WavePad: New Look, New Tools, New Features

Change doesn't have to be scary; in this case it’s really exciting: WavePad has a new look. Now, instead of tiny icons and long and packed menus, WavePad uses a ribbon toolbar to organize functionality by category. It really is easier to use than ever before.

WavePad continually receives praise for its user-friendliness. The interface isn’t intimidating to the beginner, yet doesn’t bury the advanced features more experienced audiophiles use on a regular basis. Its feature set includes recording, editing, and effects such as amplify, normalize, reverb, echo, and reverse and is extended by DirectX effects and VST plugin support, and an included royalty-free sound effect library. The new ribbon toolbar organizes all these aspects of the program, improving an already easy-to-use workspace.

Here is the Effects toolbar. Look how the features pop out at you:



There’s more to this latest version of WavePad, including the following features and tools:

• Wah-wah effect, for emulating wah-wah guitar pedals
  
• Vibrato effect, for modulating the depth and frequency of an audio sample’s pitch
  
• Tremolo effect, for modulating the depth and frequency of an audio sample’s amplitude
  
• Doppler effect, for simulating the sound of a passing vehicle from a higher to a lower pitch
  
• Pitch speed profile tool, for changing the speed or pitch of select portions of an audio sample
  

WavePad version 5.0 is a major release, and we want you to experience it yourself. Download your copy of WavePad now.

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Record Your Own Audio Book

Books on tape have been around a long time, when I was younger we would sometimes get an audio book to listen to in the car on a long trip. Now that people carry mp3 players almost everywhere there is no reason to wait for a road trip to listen to a good book. And, like ebooks, there isn't the pressure to sell huge volumes that is inherent when publishing a printed book, so it is much easier to get into. In fact with just some audio recording software and a high quality microphone you can get started recording your first audio book.

Once you have decided to record an audio book you can start getting prepared. You want to be very familiar with the text. Read first and record second. You can do some editing of the audio after recording, but you want to keep that to a minimum and keep a flow to the prose. Being familiar with the text will help you keep a steady pace. Keep your pace in check, you don't want to zip through it fast so that the listener can really appreciate and hear everything you are reading. In addition to keeping that slow pace, be sure to add pauses after sentences and paragraphs, and beware being monotone. Try to breathe some life into your reading, no one will want to listen to you drone on in a flat voice. Another suggestion would be to consider printing out a hard copy of the book. Unbound, single-sided pages will make page turning easy.

Once you are prepared you just need to schedule yourself a chunk of quiet time to sit down and start recording. You can estimate the total amount of time you will need by timing how long it takes you to read through a single page and multiply by the number of pages. For a longer book you might want to break it out into more than one sitting. A good choice for audio recording is WavePad Sound Editor. By recording directly into an audio editor like WavePad you can easily go in to the recorded audio file when you are done recording to cut out any places you might have stumbled or make any other adjustment that might be needed like amplifying or equalizing the audio file or eliminating any background noise that might have crept in. And if you recorded in more than one session you can merge the files together before publishing your final mp3 file and sharing it with the world.

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The Sound of Learning: Using WavePad in the Classroom

We recently cited some tutorials made by a WavePad audio editor user who uses music in language lessons. Now here is another example of WavePad helping in the classroom. This time, in her post The Two Faces of Technology, Kathy talks about using the iPad version of WavePad to record and playback a student's reading to help the student see and hear where they are making mistakes to help them improve their reading skills.

Reading her post actually reminded me of being forced to make audio recordings of oral exams in high school for my Spanish classes. I always found these assignments rather stressful, but I have to admit that it did force me to listen to what I was saying much more closely, and I would go back myself and listen to what I had said and rerecord multiple times before I was happy enough with the final result to turn it in. Kathy mentions that she thinks this would also "be great for teaching storytelling." Can you think of any other places where audio recording or audio editing might be beneficial in the classroom?

WavePad has several applications in the classroom, aside from its recording capability. We have found that instructors and professionals alike use it to create sound clips and soundtracks for their presentations. See how WavePad enhances your teaching, interviewing, and presentations, and download it today.

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Music Editing for Language Lessons

We recently found a series of videos made by a WavePad user as a guide for people just getting started with audio editing, and for using sound editing software to support use of music in language lessons. While many of the basics are covered in our WavePad video tutorials as well, if there is one thing I have learned, it is that sometimes hearing the same thing in a slightly different way can really help you pick it up. If you are looking for another source to help you ease into audio editing, you should check out this series of 7 videos covering some WavePad audio editing basics:

1. Select and cut
   
2. Splitting and trimming
   
3. Saving files in different sound formats
   
4. Changing audio track speed
   
5. Changing audio track pitch
   
6. Using slower speeds and looping to teach sections of a song
   
7. Copying edited clips to a new file
   

So whether you are teaching or learning songs in another language, or you have any other audio projects, be sure that you have WavePad Audio Editor on hand. You never know when it might come in handy.

