The question: “What features should I look for when choosing audio recording software?”
The answer: “It depends on what you want to record.”

There are many low cost recording programs available that can be used to record from existing media (tape, cd’s, vinyl lp’s) or from radio and internet broadcasts. Even these low priced software programs have editing features and native effects that can be applied to the recording.
>

Live recording is best accomplished by using multitrack recording/editing software that incorporates tools and effects suitable for application to live voices and instruments, one of the most important being compression. Compression is essential to level the extremes in volume that inevitably occur in live recording.

Several features/capabilities should be considered when choosing software for live music recording (listed below).

Required features:

1. Recording – record multiple stereo tracks

2. Editing – edit a track’s waveform

3. Mixing – mix multiple tracks into one stereo track

4. Effects – native (built-in) effects such as delay, reverb, fade in, fade out, flanger, compressor and various high/low filters

5. File conversion – convert to/from the most popular music formats such as wav, wma, mp3

Additional useful features:

6. Plug-ins – accepts 3rd party software plug-in effects and tools

7. Ripping – pull individual tracks from music cd’s

8. Burning – copy recorded tracks to cd audio

Optional features (depending on need):

9. Midi – record midi instruments (midi keyboards, synthesizers, guitars)

10. Video – synchronize audio with video files

So, in conclusion, if you are recording music to computer from pre-recorded media, you can certainly get by with software on the low end of the price spectrum. But, if you want to create professional sounding mixes from live music, you’ll need the higher level of sophistication available in a quality multitrack recording program.

Cost shouldn’t be an issue in the choice as the difference in price between the low end software package and a quality multitrack program can be as little as $10 – $20.

Watch the video related to music recording software

Learn how to auto create a guitar track usingApple Logic Pro in this free music recording software tutorial video. Expert: Bill Macpherson Bio: Bill Macpherson has been playing guitar professionally for more than 20 years. In addition to his guitar playing, he runs a recording studio. Filmmaker: Paul Ferguson

Help answer the question about music recording software

I've been recommended Acoustica MixCraft.
If anyone uses this, opinions?
Also, what about Audacity?

If you can answer any of my questions at all, please do!

About Author

Steve Leedy is the owner/webmaster of pcMusicStuff.com, an audio recording information and software site.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How To Choose Audio Recording Software

It was only 130 years ago when the music recording industry first got its start. In 1878 Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, which recorded sound. Originally planned to relay telegraph messages and for automated speech via the telephone, the phonograph came a year and a half after the telephone.

Technically, Edison had figured out that the needle could prick a paper tape and record a message, which led to a stylus on a tinfoil cylinder which played back the short message he recorded — “Mary had a little lamb.” In reality, the phonograph machine was a tinfoil wrapped cylinder on which sound vibrations could be engraved and played back.

Many recordings were being produced by the 1900s by musicians worldwide. The recording industry became a really serious business by 1910 for anyone who had money. For 90 years, recording, editing and the distribution of music was available only to those with money. The reason is that people could not afford expensive studios with recording equipment.

But by the late 1980s people began experimenting with digital audio processing, and sound vibrations were converted to binary words by computers,so by the 1990s greater bit depths became available. Audio could be better represented digitally, but it took computers with high processing power, and this was still expensive.

Nowadays, the personal computer has become accessible and less expensive, so memory and fast processing speeds that are needed for digital audio are available on almost every computer. Audio interfaces and sound cards have also become less expensive. There is software such as Digeaper Design, Garage Band, Reason, Logic Pro, Garage Band, and Audacity. Programs for digital audio recording are now available for free so almost anyone can play around with recording.

Pro Tools software is a favorite go-to tool for many artists. More and more students who are interested in a career in the music recording industry already have experience with audio recording on their home computers.

Students began to realize that there are mentor courses where they can learn from industry pros. At only $7,450 per course, students get a classroom that is a real recording studio in their own town. The courses actually train people for a job in the music recording industry; jobs like recording engineer, music producer or mixer. Some programs include hands-on lab drills in the actual local recording studio where training is conducted by the mentor professional.

Watch the video related to music recording software

Learn how to use multi samples for the EXS24 mkII in Apple Logic Pro. Watch thisfree music recording software tutorial video. Expert: Bill Macpherson Bio: Bill Macpherson has been playing guitar professionally for more than 20 years. In addition to his guitar playing, he runs a recording studio. Filmmaker: Paul Ferguson

Help answer the question about music recording software

About Author

Kristin Gabriel is a social media marketing professional working with the Los Angeles recording school known as the Entertainment Career Connection, Inc., a fully accredited academic institution certified by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance. The school provides educational apprentice programs for the film, radio, television and the music recording industries in more than 100 cities in 50 states. The Recording Connection school provides the entertainment industry with entry level employees.