Basic Sound Editing Software Mac
Summary
When we say basic video editors, we simply refer to easy video editors for beginners. These easy video editors provide basic video editing functions like cut, trim, merge, crop, etc. People often choose these programs only for simple video editing and prefer their small sizes for installation and use quickly.
Anyone can use the easy-to-use video editing software because their learning curve is pretty short. So, learning those functions won't take more than few minutes.
But the biggest problems with some free video editing software are that they aren't capable of processing large videos, they seriously lack performance, they don't have many advanced video editing tools except one or two, and they don't support in-demand video formats. So, if you are anything serious, you should look for an advanced video editing software. But if your video editing demand and environment are basic in nature, you can rely on these software and can save a fortune.
Below you can find a well maintained list of 10 best basic video editors in 2020 with their pros and cons. Majority of these software applications are available to download for both Mac and Windows 10. Let's get started.
Mac users who only need a simple video editor will find that Apple iMovie is the best free video editing software, because of its strong integration with Apple's operating system and easy-to-grasp. Jun 10, 2020 The Best Audio Editing Software for 2020. Having trouble sorting out which digital audio workstation is right for your music or sound project? We've tested the most popular options to help you.
1. OpenShot
Jun 28, 2020 Shotcut is highly versatile free video editing software available on Mac and PC. Once you get past the somewhat steep learning curve, you’ll find you can do quite a lot with Shotcut. And, since it’s a free software, you have the option of seeing whether or not you like it without having to pay a cent. A simple sound editor that you can use for free, the Nero Wave Editor is comprehensive enough for both amateurs and professionals. It has no complicated features that make people unable to control most sound editing software. This sound editing software is useful for people who need to enhance pre-recorded audio into a more pleasing form.
Openshot is an open source and free video editor which packs several basic and advanced video editing features. It pretty looks like iMovie but is more versatile than it. You can use OpenShot to resize, crop, cut, trim, scale your videos. It also supports 3D animated subtitles and watermarks.
Pros
- It is open source so it has a good scope of further developments in future.
- Packs good video editing tools.
Cons
- Beginners need to take a while for getting used to it.
- Not much tutorials are there for learning.
2. VideoPad
VideoPad is a nice and free video editor for those people who look for visual and transition effect along with footages editing toolkits. It also featured with a sound effects library which you can utilize to apply professional sound effects to your recordings. VideoPad also supports 3D video editing.
Pros
- Easy to use UI and beginner friendly.
- Lets you export videos directly to social platforms.
- Built-in transitions and sound effects library.
Cons
- Advanced features are missing.
3. VideoProc
VideoProc is an all-in-one powerful video editing software from Digiarty. The most astonishing feature of this software is the killer level-3 GPU acceleration which processes 4K/HD videos at fast rates. You can access all kinds of basic video editing tools in VideoProc including the most advanced tools like multi trim, multi split, advanced crop, merge, rotate etc. VideoProc has several advanced tools like MKV maker, GIF maker etc. which can't be found in most free video editors. You can download VideoProc to Mac and Windows from the links given below.
Pros
- Nice UI with powerful video editing tools.
- The advantage of dealing with 4K and HEVC videos, big size videos, high frame rate videos.
- Integrated with video audio DVD conversion, video resizing downloading, recording, etc.
- Powerful performance and GPU acceleration powered by Intel, AMD , and Nvidia.
- Short learning curve.
- Highly reliable.
Cons
- Linear video editing software.
- Cannot add music to footages.
4. FreeMake
FreeMake is a professional video converter, but before the conversion, it allows video joining, cutting, and rotating. But it is also one of the most basic video editor for beginners. It comes with a straightforward UI which allows you to find most of the options in a single window. Freemake can be used by beginners for essential video editing projects like adding watermarks, adding subtitles, merging, and clipping footages.
Pros
- Easy to use UI and doesn't have confusing options.
- Powerful to convert and resize 4K videos.
Cons
- Purchase required for several video editing features.