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New: iPad Pocket WavePad HD Audio Editing App

One more way to easily record and edit music, voice, and other audio on the go.

We are excited to announce the new iPad version of the NCH Software favorite, WavePad Audio Editor is now available for download from the Apple iTunes App Store. The iPhone Pocket WavePad App was released in October 2010, and since then we have had a lot of positive feedback on the free audio editing app. The release of the iPhone app prompted requests for an iPad version to make use of the larger screen, and to make precise audio selection and editing easier for iPad users—a request we are happy to now fulfill.

The iPad Pocket WavePad HD Audio Editor provides a remarkably easy way to record and edit audio, voice and other sound recordings while on the go. Normalize audio levels, apply audio effects, and reduce background noise. Recordings can be sent by email, ftp upload, or iTunes file sharing from Pocket WavePad for you to share, use, or even broadcast later.

Pocket WavePad the ideal solution for professionals such as journalists, scientists, and other audio enthusiasts on the go. It also makes significant strides in mobile audio editing, as WavePad user and audio aficionado Andrew Wardell said, "The very tactile method of manipulating audio in this app, combined with the amount and quality of features NCH has packed in has made iOS a serious competitor in the mobile audio editing space."

Users of Pocket WavePad should also try more of the NCH Software Audio Essentials Suite, as well the other NCH Software iPhone apps.

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MIDI Support Coming to NCH Software

If you’ve ever gone rooting around for MIDI support in the feature lists of NCH Software audio products, you most likely didn’t find it—at the time. But soon you will. A myriad of MIDI features are being added throughout our audio software category.

The most notable example at the moment is in MixPad multi-track mixing software. You can load a MIDI file into MixPad and then double click the clip to edit it. This will launch a MIDI editor dialog that allows you to move notes around, create and delete notes and resize notes on a piano roll. Since a MIDI sequence is really only a set of digital instructions, it’s easier to pinpoint specific notes and alter them than with an audio file:


The current version of MixPad already features this new MIDI editor. In the future, MixPad will have broader MIDI support, such as allowing users to connect a MIDI capable mixing deck to control the program.

MIDI is starting to play a larger role in all our audio software. Plans to implement the following capabilities are in the works:

• Playback of MIDI files as music using built in and external synthesizers
  
• Record MIDI control sequences
  
• Edit MIDI files
  
• Control software (e.g., MixPad mixing software or Zulu dj software) with a MIDI device
  
• Convert MIDI files to audio
  

These features will be included in varying combinations in WavePad audio editor, MixPad multi-track mixer, Zulu virtual dj, Switch audio converter, and MIDIPad—a new full-featured MIDI editor currently in development. We’re excited to see how MIDI will contribute to our audio software. How do you think you’ll use it?

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Looking Back at 2010

The New Year is always a time of reflection. What went well the last year? What could have been better? This is where many New Year’s resolutions come from. Not only is the New Year starting you off with a clean slate but it’s a good reason to find things you can do improve on years past. In the spirit of reflection I took a little time to look at what our most popular blog posts from the last year in hopes of finding a little bit of insight into what we should work on or write about in the year to come.

1. Change the speed of video clips in VideoPad
   
2. Practice audio transcription files now available
   
3. NCH Software iPhone Software Update, see all the NCH Software iPhone apps
   
4. Make a Glee Music Mash Up with MixPad
   
5. Record audio playing through your computer
   
6. WavePad recognized as top mac audio editing software
   
7. Zulu virtual DJ Software now avaialable for Mac
   
8. The Secret Life of Tone Generator Software
   
9. Complete transcription quickly and easily with FastFox word expansion software
   
10. Radio World User report on BroadWave streaming Audio server software
    
11. PitchPerfect Guitar Tuning Software Now an iPhone App
    
12. WavePad Audio Editor Software Now available as an iPhone App
    
13. FTC Bans Unsolicited robocalls
    
14. MixPad Multitrack audio recording and mixing software now available for Mac
    
15. New Sound Effect Library Added to WavePad Sound Editor
    
16. Create unique sounds with MixPad and WavePad Audio Software
    
17. TempoPerfect metronome software is now also an iPhone App
    
18. Internet Use in the Office and Cyberslacking is costing employers millions
    
19. A movie maker solution for Windows 7—Videopad
    
20. CardWorks new free business card designer software
    

What I take from this is that not only are our big announcements such as the addition of the sound effect library and adding speed control into VideoPad important, but that our readers like to see more about how software is being used by other people in interesting and creative ways. There also seem to be a fair amount of Mac users looking for software solutions who will be pleased to hear that we are going to continue to bring more of our popular software over to the Mac platform. We are also going to continue to try to write about a breadth of different software topics. If there is anything in particular you would like to hear about, let us know.

