size of the "room." Reverb adds ambiance by creating a slight echo effect that lingers in the air.
    • Delay: Delay is an echo effect. Delay repeat a sample of the sound multiple times. Typically, the delay will gradually fade with each repeat. You can adjust the speed and intensity of the delay effect.
    • Chorus: Chorus duplicates the audio wave and intrudes slight variations in the second wave that modulate over time. This creates a lush and full sound.
    • Phaser: Phaser alters the frequency of a sound wave and varies it over time. This creates a swooshing sound effect. The effect can be fast (simulating a rotary speaker effect) or slow, creating movement in the audio.
    • Flanger: Flanger duplicates the audio wave and applies a varying delay to the duplicate wave. This creates a spacy, jet-engine-like effect.
    • Equalizer (EQ): Equalizer or graphic EQ is one of the most common effects. It is used to reduce or boost certain frequencies of an audio wave or input. You can use equalizer to shape the tone of an audio clip or the overall audio. For example, a low-pass EQ allows lower bass frequencies to pass through while limiting higher frequencies. A high-pass EQ allows higher frequencies to pass through while limiting lower frequencies.
    • Compression: Compression reduces the dynamic range of an audio clip. It reduces the range between the loud and quiet parts of an audio clip or input. It can also prevent distortion from clipping.
    • Distortion: This is when the audio wave file is intentionally altered to create a distorted sound. This is usually done by increasing the input gain to the point where the wave starts clipping. This is most commonly used on electric guitar, however it can be used on other instruments as well.
    • Noise Gate: A noise gate blocks audio waves below a certain volume level. This is useful for removing background noise or static hissing.
    • Pitch correction: Pitch correction (also known as Auto-tune ) allows you to manually correct the pitch of out-of-tune vocals or instruments. This is usually used on vocal tracks. When used overtly, pitch correction can create a robotic-sounding tone, as made famous by the rapper T-Pain.
  6. 6
    Mix audio properly to ensure the best sound. Mixing is the process of balancing the individual tracks and elements into a final mix. Once you have your audio tracks recorded and arranged, and you have added all the effects you want to add, the final step is to mix everything to produce a final mix. The mixing process involves:
    • Balancing: Most DAWs have individual volume sliders for each track. Balancing is when you adjust the volume of each track to ensure no instrument is too loud or too quiet. You don't want one track to be overpowering the rest of the mix. You also don't want a track that's too quiet and barely audible. You also want to make sure the prominent parts of the mix (i.e., the vocals) are mixed slightly higher than the rest so they stand out.
    • Tonal balancing: Tonal balancing is when you use EQ to adjust the frequencies of individual tracks and the overall mix. When recording a musical composition, you want each instrument to occupy its own sonic space within the audio spectrum. This means having instruments, such as bass guitar, more prominent on the lower frequencies, and electric guitar more prominent on the mid-range frequencies. Vocals and lead guitar may be more prominently featured on the high end of the spectrum. Applying EQ to the overall mix ensures that the mix doesn't have too much treble or bass.
    • Stereo Imaging: Stereo imaging is the process of panning individual tracks to the left, right, or center sides of the stereo speakers. This creates space in the mix and makes it sound like different instruments are placed in different locations. Double-tracking is a common practice whereby an instrumental part is recorded and panned to the left or right side. Then, the exact part is re-recorded and panned to the opposite side. This creates a thicker sound with slight variations on both sides of the stereo mix.
    • Dynamic control: Dynamic control is when you mix the audio so that no section is too loud or too quiet. This can be done using a compressor, adjusting the volume on certain channels, or boosting or reducing the volume on certain audio clips during parts of the song.
  7. 7
    Export the final product when you are finished. You are done editing and mixing the audio, and it is time to export or render the final product. You can usually find the option to export or render the audio in the File menu of most DAWs. Select the highest-quality audio settings when you export your final audio.
    • The final mix is not always the final mix. You may produce several rough drafts before you settle on a final mix.
    8. Advertisement
Section 3 of 4:

Recording Audio

PDF download Download Article
  1. Record audio with a microphone or an instrument. Most computers have a built-in microphone. However, the audio quality you get from your computer's microphone may not be the greatest. You can purchase a USB microphone that you can connect to your computer. The best way to record is to purchase an audio interface that you can connect to your computer. The audio interface typically connects via a USB connection. Then, you can connect a microphone or instrument to your audio interface.
    • When you record, you typically will need to arm the track you want to record on. Then click the record button to begin recording.
    • Some audio interfaces have multiple inputs for multiple microphones or instruments.
    • Make sure you purchase the right microphone for your needs. Some mics are directional and only pick up sound directly in front of them. These mics are useful for recording singing or instruments. Other mics are omnidirectional and pick up sound from all around. These mics are better for recording speech and audio from out in the field.
    • Musical instruments can be connected to an audio interface via an analog or MIDI input. Instruments such as an electric guitar will be connected via an analog input. Synthesizers, electric drums, and 808 drum machines can be connected via a MIDI or analog input.
Section 4 of 4:

Understanding the Terms and Tools

PDF download Download Article
  1. Know what tools you need to edit audio. You need to understand a few terms and tools before you start editing audio:
    • Audio Clip: An audio clip is a file that contains audio. This could be an MP3, a song, a voice recording, audio taken from a movie or video (a sample), or a sound effect.
    • Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): A digital audio workstation is the software you use to edit audio. It has all the tools you need to edit and mix audio and export it.
    • Timeline: In a digital audio workstation, the timeline is the horizontal spaces in a track that show how audio files and waves progress over time in an audio mix.
    • Tracks: A track is where you can place an audio file or record an audio file. Most digital audio workstations have multiple tracks that allow you to layer multiple tracks on top of one another.
    • Playhead: When you play audio in your digital audio workstation, you will see a vertical line that moves from left to right across the audio file(s). This is the playhead. This indicates the current time in the timeline. This is the moment you are editing. You can usually move the playhead by clicking where you want to place it.
    • Wave: Audio is just sound waves flowing through the air. Editing analog audio is the process of editing sound waves. If you zoom in on an audio clip in your DAW, you can see the wave patterns in the audio file.
    • Frequency: Frequency is the audible spectrum of sound vibrations humans can hear. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz). The low-end frequencies produce low bass tones. High-end frequencies produce higher treble frequencies.
    • MIDI: MIDI is another type of audio file. Rather than analog waves, MIDI files use digital data to indicate when song notes are played, the volume or dynamics they are played, and the voice (or instrument) these notes play.
    • Mix: When editing multiple tracks, the mix refers to the overall sound of all tracks playing together at the same time.
    • Dynamics: Dynamics refers to the volume differences between the loud and quiet parts of an audio clip or mix.
    • Clipping: Clipping is when audio gets too loud for the audio equipment, and it causes the audio to distort.
    • Mono: Mono is an audio clip or mix that is produced for one speaker. If played on a stereo system, the same sound will come out of both speakers.
    • Stereo: Stereo is an audio clip or mix that is produced by two stereo speakers. There are usually slight variations in the left and right speakers. This simulates spatial sound between the two speakers.
    • Panning: A clip can be panned 100% to the left or right speaker, somewhere between the two, or directly in the center.
    2. Advertisement


Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How can I fix an audio recording that has too much background noise without affecting vocals?
    Community Answer
    To do that in Audacity specifically, you have to select a part of the video where you don't speak, then go to "Effect." Next choose "Noise reduction," and click "Get noise profile." Then you use CTRL+A to select all of the recording, and go again into "Noise reduction" and click "OK." Be sure you have selected "Reduce."
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 10
  • Question
    How can I choose one section of a voice recording file?
    Community Answer
    If you want to keep the track you're working on unchanged, you select the section you need to extract, then you go to Edit--> Copy and open a new file in File. Then paste that file in.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 5
  • Question
    How do I remove the noise that sounds like somebody is walking on plastic, and how do I fix voices that are too close to the microphone?
    Matthew Weil
    Community Answer
    You either have to resize the length of the microphone to reach a point, or you have to record while they are away.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 3
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      • Be sure to save your work frequently. You don't want to lose your hard work.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Most programs have a Help menu where you can learn more about the program's features and benefits. Even if there is no Help menu, you can usually find many reviews and short video tutorials online to learn more about the software.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Listen to your mix on multiple devices. Just because it sounds good on your computer speakers doesn't mean it will sound good on other devices. Listen to your mix in mono and stereo to make sure it sounds good in both modes. See how your mix sounds like using headphones, on your phone, in your car, on your smart speaker, and anything you have lying around.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Make a Basic Beat in Fruity Loops
      What Are the Best Graphic Equalizer Settings for Voice? Tips for Professional Quality Audio
      How to
      Edit Audio on iPhone with GarageBand, Voice Memos, iMovie, and More
      How to
      Stretch an FL Studio Sample in 3 Easy Steps
      Edit an MP3 on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, or Android
      How to
      Add Music to a CapCut Video on a Phone, Tablet, or Computer
      How to
      Convert an MP3 Into a WAV File: Free & Paid
      3 Easy & Free Ways to Convert a MOV to an MP4 File
      How to
      Install Serum Presets Banks on PC & Mac
      How to
      Edit ID3 Tags
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.audacityteam.org/basics/audacity-editing

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 114,076 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Apr 25, 2018

        "The sharing data part."
      Share your story

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement