Mic Recording Software



When you’re first starting out…

It’s fair to say that not many guys will commit to the expense of a pro DAW….

Welcome to Audacity Audacity® is free, open source, cross-platform audio software for multi-track recording and editing. Audacity is available for Windows®, Mac®, GNU/Linux® and other operating systems. Check our feature list, Wiki and Forum. Download Audacity 2.1.3 Mar 17th, 2017: Audacity. The Yeti Studio all-in-one professional vocal recording system. gives you the tools to record with stunning quality and ease. Create like a pro using Yeti, the world’s most popular USB mic, together with PreSonus ® and iZotope ® custom recording and effects software ($230 value). And, you can get up and running fast with custom Yeti Studio. Recording is traditionally done using a microphone and line-in jacks located on the audio interface panel of the computer system. But more advanced software also supports audio pick-up from media playback; CD, VCD, DVD, USB devices; internet streaming; phone recording or any audio playback by sound card. Find the microphone recording software to meet your demands. The choice of the mic audio program affects the result. There are many options online including pro-level cheap and free solutions. The audio tracks can be recorded using the built-in microphone, by connecting an external microphone or using a USB audio interface. After recording your tracks, you may want to edit them in the integrated sample editor (copy/paste, split, loop, fader, reverb). Now you can import mp3,wma and wav audio files from your hard drive.

Without first “getting their feet wet” with some free stuff…

To see if home recording is something they’ll actually enjoy.

And if that sound like you right now…perfect.

Because in today’s post, I’m going to show several great ways to help get you started…

With my list of the Top FREE Recording Software Options of 2017.

Let’s begin…

The 3 Best Options…

After days of in-depth research on this subject, what I discovered is that newbies basically have 3 FREE options to choose from:

  1. Online Recording Sites
  2. Free Downloadable DAW’s
  3. Included DAW’s that come with an audio interface

And while all of these are technically free, truth is…NONE of them are 100% free.

Because while the software itself may be free…to use it, you still have to spend some money elsewhere. If not now, then eventually.

So the new question I began asking was:

Which of these solutions offers the best features for the lowest OVERALL price?

And here’s what I discovered:

Option 1: Online Recording Sites

At first glance, the benefits of online recording sites seem promising…

  • All files get stored in the cloud.
  • Social sharing is built-in.
  • You don’t need to bother with software licenses or downloads.

But once you look a little deeper, it’s also not hard to see the many downsides:

  1. Unreliable Internet – All internet connections drop out occasionally, which could easily rob you of good recording takes.
  2. Questionable Content Rights – Even if current “Terms and Conditions” give ownership to the creator, as Facebook and other big sites have shown, those rules are always subject to change.
  3. Freemium Business Models – Many top sites bait you with a free signup…but ultimately charge monthly fees for full use of the product. And over time, those fees add up to more than the cost of a professional DAW. And that’s absurd.

So while it does have its advantages, online recording clearly isn’t good enough to pay for.

And while I’m sure there are some musicians who have had success with online recording…I’ve honestly never met any of them personally.

So personally, I would avoid these sites in general. And I would especially avoid any sites that charge you anything.

Of the truly free sites though, here are two that look pretty promising:

NOTE: If you want to try online recording, but you don’t have a laptop yet, check out a Chromebook.

If you aren’t familiar with them yet, Chromebooks are the laptops designed by Google that work solely as an internet browser.

Because the stripped-down design uses no native applications, their price point is significantly cheaper than standard laptops.

And since you only need a browser for online recording, these two options compliment each other nicely.

Here’s an example: Acer Chromebook – (Amazon).

Up next…

Option 2: Free Native DAW’s

While they’re slightly harder to learn, at first

Native DAW apps avoid ALL the major problems associated with online recording…

While offering far more in functionality.

In my opinion, the extra time invested in learning them is well-worth it.

And I definitely recommend them over online recording sites.

