This post contains affiliate links. As a partner with Amazon and various brands, I am compensated when qualifying purchases are made through my referral links.
If you are looking for a program that can help you edit everything from videos to podcasts and other sound recordings, then Adobe Audition might be for you.
Originally released back in 2003 under the name Cool Edit, Adobe Audition is a powerful software suite that can help you make the most out of your audio files.
While you may need a video editor to help you completely clean up those recordings, Adobe Audition can still help you dramatically improve your recordings’recordings’ quality.
Learn more about how Adobe Audition might be able to help you polish your audio files.
An Overview of Adobe Audition
Adobe Audition is a powerful audio editing software program that is simply in its own category.
Adobe Audition was originally released by a company called Syntrillium under the name Cool Edit Pro. About 15 years ago, Adobe Audition purchased the product from Syntrillium, and it has been called Adobe Audition ever since.
A cross-platform tool, Adobe Audition has specialized features that can help you precisely and meticulously edit everything from personal files to commercial videos. Furthermore, with the rapid rise of podcasts, Adobe Audition handles podcast files with aplomb.
In particular, Adobe Audition has demonstrated its abilities in the post-production world. While Adobe Audition does function well as a Digital Audio Workstation, it does lack the necessary tools for comprehensive music editing.
Adobe Audition: The Purchase Process
Like other Adobe software programs, you can purchase Adobe Audition by subscribing to one of the “Creative Cloud” plans from Adobe.
You can either purchase Adobe Audition monthly or yearly. Furthermore, the pricing will vary depending on the creative suite from which you are buying Adobe Audition.
For example, you can purchase Adobe Audition along with Photoshop, Lightroom, and Illustrator as a bulk package.
You should take a look at your personal needs and figure out whether you can use any of the other Adobe tools.
While Adobe Audition works excellent for sound files, it struggles in the video editing department. Therefore, if you find that one of Adobe’sAdobe’s video editing tools would work well for you, then you might want to consider one of Adobe’sAdobe’s bulk deals.
Adobe Audition: The Main Features
When you use Adobe Audition, you will find that there are two main modes. These are:
- The Waveform View: The waveform view is primarily used for stereo editing purposes
- The Multitrack View: The multitrack view is incredibly helpful if you want to mix multiple tracks on a timeline
The process of flipping between these two tracks is relatively straightforward. Adobe Audition features a very smooth user interface with sharp colors, clear outlines, and obvious waveform displays, allowing you to adjust your audio files with ease.
You can attack each recorded wave with sharp, simple clicks, allowing you to zoom in on a specific range so that you can make your edits easily.
The Multitrack view is particularly helpful. You can drop clips of various audio files together and combine them into a single track.
For example, if you have a voiceover that you want to add to a particular audio file, you drag the file and drop it on top of the other track. The drag and drop feature is incredibly helpful, allowing you to make a series of non-destructive edits with ease.
In contrast, you should be careful with the waveform editor, as it could be destructive.
Adobe Audition also makes it easy for you to store each audio file in its own channel within a single file.
You can then simply configure each source channel’s routing to the right clip channel, allowing you to edit audio files quickly and easily.
The DeReverb and DeNoise Tools
Two new features were added to Adobe Audition recently. These are called DeReverb and DeNoise.
The DeReverb tool is handy, allowing you to reduce and remove any reverberation present in your existing audio file.
The tool can handle everything from short delays to large, spacious reverberations.
The DeNoise tool helps remove hums and hisses that might be present in your files.
When you use these tools, be careful as you reduce the noise in the background. There is an option to preview the noise print removal before you completely take it out.
There are plenty of customizable options that place you in complete control as you clean up the background noise.
The Adobe Audition Essential Sound Panel
Finally, Adobe Audition is even useful for beginners. One of the most popular tools is called the Essential sound panel. When you use Adobe Audition, take a clip and choose a mix type.
Then, the program shows you a few suggested crucial elements that will help you clean up the sound file easily.
For example, if there is a bit blurry sound or a click that you would like to remove, Adobe Audition will show you the steps to get it done.
In total, the Essential Sound panel has more than 50 audio effects that place you in total control.
The Pros and Cons of Adobe Audition
Some of the main benefits of Adobe Audition include:
- Adobe Audition has substantial audio restoration, noise reduction, and sound removal tools
- Adobe Audition also provides you with access to useful visualization tools with a drag and drop editor
- The waveform editor from Adobe Audition is exceptional
- The parameters supplied by Adobe Audition adhere to film and television broadcast standards
A few of the drawbacks of using Adobe Audition include:
- Adobe Audition does not provide support for MIDI files, which some people might find frustrating
- There is no way to purchase Adobe Audition outright, as it is only available as a monthly subscription
Overall, Adobe Audition is a powerful software program that will meet the needs of many people; however, it is also important to be aware of some of the limitations and the subscription requirement for those who would like to use it.
A Few Alternatives to Adobe Audition
It is also a good idea for everyone to consider a few alternatives to Adobe Audition. Some of the key alternatives include:
- Audacity: Another popular audio editing tool is called Audacity. Audacity is known for its easy user interface; however, it doesn’t quite have the same features as Adobe Audition. While Audacity runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux, it is mainly used to handle simple, fast edits. The major benefit of Audacity is that the program is free. Audacity is also an open-source program that provides community support, with many people making changes that improve the program over time.
- Acoustica Standard Edition: Acoustica Standard Edition runs on both macOS and Windows platforms. Acoustica Standard Edition is mainly used to create amazing sound effects; however, the tool does not do as well when it comes to cleaning up the background noise. On the other hand, Acoustica Standard Edition does provide real-time analytics, a helpful undo and redo feature, and access to non-destructive editing features. Acoustica Standard Edition is worth checking out for those who would like to deploy their own chain of creative sound effects.
- WaveLab Elements: WaveLab Elements is another popular sound editing tool. Made for both macOS and Windows, WaveLab Elements provides many of the same benefits as Adobe Audition. WaveLab Elements includes an all-in-one tool for broadcast audio and music production along with a helpful history tool. The significant difference between WaveLab Elements and Adobe Audition is that users can purchase WaveLab Elements outright.
It is a good idea for everyone to consider all of these programs’ benefits and drawbacks before making a decision.
The best program for one type of audio file might not be the best program for another audio file.
Find the Right Audio Editing Program: Adobe Audition
In the end, Adobe Audition is only one of the many options that are out there for those who are trying to find an audio editing program.
While Adobe Audition is toward the top of the list when it comes to its features and ease of use, some people might be looking for something that can handle video editing needs.
The good news is that there are plenty of tools out there, and Adobe Audition can play a key role in editing numerous audio and video files.