These kinds of simple waveform edits are often referred to as destructive editing, where edits you make to the file overwrite the original when you click Save. You should be able to use any of these apps to trim an audio file down to size or merge two files together. This is the bread and butter of audio manipulation, including recording from a microphone, selecting audio on a waveform, copying and pasting, and deleting audio from the timeline. You won't find packages like GarageBand, Ableton Live, or Pro Tools on this list.Įvery editor we've chosen has a full set of basic editing controls. We've chosen only true audio editors for inclusion in this piece. Many digital audio workstations (DAWs) include audio editing features but are ultimately designed with music production in mind. The best audio editors are designed purely with audio editing in mind. After testing dozens of tools, here we'll present the 11 best audio editors for a variety of use cases. There's no one-size-fits-all audio editor, but there also isn't a shortage of options. Which audio editor you choose ultimately depends on a few factors: what you'll be using the editor for, your overall skill level, and your budget. In order to create a podcast, cut the pauses out of a webinar recording, or add effects to a video soundtrack, you'll need audio editing software.