The top 4 DAW’s I recommend are:

  • Audacity – the most popular 100% free open-source DAW software on the planet for many years now.
  • Garageband – the super-cheap, (though not technically free) DAW for Mac OSX, which many folks say is easier to learn than Audacity.
  • Presonus Studio One 3 Prime – the first totally-free DAW based on professional software.
  • Pro Tools First – the newest beginner version of Pro Tools 12.

Of the 3, Studio One and Pro Tools are my top picks. Because once you outgrow the free version (and you will)…

It’s far easier to upgrade to a paid version of the same DAW, rather than start over with an entirely new platform.

Since Studio One 3 comes in 2 paid versions:

…it’s super easy to upgrade from the FREE version if and when you ever need to.

And you can upgrade to Pro Tools 12 (paid) here.

Now finally…for the best option of all…

Option 3: Free DAW w/ Purchase of Audio Interface

Earlier I mentioned how no recording software is ever truly free.

And that’s mostly because, you still need either:

  • an audio interface, or…
  • a USB microphone

Go Mic Recording Software

…to actually get sound in and out of the computer.

So here’s a thought:

Since you need one anyway, why not buy one that includes a free DAW superior to any of the earlier ones we covered?

Play free pompeii slot machine. Not many companies offer this deal…so the only one I can really recommend is Presonus.

(Avid does this as is well, but their interfaces are a little too pricey for most beginners).

With the following interfaces, Presonus includes Studio One Artist as part of the package:

  • PreSonus AudioBox USB – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
  • Presonus AudioBox 22VSL – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)
  • Presonus Audiobox 44VSL – (Amazon/GuitarC/MusiciansF)

Because the both hardware and software is built by one company, you’re ALWAYS guaranteed full-compatibility and tech-support…which you DON’T get when you buy them separately.

That’s why I believe the “DAW/interface combo” is the absolute-best-option for anyone starting out with home recording.

Further Resources

To wrap up this post, here are a few useful articles to help you find the other tools you’ll eventually need to start your studio:

1. Cheap Studio Mics

To record sound into your audio interface, you obviously need a mic.

And even though some pro microphones can be insanely expensive, there are plenty of cheap options as well.

In this post, I show you several of the best:

2. USB Mics

As I mentioned earlier, USB mics offer a cheap and simple shortcut to record sound directly into your computer…

Because they eliminate the need for ALL other hardware, including audio interfaces, mic preamps, and headphone amps

Which gives you way more free DAW options as well.

If this sounds like a good fit for you at the moment, check out this article to see which ones I recommend:

3. Monitoring

Now that you can get sound IN to the computer, next you’ll need a way to get it OUT.

The tools you need are: studio monitors and headphones.

And in these next two articles, I reveal some good cheap options for both:

4. Accessories

And finally, here are the two essential accessories you’ll need to complete your setup:

After that, you’re all set to start making music.

This post covers top Audio Recording Software For Windows 10, 8, 7 PC & Laptop users. The list has various voice recorder programs that are suitable for both beginners & advanced users. So, whether you’re looking for the best free music recording software that can help you in your school/college project or a professional sound recording program, the list is for all!

Table Of Contents:

1. WavePad

2. Mixcraft 9

3. RecordPad

4. Avid Pro Tools

5. Streaming Audio Recorder

6. Sound Forge

7. Adobe Audition

8. Zynewave Podium

9. i-Sound Recorder

10. Audacity

11. GarageBand

12. Free Audio Recorder

13. Ardour

14. Windows Voice Recorder

PART 1: List Of Top 14 Best Audio Recording Software For Windows 10, 8, 7

Explore our complete list of the best sound recorders for Windows PC. Virtual mac on windows 10. The first ten options are paid, while others are available to download for free or have freemium versions. So you get the list of best free music recording software as well in this article.

Best Paid Audio Recorder Software

1. WavePad

We are starting our list of top picks with the most accessible software to record & edit your audio files effortlessly. When it comes to professional audio recording, WavePad is a powerful option; you should not miss it. It offers you to do separately as well as multi-channel recordings. Hence, with this best audio recorder software, you can easily mix your audio to create a new one. This is available as sound recorder for Windows 10 and other versions as well as for Mac, Android and iOS devices.