5. VSDC
VSDC is only available for Windows 10 users. With VSDC you can learn several cool video editing features like editing the audio, adding shapes, animations, images etc. It can export the edited video to your desired video format.
Pros
- Provides option to download screen recorder.
- Built-in wizard which helps in video editing.
Cons
- Not so user friendly.
- Advanced features are paid.
6. Windows Movie Maker
This was used to be the all time and the default video editor for Microsoft Windows users. Windows movie maker was the best free video editor for Windows until Microsoft pulled it off. You can use it for all types of basic video editing, apply watermarks, create intros and outros for your videos. It was very good for vlogger and tutorial makers. There is no official way left to download the Windows Movie Maker. But some trusted and reliable sources can provide you the installation files. But make sure not to download any kind of malicious software which may pretend to be Windows Movie Maker.
Pros
- Best free video editor on windows for beginners.
- Easy to use and learn.
- Good options to add voice-over, external audios.
Cons
- May be risky to download from unofficial source as the file may contain malicious codes.
7. GoPro Quik
You might know that GoPro has developed a series of video editing app for mobiles, but do you notice they also stretch it to desktops? GoPro Quik has a desktop version for users who need to edit videos with templates, transitions and filters. You can also import photos and music to your video. For basic video editing, it is quite well-designed.
Pros
- It is quite easy to learn.
- Mobile and desktop versions satisfy all your basic editing needs.
- It is free.
Cons
- Users report that it quits randomly when you’re editing large files.
8. Shotcut
Shotcut is another open source basic video editing software for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It is quite a good option for the beginners. Shotcut supports a lot of output video formats, lots of filtre effects and chroma keys. The interface is also very good and not a confusing one. You can use Shotcut if you don't want to spend a single penny on paid video editors. Tutorial - how to use Shotcut
Pros
- Multiple video format support.
- Video filter effects.
- Supports 3D titles and texts.
Cons
- Less intuitive as compared to paid video editors.
- No 3D video support.
- Transition effects are only a few.
9. Avidemux
Another free and open source basic video editing software for beginners is Avidemux. It is also available for multiple platforms. Avidemux doesn't have any difficulty to work with popular video formats like AVI, MP4, MPEG etc. It fully support non-linear video editing, and multiple visual effects. Can be used to resize, deinterlace a video along with chroma shifts and addition of black borders.
Pros
- Has many video editing features.
- Automatically estimates the output file size.
- Clean user interface.
- Most trusted free video editor.
Cons
- Unprofessional user interface.
- Extra codecs required for non-common video formats.
10. iMovie
iMovie is only available for Mac users. Good thing about iMovie is that it can process 4K videos with ease. Apart from editing videos you can edit audio too with iMovie. iMovie is pretty porttable as you can start editing a video on your iDevice and can choose to finish on your Mac computer.
Pros
- Easy to use interface.
- Has a nice set of audio and video editing tools.
Cons
- Not available for Windows users.
- Lacks performance and advanced features and tools.
Tips for Choosing the Right Basic Video Editor
Want to know how we wrap up such a list for top basic video editing software? And desire to pick out a video editor that suits You most? Now, at the end of this article, we decide to release the hints of how to choose the right video editor for your basic video editing needs.
1. Choose the one that is lightweight and safe.
Searching on the Internet, you'll get millions of results for basic video editors. But among these results, some are not safe to download, and some are downloaded with virus plug-ins. So be cautious when downloading software. And basic video editors come without too many functions, so it is not worth too much computer space.
2. It should be easy to learn.
Basic video editor users tend to simply organize videos by trimming and cutting and then add some filters and texts. If a video editor makes these operations too complicated, why not turn to an advanced editing software in which you can get more features after a long term learning. So choose the basic video editor with an intuitive interface and easy learning curve.
