A digital audio editor is a computer application for audio editing, i.e. manipulating digital audio. Digital audio editors are the main software component of a digital audio workstation.

For use with music

Editors designed for use with music typically allow the user to do the following:

• Record audio from one or more inputs and store recordings in the computer's memory as digital audio

• Edit the start time, stop time, and duration of any sound on the audio timeline

• Fade into or out of a clip (e.g. an S-fade out during applause after a performance), or between clips (e.g. crossfading between takes)

• Mix multiple sound sources/tracks, combine them at various volume levels and pan from channel to channel to one or more output tracks

• Apply simple or advanced effects or filters, including compression, expansion, flanging, reverb, audio noise reduction and equalization to change the audio

• Playback sound (often after being mixed) that can be sent to one or more outputs, such as speakers, additional processors, or a recording medium

• Conversion between different audio file formats, or between different sound quality levels

Typically these tasks can be performed in a manner that is both non-linear and non-destructive.

For use with speech

Editors designed for use in speech research add the ability to make measurements and perform acoustic analyses such as extracting and displaying a fundamental frequency contour or spectrogram. They typically lack most or all of the effects of interest to musicians.

See also

• Audio processing
• Digital audio workstation
• Music sequencer
• Software synthesizer
• Free audio software
• Software effect processor