Key Features:

  • Offers a feature to create a bookmark, so that you can edit long audio conveniently.
  • You can find various tools to scrub, search audio files for precise recording & editing.
  • It has tons of effects, filters that can be applied both manually & automatically.
  • Allows you to add distortion, reverb or delay to your songs.
  • You can even amplify, reverse, fade out or equalize tracks with ease.
  • It allows you to customize the toolbar to create an optimal workspace.
  • Reduce or eliminate background noise in a few clicks.

PROS:

  • Extremely easy to use.
  • It has high compatibility with almost all file formats.
  • Integrate filters & special effects for best outcomes.
  • It has a clean interface, designed to encourage smooth workflow.

CONS:

  • Technical support is available only with pricey versions

PRICE: $69.95

2. Mixcraft 9

Designed & developed by musicians for musicians, Mixcraft is an amazing tool and one of the best audio recording software in the market. Best known for its ease-of-use & raw power, Mixcraft allows you to record & and mix your audio tracks to perfection. It presents an incredibly intuitive interface with nearly-universal support for third-party plug-ins for best professional results.

Key Features:

  • Complete recording studio with unlimited features to edit, crop & crossfade sounds.
  • Allows you to add tons of effects, mix & automate audios to master your project.
  • Offers a huge library with over 7500+ professional loops, music beds & other sound effects.
  • Lets you save the outcome in WAV, MP3 & other file formats.
  • Built-in Freesound.org browsing & import functionalities.
  • Has implausible features for live performance & loop-based compositions.
  • Packed with lots of plug-ins like iZotope, Melodyne Essentials, Voltage Modular Ignite & more.
  • Automation tools to create perfect MIDI patterns.

PROS:

  • It allows you to rip & burn audios as well.
  • Provides several handy tools to edit & enhance audio files.

CONS:

  1. It might take some time for newbies to learn the audio recorder software.

PRICE: $75

3. RecordPad

A leader in business audio technology, RecordPad is the best voice recording software with a huge bunch of features to record, rip & burn sounds. The standalone recording program supports audio feeds from multiple channels. You can certainly rely on this audio recording software program for perfect digital presentations, audiobook creation or simple message recording purposes.

Key Features:

  • It allows you to save recordings on your PC in MP3, WAV, AIFF, or WAV file format.
  • Record audios & perform other tasks using Hotkeys.
  • Send recordings over an email or upload it on the FTP server directly from the software.
  • Allows you to integrate with WavePad Pro Editing Tool to edit & add effects to sounds.
  • A plethora of filters & effects like reverberation, equalize, fade in/out & more.
  • The audio recorder software is available for Windows, Mac, Linux & Android.

PROS:

  • The High-quality voice recorder for PC is quick & easy to use.
  • Ideal tool for recording audios that can be added to digital presentations.
  • Robust audio recording program for professionals.
  • Configurable interface.
  • File compression possible.

CONS:

  • Compatible with a few file formats only.

PRICE: $29.99

Also Read: The Best Ways To Remove Audio From Videos on Windows, Android, and iOS

4. Avid Pro Tools

Pro Tools is an ultimate mixing software and sound recorder for Windows 10. Pro Tools is the software to use for turning music into magic. There are three main versions of this best audio recording software program. Pro Tools First, Pro Tools & Pro Tools Ultimate. Its subscription-based pricing system might confuse you, but at its simplest, new users can purchase the licensed version of Pro Tools for best outcomes.

Key Features:

  • Pro Tools First, is the basic version & a free audio recording software designed for students, musicians & podcasters.
  • Pro Tools is designed with industry-standard audio-production utilities for producers, songwriters.
  • Pro Tools Ultimate is packed with demanding tools & features for music and audio post-production needs.
  • Pro Tools the native version is packed with a decent selection of virtual instruments.
  • Offers auxiliary tracks, video tracks, pre-sets, MIDI editor, loop record track comping & more.