3. Don't invest too much money in a basic video editor.
Obviously, basic video editors are not as robust as professional video editing software like Premiere Pro, Sony Vegas, or DaVinci Resolve. They are created for quick editing and instant SNS sharing, so packed with fewer features. It is not a wise move to spend much money buying a basic video editor. There are many cheap or even totally free open-source video editors responding to your calls.
4. Take into account your extra editing needs.
Besides basic video editing, like cutting, merging, and rotating, different users have different extra needs. For example, most vloggers prefer video editors with numerous templates and themes so that they can arrange their daily video materials accordingly. For traveling video creators, they want UHD 4K videos to present stunning scenery to their audiences. Now they need a basic video editor that is capable of 4K video processing, like say VideoProc. A special video editing feature is also a crucial standard for basic video editor picking.
Conclusion
We hope that this article has saved your time which you might have invested in doing further reasearch about basic video editing software. But now you have got a compiled list of 10 such software therefore you should not need to continue your research further. Out of these 10 free video editing software tools for beginners, you can choose the one which best suits your needs. We recommend you VideoProc which is an all-in-one video editor with many other features like video conversion and downloading. However, as per your requirements you can also make a choice between shotcut, iMovie, and the other video editors listed above.
If you are reading this article it means that you are looking for the perfect audio editing software for Mac that you can use. But, before you blindly follow the list and start downloading all the audio editing software mentioned here, one thing you should keep in mind is your personal requirements. Before you even begin reading this article, you should know what you are looking for. For example, whether you are looking for audio editing software to edit podcasts or something complex enough to help you score a movie.
You should also keep your budget in mind. No matter how good a software is, the one that you can afford will always serve you better. Finally, you should also keep your skillset in mind and ask yourself whether you are ready to invest time in learning an audio editing software or not. Once you have answered all these questions for yourself, you will be able to find and focus on the software that will help you the most and will not waste time chasing the shiniest audio editing software in the market.
I have tried to structure this article, by keeping all these things in mind. So, you will find the best free audio editing software, the best audio editing software for editing podcasts, best professional audio editing software, and so on and so forth. However, note that all these classifications are not entirely exclusive as most of the audio softwares have features that overlap a lot with each other. At the end of the day, the best audio editing software for you will depend on what you need and feel comfortable working with. With all that said, here is our list of the best audio editing software for Mac that you should use:
- Adobe Audition: Best Overall Audio Editing Software
- Logic Pro X: Best DAW Software for Mac
- Avid Pro Tools First: Best Free Audio Editing Software
- Audacity: Best Audio Editing Software for Podcasters
- ocenaudio: Best Audio Editing Software for Beginners
- RX Post Production Suite 4: Best Audio Post Production Tools
- Fission: Best Audio Editing Software for Fast and Lossless Audio Editing
Note: While I am focusing this article on macOS operating system, most of these apps work on Windows PC too. The only app that doesn’t work on Windows is the Logic Pro X.
Best Audio Editing Software to Use in 2020
1. Adobe Audition: Best Overall Audio Editing Software
I want to start this list by using the most obvious and best overall audio editing software that the market has to offer. Whether you want to record and edit audio or want to create a background score for your upcoming movie, Adobe Audition can handle all your needs. Not only the software has all the features that you require from an audio editing program but it also has multi-track recording and editing capabilities which is something that we associate with digital audio workstations. Adobe Audition also offers one of the best audio clean-up and restoration tools on the market. It supports a ton of plugins which add even more power to the software. Whether you want to remove noise with precision or add audio effects, you can find plugins for everything here.
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My favorite feature of the Adobe Audition is its waveform editing environment which allows you to pinpoint the problems and apply necessary adjustments. Adobe also brings AI enhanced tools which can make your audio editing life easier. For example, there’s an “Auto Ducking” feature which uses Adobe’s AI-based ‘Adobe Sensei’ technology to automatically lower the volume of background track to make the vocals more pronounced. Other features of the app include batch processing of audio files, automatic speech alignment, iXML metadata support, synthesized speech, and more. You will also appreciate the clean and user-friendly UI.
Note that Adobe Audition is a pro audio editing tool so users who have never used an audio editing software before might find it a little difficult at the start. That said, Adobe does provide free tutorials for both beginners and experienced users which should get you started.
Pros:
- Good User interface
- Extensive Editing Tools
- Huge plug-in support
- Great audio clean-up and restoration tools
Cons:
- Subscription-based pricing makes it expensive for long-term use
- Hard for beginners
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Install:Free Trial, $19.99/month
2. Logic Pro X: Best DAW Software for Mac
I love Apple's software products just for the fact that they integrate so well with the hardware. Final Cut Pro X is my favorite video editing tool as it allows me to edit a 4K video on my 2016 MacBook Pro. The experience is the same for Logic Pro X. Despite being one of the best overall audio editing software on the market, it works without any hiccup even on the older generation of MacBook Pros. That said, let's move away from the obvious advantage that Logic Pro X has over other music editing software and talk about its features, starting with its UI. In my opinion, the user interface of Logic Pro X is probably the best among all the software listed on this list. It is clean and every tool that you want to access is accessible with just a few clicks.
Note that while you can use Logic Pro X for just editing audio files for your podcast or any other similar project, you will be under-utilizing the software and it will be hard to justify its cost. Logic Pro X is a proper DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) which is aimed at music producers. It features a varied instrument library covering almost all music genres. What surprises me the most is how close the virtual instruments sound to their real counterpart. Even people with the most discerning ears will be able to tell them apart. What few instruments or music genres it doesn't support can easily be added thanks to its support for plugins and extensive plugins library that is available for anyone to use.
My favorite music kit is the 'Drummer Kit' plugin which when enabled gives you an AI-enabled drum track (electronic or acoustic) while you add your music on top. Logic Pro X also comes with more than 7000 royalty-free music loops that can automatically conform to the tempo and key of your project. There's also support for patches which allow you to quickly load complex multichannel sounds. There are features like 'Smart Tempo' which automatically manages tempo across all the content in your project, Flex Time and Flex Pitch, Track Alternatives, automation, audio effects, music notation, and more.
The only problem with Logic Pro X is it cost. I think for people who are even going to use 10% of the features of Logic Pro X, the cost is justifiable. It's a onetime fee, after which the software is yours. There's no hidden charges and no subscription. That said, if you just want to use it for normal audio editing this will be an overkill, especially when there are a ton of good options out there.
Pros:
- Flawless integration with Mac hardware and operating system
- A complete DAW
- Drummer Kit
- Over 7000 royalty-free track loops
- Beautiful user interface
Cons:
- High upfront costs make it inaccessible to many prospective users
Supported Platforms: macOS
Install:$199.99
3. Avid Pro Tools First: Best Free Audio Editing Software
Avid Pro Tools First is the free version of 'Avid Pro Tools', a professional grade audio editing software, costing upwards of $500 and used by filmmakers and TV professionals to produce and score music for movies and TV shows. While the 'Avid Pro Tools First' is a toned down version of its paid counterpart, it is more than enough for most of the users. It brings a fast 64-bit audio recording and mixing engine along with a variety of session templates with preloaded instrumental tracks covering most genres so that you can start creating your music as soon as you get familiar with the software.
It brings professional grade editing tools. From editing the MIDI tracks to adjusting tempo to fixing pitch and time, Avid Pro Tools First can handle everything. The software also comes with Avid's Xpand!2 virtual instruments and UVI Workstation 3 sample player, thus giving you access to royalty free loops and beats. This free version even comes with 23 utility plugins allowing you to shape your music just the way you want to. Recording your own music or audio is as simple as connecting your mic or instrument and hitting the record button.
When recording audio, you can take advantage of the loop recording feature which allows you to record multiple takes and then use the one that you like the most. The software is also great for people who like to collaborate with others. If you buy Avid's cloud subscription ($4.99/month), your work will be saved on the cloud. You can then share it with your colleagues to work together. In fact, even the free version which we are discussing here allows you to share up to three projects with other users. So, as you can see, you are getting a ton of professional grade features inside an app made for professionals which are used by the industry leaders and you don't have to pay a penny. That's a deal that I cannot refuse and neither should you.
Pros
- Professional grade editing tool for free
- Free online sync for up to three projects
- Royalty free track loops
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Costs a lot to upgrade to the pro version
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS
Install:Free
4. Audacity: Best Audio Editing Software for Podcasters
Not everyone needs a complete digital audio workstation. In fact, 90% of people who are looking for an audio editing software are looking for a simple program which can help them carry out basic audio editing such as trimming, noise reduction, voice modulation, background score addition, and so on. Whether you are a YouTube or a podcaster or someone who just needs to edit audio for home videos, all of the above-mentioned audio editing software will be a bit of overkill. you need a piece of software which not only enables you to perform these essential editing actions but also which is easy to learn use. For that use case scenario, Audacity is the best tool on the market.
Don't get me wrong, you can use Audacity as a DAW (especially now that it supports MIDI import) but in my views, it's not meant for that. It's simple and approachable UI makes it best for users who don't want to spend months learning an audio editing software. It is an open-source and free audio editing tool which brings a simple and interactive user interface with all the essential tools that you will need. From recording your audio clips to editing it using cut, trim, copy, and paste tools, to using audio effects, generators, and analyzers, Audacity can handle everything. Since Audacity is popular, it is also supported by a host of plugin developers allowing you to find plugins for almost anything that you might need for your project.
Despite being open-source and free, Audacity sees new updates on a fairly regular basis so you are not left using a software of the past. Just recently, Audacity was updated to support the dark mode on macOS Mojave and it looks great. There's also the new spectrogram view which allows you to pinpoint the problems and edit them accordingly. My favorite thing about Audacity is that it will take you just a couple of hours on YouTube to learn the basics and start your editing journey. That alone makes Audacity far more approachable than any other audio editing software.
Pros:
- Free and open-source
- Approachable and simple user interface
- Doesn't require you to do a Ph.D. to start editing
- Large and helping online community
Cons:
- If you are the right target audience, I don't think there are any cons
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux
Install:Free
5. ocenaudio: Best Audio Editing Software for Beginners
Just like Audacity, ocenaudio is a free and open-source audio editing software that brings a simple to understand user interface. If for some reason Audacity is doesn't feel right to you or you just want to check out other audio editing software before settling on one, ocenaudio should be next on your list. Just like Audacity, ocenaudio features a clean editing environment which makes it easy for beginners to get started. In fact, as far as looks are concerned, ocenaudio looks more modern than Audacity.
Coming to the features, ocenaudio brings all the basic audio recording and editing features. You can just connect a microphone and press the record button and start recording. When you are editing, you can access all the tools including track selection, track cutting and splitting, copy and paste, multi-trackediting and more. Just like Audacity, ocenaudio supports real-time preview for applied effects. Users can not only apply native effects but also use VST (Virtual Studio Technology) plugins to import effects which are not included with the software.
Basic Sound Editing Software Mac Reviews
Like Audacity, ocenaudio also supports the spectrogram view. You can use it to analyze the spectral content of your audio signal for getting a better understanding of all the problems.ocenaudio is also good at handling big files. Even after uploading files which were multiple GB in size, the software didn't hiccup. I have a 2016 13-inch MacBook Pro, so it's not even that I was using it on a powerful machine like an iMac.
While ocenaudio is a good audio editing program, there is one big problem with the software that will turn many users off. The app doesn’t support multi-track editing which makes it useless for many users including me. I have so much fun when using this program and I prefer it over audacity both for its UI and speed. However, the missing support for multi-track editing means that I cannot use this app for my work. Another drawback of this app is that it lacks is a thriving online community.
You won’t find many online video tutorials on this one. If your work involves multi-track editing, you won’t be using ocenaudio. That said, for users who are just getting started with audio editing and doesn’t require a multi-track editing program, this is the best free audio editing software on the market right now.
Pros:
- Free and open-source
- Modern looking UI
- Easy for beginners
- Support for VST Plugins
- Can easily handle large audio files
Cons:
- Multi-track editing not supported
- Not many quality video tutorials available
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux
Install:Free
6. RX Post Production Suite 4: Best Audio Post Production Tools
iZotope RX Post Production Suite 4 is without a doubt the best post-production tools available for audio editors. iZotope has been leading the industry when it comes to refining audio for decades now and no other company comes even close to it. The latest version 4 update has made its tools even more potent when it comes to editing audio. The suite comprises of multiple tools namely RX 7 Advanced, Dialogue Match, Neutron 3 Advanced, Stratus 3D, Symphony 3D, Insight 2, and RX Loudness Control. Each tool serves a specific purpose and combined they can fulfill all your post-production audio editing needs.
Starting with the RX 7 Advanced, it brings a powerful repair assistant that can automatically recognize noise, clippings, clicks, hums, and more and remove them with a click. Dialogue Match automatically learns and match the sonic character of dialogue recording. Neutron 3 is a professional tool for building great mixes. It brings a “Mix Assistance” which can listen to all the tracks in your mix and gives you a balanced starting point. Similarly, the rest of the tools in the suite bring features to tackle a specific part of audio post-production.
But only the power of tools is not what iZotope known for, it’s also known for the way it presents the tools. All the tools work in a highly visual way, giving you a good look at the problems and what you can do to solve them. Just look at the screenshots above, and see how audio is represented in a detailed way. That said, all this power comes at a cost as if there’s one thing more that iZotope is known for, it’s for its pro pricing. If your work revolves around fixing audio and audio post-production, these tools can save you so much time while delivering a better product that you can justify the price. However, if you are someone who is just looking to get into audio editing, it will be hard to swallow the bill.
Pros:
- Best audio production tools on the market
- Best noise removal
- Available as plugin for your favorite audio editing software
- Repair and salvage lost audio
- Automatic audio processing tools make it easy to use
Cons:
- Cost is too high
Supported Platforms: Windows and macOS
Install:$1844
7. Fission: Best Audio Editing Software for Fast and Lossless Audio Editing
If you find all of the above audio editing software to be too complex then check out Fission. It’s a simple audio editing software that focuses on providing a fast and lossless audio editing environment. You get quick access to all the audio editing tools. You can join, cut, and trim audio, edit audio metadata, use the batch converter to convert multiple audio files at once, and more. I love that it supports multiple file formats and you can easily edit and convert files to MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, FLAC, AIFF, or WAV.
For quick edits, you can also use Fission’s smart split feature which automatically cuts audio files based on silence. Other features include gain adjustment, cue sheet support, volume normalization, and more. Fission is made by Rogue Ameba, a company that is well known in the Mac community for making splendid audio products, and Fission is no different. If you don’t want to invest time in learning audio editing and want a quick and easy-to-use tool, this is the one to get.
Pros:
- Best for quick editing jobs
- Supports lossless editing
- Supports multiple file formats
- Batch processing
Cons:
- No pro editing features presence
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux
Best Audio Editing Software: Final Thoughts
There are many other pro-level DAW software on the market which have not made the list as I have no experience in music production. The article is for audio editing software and I have tried to keep my list to reflect that. The only reason I have mentioned Logic Pro X is that I know some users will be looking for a DAW software here and for them it’s going to be useful. If you are just working with spoken audio and want a free editing app, very few apps can beat Audacity and hence it's on the list.
Editing Software Free Pc
But I love the user interface and speediness of ocenaudio and hence it made the list too. I guess what I am trying to say is that every person has their own specific requirements and the software you choose will depend on that. I have chosen the seven apps that will meet the needs of 90% of users reading this article. If you want something more specific and don’t know where to look, drop requirements in the comments section below and at the least, I will guide you in the right direction.