Need audio editor that can handle stereo tracks

[badlydrawnboy]

I'm looking for a simple audio editor that can handle stereo tracks. I do interviews using Skype and record them with Audio Hijack Pro, using the left channel for input and right channel for output.

I use Fission to edit mono audio tracks but it seems it doesn't handle stereo tracks. Is that right?

Is there another simple app like Fission that can do this? I want to be able to adjust the levels of the input and output individually.

 

[spinnerlys]

What about Garage Band (iLife) or Audacity?

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Thanks. I forgot about Audacity. I have GB, too, but I thought that was better for adding effects, etc. once the track is already edited/prepared. No?

 

[spinnerlys]

Thanks. I forgot about Audacity. I have GB, too, but I thought that was better for adding effects, etc. once the track is already edited/prepared. No?

As far as I have seen, Garage Band is used for editing too, effect editing is just a part of it. What good would it do, to include an effects editing program, when you have iPhoto and iMovie and iDVD and iWeb in the same package?

 

[mchalebk]

Garageband can indeed do audio editing. For most things, I prefer it to Audacity, though either will probably do what you want.

 

[badlydrawnboy]

Garageband can indeed do audio editing. For most things, I prefer it to Audacity, though either will probably do what you want.

I'm not familiar with GB's editing capabilities. Guess I need a book on it or something. I poked around the online manual and didn't find it to be very helpful.

 

[Arganos0]

I used audacity for basic editing. It's quite decent.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

Audacity works very well - it can even go BEYOND stereo, and edit 3- or more-track audio files.

 

[Steve-M]

+1 for Audacity

 

[mchalebk]

Depending on the type of editing, I tend to prefer Garageband to Audacity. For instance, if I needed to edit a 5 minute song down to 3 minutes by deleting a middle section, I would use GB. It's very easy to split the track and fade in/out different sections to make seamless edits. While this can be done in Audacity, I find it easier to do in GB.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I do interviews using Skype and record them with Audio Hijack Pro, using the left channel for input and right channel for output.
Is there another simple app like Fission that can do this? I want to be able to adjust the levels of the input and output individually."

I can't speak much for Audacity, haven't used it much.

As long as the left and right channels are recorded on a _single_ track (i.e., a "stereo" track), I'm guessing that you can't do much in the way of "editing" to manipulate the levels individually "within the same track".

In other words, if you want to adjust levels "individually", you're going to have to "break out" the left and right audio channels into _separate tracks_. Once done, you will easily be able to make such changes.

This is strictly "after the fact" processing, to be done after the tracks are recorded.

Here's how I would do it:
1. First, make a "dupe" of the original stereo track. You will end up with TWO stereo tracks, identical in content.
2. Then, use your DAW software to convert the first track, going from "left to stereo" or "left to mono". What you will end up with is only the "left channel content".
3. Next, convert the second (duped) track from "right to stereo" or "right to mono".
4. You will now have two tracks, one of the [original] "left", and the second of the [original] "right"

A DAW that can do this -- and do it easily and quickly -- is Cubase.

If you can get ahold of a copy of Cubase LE4, it will be all you need. "LE4" is a "bundled app" that comes with numerous audio interfaces sold. It's "free", a part of the package, but you can't buy it separately.

The full version of Cubase costs several hundred dollars and probably not worth the expense.

A good compromise is "Cubase Essentials", which can be found on ebay for $100 or less. "Essentials" is a "step up" from LE4, but not as "fully-equipped" as the "full version". It _will_ do what you need to do.

Not sure if Audacity can convert "left to stereo" or "right to stereo". Others who use it -- can it do this?

 

[mchalebk]

Audacity has the ability to convert a stereo track into 2 mono tracks. If Garageband can do this, I haven't found it yet.