PROS:

  • Free Trial is available for all three versions.
  • Comprehensive control surface support.

CONS:

  • Plugins can get quite expensive.
  • It doesn’t cooperate with third-party interfaces much.

PRICE: $29.99

5. Adobe Audition

Adobe offers some recommendable products, but did you know it even has an audio recording software program for Windows 10 amongst its other offerings? Well, its Adobe Audition, a professional sound workstation with an extensive set of features to create podcasts and other audio recording clips. Its robust toolkit has all the features to record & edit audios quickly.

Key Features:

  • The suite has a plethora of features to produce crisp, high-quality sound to your audio clips.
  • Has several noise reduction tools for HD sound output.
  • Allows you to adjust the levels for each speaker’s voice & eliminates disparity in pitch.
  • Adobe Audition offers a wide range of effects & plug-ins.
  • Make the most out of real-time clip stretching & parameter automation.
  • Enjoy the automatic voice alignment feature as well.

PROS:

  • Multi-format & multi-track editing possible.
  • Quick & intuitive editing simplifies the recording & mixing.
  • An excellent voice recorder software for adjusting & performing the audio restoration.

CONS:

  • Have to purchase the entire Adobe Suite to access Audition, an audio recorder program.
  • For some users, the price & system requirements could be a problem.
  • It can only be purchased on a subscription basis.

PRICE: $74.99 for monthly basis & $49.99 for a year

6. Streaming Audio Recorder

Did you know which is the best audio recording software for Windows 10,8,7, when it comes to supporting variable input formats? Well, Apowersoft Streaming Audio Recorder is an excellent utility to consider. It’s capable of recording sounds from music websites, audiobooks, radio shows & even online conferences. The audio recorder features an incredible set of tools, let’s have a look at them.

Key Features:

  • Clean & user-friendly interface.
  • Features an audio converter to help users convert audio into desired output formats.
  • Add ID3 tags for music files, for easy searching based on the title, album, genre, year, artist, etc.
  • Manipulate your recorded data such as merging them into a single file or eliminating extra or unwanted audio portions.
  • Efficient file management system for renaming, removing & transferring files.
  • Easy listening/playback features for quality check.

PROS:

  • Record any kind of audio & yield high-quality outputs.
  • Ideal audio recording software program for both novice & professional users.
  • Compatible with Windows, iOS, macOS & Android.

CONS:

  • Limited trial period.

PRICE: $23.97

Also Read: 14 Best Free Driver Updater Software For Windows 10, 8, 7

7. Sound Forge Pro 13

Sound Forge Pro 13 is an advanced audio recorder software & a little expensive than other professional counterparts. It offers a plethora of sound restoration tools to apply on recorded audios. The best part of using this voice recorder software is its entire interface & toolbar section that can be entirely customised according to user convenience.

Usb Mic Recording Software

Key Features:

  • The latest version has VST2/3 engine & ARA2 interface extension.
  • High-quality audio visualization tools.
  • Sound Forge Pro 13 offers several new plug-ins & effects for cleaning audio files.
  • Advanced features included to record high-resolution audio.
  • Has a professional recording workflow to capture up to 32 audio channels.
  • It has a threshold recording feature so that you can set a beginning, which is a recorder over using an input device.
  • Add the Delay & Reverb effect using a wide array of tools.
  • Eliminate uniform white noise.

PROS:

  • It offers a one-touch recording feature to allow users to start recording with a single click.
  • Record without necessarily being in both the recording & control room at the same time.

CONS:

  • A bit clumsy to use, especially if you are used to any DAW program.

PRICE: $299

8. Zynewave Podium

Meet, Podium a modern Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) designed for Windows users only. The voice recorder tool supports both the recording and editing of audio & MIDI. It even hosts several VST instrument & effect plug-ins. It also offers an embedded editor that allows users to adjust settings without opening a new window. Users can easily zoom and click, change edges & so on.