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Boost Audio Quality for Radio and Podcast Production

From radio to podcasting, having high quality audio matters. So if you are recording and producing audio content, NCH Software's top audio software duo Wavepad audio editor and Mixpad multitrack recorder and mixer will provide you with the audio tools you need to produce high quality audio to your listeners. Just ask the people behind The Yes Hour Radio Show, a growing radio program that will be increasing their broadcasts in January. As they grow they have been committed to providing the highest quality audio to their listeners, so one of the recent changes they've made was changing their audio editing software and coming to NCH:

"The first thing we've done, which you might have noticed, is to change our editing software. We initially started by using magic studio, which served its purpose for a small production, but as things grew, that is, as we began to develop our content for The Yes Hour and invited guests on the show we decided to try another program called Mixpad and it's editing component Wavepad... These two NCH Software applications have enabled us to do so much, including recording on a multi-track bed, editing telephone interviews, importing new music from local and existing artists."

– Serious Voice of New York, The Yes Hour Radio Show

If you are producing your own radio show, or any other audio project, we hope you too will check out the full range of audio software and software for radio stations we provide to help make you sound your best.

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The WavePad Audio Editing iPhone App

Every month our flagship product Wavepad Audio Editor has more than 400,000 downloads. That number continues to climb, adding to the millions of WavePad users worldwide already using our award-wining sound editing software on their PC, Mac or Pocket PC. And now our popular audio editing application is available for iPhone and iPod Touch as well.

Just like the desktop versions, the Pocket WavePad Audio Editing Software iPhone App provides an easy way to record and edit audio, voice and other sound recordings with all of the essential audio effects and sound editing tools you’ve come to expect. We think you’ll agree that Pocket WavePad is the ideal solution for professionals working away from a computer, from journalists and scientists to any other audio enthusiasts on the go.

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WavePad the Movie

Here is a quick look at the always popular WavePad audio editor



WavePad is an established leader in professional audio editing software. Its diverse editing, effects, and toolset make it well suited for a wide scope of audio projects. And for those of you new to the wonderful world of audio editing you can find three WavePad video tutorials to help you learn the ropes and get started using this NCH classic.

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Another Impressive Review for WavePad

TopTenReviews recently updated its top ten list for best audio editing software. We were pleased to see WavePad Master's Edition move up in the rankings from last year, winning a Silver award for 2010's best audio editing software. Here are some of our favorite quotes from the review:

"Whether you are a musician looking to refine and improve tracks, a journalist looking to trim or extract vocal clips or looking to add voice narration to a multimedia presentation, [WavePad] offers a unique range, making it accessible to users with audio editing software needs not related to music production."

"The great thing about this software is it has it all. You can download, edit and burn through one program. Not many other software packages that we tested had these capabilities, not to mention the quality that NCH Software has implemented."

"WavePad strikes an incredible balance between high-end and low-end, advanced and beginner level audio and sound editing software programs, giving users of various professions, skill-sets and program needs an incredible range with which to work. Best of all, it does so without over-simplifying its interface or limiting users to only a handful of tools."

The review correctly points out that whether you are an experienced audiophile, use audio editing in non-music related professions, or are just getting started in audio production, WavePad has something for everyone. You can read the entire review, and make sure you take advantage of WavePad's free trial to see how well it can work for you.

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NCH Audio Suite Complete for Mac

With the release of Zulu DJ Software for Mac earlier this week, all five of the core audio software tools that make up the NCH Audio Suite are now all available for the Mac, completing the Audio Suite for Apple fans. Take a closer look at these 5 essential audio tools for Mac and Widows PC users alike:

• WavePad audio editor
  
• MixPad multitrack recorder and mixer
  
• RecordPad audio recorder
  
• Switch audio file converter
  
• Zulu DJ Software
  

Note: All 5 audio software products are available for download and purchase individually through the NCH Software website, and the retail box with all these audio tools bundled together is available at a selection of retail stores in the US including Fry's, MicroCenter, CompUSA, Amazon and more, so keep your eyes peeled for NCH Software in a store near you.

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Top Mac Audio Editing Software

We are thrilled to add another plaque to WavePad's list of achievements with the recent Gold Award from TopTenReviews, putting Wavepad Audio Editing Software in the number one spot for audio editing on a Mac. The verdict from the reviewers was that "with an easy learning curve and ample tools, NCH’s WavePad makes for a great beginner’s Mac audio editing program." But that is not to say that WavePad is just for the beginner. WavePad also packs a punch with powerful editing tools for the more experienced audio engineer:

"[WavePad] has a lot to offer to the amateur audio editor, while still providing enough tools to make it a useful program for more seasoned audio editors. Therefore, considering the wide range of editing and recording tools, which are a snap to use, it is easy to declare this the best program available in the Mac audio editing software lineup."