Key Features:

  • It’s a modern production host that integrates audio recording, sound gear, external MIDI support & VST plug-ins.
  • It allows you to color scheme files or set up a dialog to change the general appearance of the User Interface.
  • Use Podium, the best audio recording software for creating songs, ambiance sounds, themes, or whatever ideas fly through your mind.
  • One of the best sound recorder programs for post-production purposes.

PROS:

  • Excellent UI & navigation is suitable for both novice and advanced users.
  • It offers users to learn how to use the audio recorder program & how they can make the most out of the suite.
  • The company regularly updates the software to fix bugs & known issues.

CONS:

  • Low compatibility, available for only Windows platform.
  • The demo version of the audio recorder software has certain restrictions.

PRICE: $50

9. i-Sound Recorder

An affordable audio recording option, i-Sound Recorder is a fundamental tool with some beneficial features. Ranging from the excellent audio input, ripping features, i-Sound Recorder also has an advanced recording scheduler & voice-activated feature set, which makes it stand out from its competitors. Some essential features include universal audio input, recording scheduler & voice-activated recording.

Key Features:

  • It offers a record timer to define the duration of recordings.
  • Advanced recording scheduler can be utilized to schedule future recording events with date, time, duration & repeating occurrences.
  • Features like low pass, high pass & notch filters are available.
  • Utilize the auto splitter functionality to fragment voice at set time intervals.
  • Features a functionality to convert mono audio files to stereo.
  • Has a built-in audio converter to change file formats.
  • Unlike other audio recorder programs, i-Sound Recorder lets users add or edit metadata.

PROS:

  • You can open & save files to MP3, OGG, FLAC, WAV, WMA & other file formats.
  • The sound recorder software is moderately easy to use.
  • This software includes ‘help files’ to guide users about the product & how to use it.

CONS:

  • Audio filters & effects are quite limited.
  • Compatible with Windows 10, 7 & XP only.

PRICE: $29.95 Reproductor apple quicktime media player.

Best Free Audio Recording Software

Check out some of the great options in Free Audio Recording Software category:

10. Audacity

Audacity is the most popular & useful name in the category of best free audio recording & editing software. With a clutter-free & straightforward dashboard, the program makes the recording sound a hassle-free process. The audio recorder is an ideal choice for recording live audio, such as podcasts or interviews. Additionally, you can use Audacity to edit sound files for professional results. All the features and simplicity of this tool make it the best free music recording software.

Key Features:

  • Lets you record live audio via microphone or mixer.
  • It allows you to digitize recordings from other media.
  • Lets you import & edit sound files quickly & efficiently.
  • Export recorded files in various file formats.
  • Batch processing can be done.
  • Multiple editing features available to create professional recordings.
  • It offers a spectrogram view for frequency adjustments.

PROS:

  • Ultra-complete yet straightforward graphical interface for more professional use.
  • Excellent audio recorder software for freelancers.
  • The file size is comparatively lighter than other sound recording programs, merely 62.5 MB.
  • Supports Windows, macOS, Linux & Unix.

CONS:

  • Several unknown bugs exist that make voice recorder software unstable sometimes.
  • Certain aspects are complex to understand & not user-friendly.

Also Read: Best Duplicate Photo Finder Tools to Remove Duplicate Images

11. GarageBand

GarageBand is the best free audio recording software to record and create music in a multi-track sound environment. The voice recorder program helps individuals who love to create podcasts. Top 10 casinos in usa. With the motto, “For Musicians: No Experience Is Needed”, the voice recorder is designed with an intuitive interface packed with essential features that need to record your songs & instruments.

Key Features:

The free audio recorder software has a multi-track music sequencer to record multiple sound channels in a single song.

  • Has a series of pre-sets that emulates several amplifiers & recording methods.
  • It allows you to record audios using a regular or a MIDI keyboard.
  • It offers synthesizers, pianos, choral sounds, guitars & more.
  • Boasts a variety of templates & sound profiles for male & female voices.
  • Bunch of sound effects, jingles & other audio elements are offered to users.

PROS:

  • GarageBand UI offers sleek & easy to use experience.
  • High-quality virtual instruments.
  • Provides multi-touch features to trigger options for loop cells.

CONS:

  • You have to record the correction on another track & cut/paste it.

12. Ardour

Popularly known as an advanced free & open-source digital audio workstation software. Ardour is a fantastic free audio recording tool designed for new as well as professional musicians. Packed with lots of features & backed with loads of add-ons & plug-ins, Ardour supports flexible recording with per-track adjustments. To enjoy advanced features, you can switch to its PRO version.

Key Features:

  • Clean linear interface.
  • Allows users complex mixer routings with multiple sound effects & filters.
  • Gives users the capability to create & play virtual midi instruments.
  • It offers multi-display support.
  • The free audio recording software supports Linux, macOS, Windows.

PROS:

  • Open-source & free audio recorder.
  • There’s no dedicated option to make a looping clip; you have to drag it to a new length so it auto-repeats.

CONS:

  • Sometimes it gets too hard to find useful plug-ins.

13. Free Audio Recorder

Get the ability to record various kinds of sound inputs to MP3 & OGG file formats, with Free Audio Recorder. Use the tool to record audios from a CD player, microphone, tape cassette, Internet radio, line-in & almost anything you listen to from your PC. Free Audio Recorder is also capable of recording human voices via microphones. Its features set includes the following functionalities. The high quality voice recorder for the PC to save the voice samples locally on the device.

Key Features:

  • Enjoy HD sound recording with Free Audio Recorder.
  • It allows you to record & save audio formats like FLAC, AAC.
  • Supports lots of DSP effects like tempo shift, noise remover, frequency filtering & so on.
  • The audio recording tool works seamlessly with other volume sound mixers

PROS:

  • Supports multiple sound inputs, ranging from audio/video playback, CD player, microphone & more.
  • Supports modern sound cards: multi-channel/external/professional & more.

CONS:

  • Limited sound filters & effects.
  • Very basic audio recorder program.

14. Windows Voice Recorder

One of the best free music recording software for Windows with necessary features and options to record, trim, highlight important moments & share audio without any hassles. Windows Voice Recorder is an up-front program to record audios. You just need to have a microphone aside, if there’s not one already built into the device you’re using. It is the best voice recorder software for the beginners to try on.

Key Features:

  • Start/Resume/Pause audio recording in just a click.
  • Recorded audios are auto-saved & get stored in Documents folder for easy access.
  • Lets you share recordings easily with friends & family.
  • Features options to playback, trim, rename & delete audio recordings.
  • It allows you to mark ‘key moments’ in the recording.

PROS:

Mic Recording Software
  • Best free audio recording software available for PC, tablet & Windows phone.
  • It doesn’t eat much space on your system, merely 12.4 MB of space.

CONS:

  • Doesn’t receive regular updates for bug fixing or performance improvements.

PART 3: Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. Which software is best for audio recording?

WavePad is a great utility to record high-quality audios on Windows PC. It features all the essential tools and options that an ideal audio recorder software has.

Q2. What is the best audio recording software for Windows 10?

Audio recording software for Windows 10 has to include certain features to become the best sound recording software. One that ensures features like necessary tools for recording, easy to use, has a wide variety of audio filters, special effects, provides technical assistance & has plenty of tools to edit audios. You can also use them as a voice recorder for windows 10.

Q3. What audio software do professionals use?

When selecting the best sound recording software, professionals look for all the features. Pro Tools is undoubtedly one of the most popular tools used by professionals & music production specialists. It features lots of advanced tools that make it one of the best audio recording software.

Q4. Is Pro Tools better than Audacity?

Pro Tools has certainly more features than Audacity, be its ability to record multiple tracks of audio at the same time or it always backs up your files while working with original copies for clients. It offers a user-friendly interface & you can certainly revert changes without having to start over again.

What Do You Think?
Responses