– TopTenReviews

You can read the complete review of WavePad Mac Audio Editing Software on the TopTenReviews website. Or even better yet, download WavePad and try it out for yourself and see firsthand how both powerful and intuitive WavePad is and how it can help you improve all your audio editing projects.

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A Movie Maker Solution for Windows 7

In a recent article on Shared Reviews, Alexsandralyn covers the lack of movie making software and video codecs that come with the Windows 7 OS. We were pleased to stumble across this article that not only has a lot of valuable information on codecs in her article Free Movie Maker Software for Windows 7 but also a very nice little review and summary of VideoPad video editor and WavePad audio editor for helping you to make movies and clean up the audio for your video soundtracks as an alternative.

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Acclaim for WavePad Sound Editing Software

We are very grateful that the reviewers over at TopTenReviews recently took the time to review NCH's WavePad Sound Editor. Not only did they write a very good review of one of our favorite programs, but they awarded WavePad their Bronze Award in the Audio Editing Software category. When talking about WavePad the review states that, "WavePad’s greatest strength lies in its intuitive, user-friendly interface and overall simplicity." The reviews goes on to say:

"WavePad strikes an incredible balance between high-end and low-end, advanced and beginner level audio and sound editing software programs, giving users of various professions, skill-sets and program needs an incredible range with which to work. Best of all, it does so without over-simplifying its interface or limiting users to only a handful of tools."

– TopTenReviews

You can read the complete review of WavePad Audio Editor on the TopTenReviews website, but the best way to really get a feel for the user-friendly intuitive interface is download WavePad and try it out for yourself. Besides, as much as we love getting positive reviews like these from places like TopTenReviews, the most important review is yours.

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New Sound Effect Library Added to WavePad

WavePad audio editing software is an NCH Software favorite, making us all the more excited to announce the addition of a sound effect library, and giving WavePad fans another reason to love this audio editor. Starting with the release of version 4.40, WavePad now includes access to an extensive sound effect library.

The new Sound Effect Library contains one thousand high quality wav fx files comprised of 800 SFX files and 200 music files. Audio enthusiasts can browse and preview all of the audio clips by opening the Sound Library window found under Tools from the WavePad main window.

The Sound Effect Library includes:

• Alerts
  
• Cartoon sound effects
  
• Gunshots and Explosions
  
• Human sound effects like screaming
  
• Animals and Nature
  
• Whoosh effects
  
• and Many Many More
  

I encourage you to Download WavePad today and checkout this wonderful new sound effect library. During the free 14-day trial period you will be limited to downloading three of the sound effect files, but you can preview them all, and you will have unlimited access to the entire sound library after purchasing this popular and powerful sound editor.

We hope that you find having these sound effects on hand is useful while you are working on your audio editing projects, and we'd love to know what you think about this great new addition to WavePad and how you are using the new sound effects.

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There’s an iPhone App for that – Coming soon...

It’s been over a year since the release of Apple’s App store for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and the success seems endless. To date, iPhone and iPod touch users have downloaded over 1.5 billion applications. But this wasn’t always the case. In fact, Apple originally said no to outside applications. Can you imagine?

Today there are over 100,000 apps in the store and we are literally getting to the point where there appears to be an app for everything.

Soon you can expect to see some NCH products available for the iPhone and iPod Touch as well. Express Dictate a digital voice recording application, is going to be the first one available and our developers are currently working on getting it ready and new testing plans as we enter the iPhone arena. So any day now iPhone users will be able to record and edit audio with nothing more than their phone using the NCH applications they've enjoyed in the past on their computers and pocket PC mobile devices.

NCH already offers a wide range of software for windows mobile and pocket pc and now with the growing iPhone market and the success of Apple’s App store, migrating some of these popular programs is a natural progression for NCH.

To try to get a sneak peak for what is on the way you might want to take a look at Pocket Dictate which was the springing board for the new iPhone Express Dictate that is on the way.

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By popular demand WavePad Sound Editor returns to classic colors

The newest release of the Professional Audio Editing Software, WavPad (v4.23) has returned to the classic green and black waveform color scheme for better contrast easier audio editing.

Many loyal users of the NCH Software Audio Suite voiced their opinions about the change in the color scheme in the NCH Forums when the change was made and the number of requests to return the waveforms to the display colors of earlier versions was overwhelming. So with this release we are happy to listen to our users and return to the classic green black combination.

In addition to many program improvements including an improved reverb effect with a pre-delay setting and slider-activated preview, middle click functionality to drag the waveform, copy and paste by dragging selections with the mouse, the ability to create new files by dragging selections to the WavePad background, As well as a new viewing window that shows the current viewing area from the main view.

Download the improved sound editing software from http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/index.html

And visit the NCH Support Forums to discuss WavePad and other NCH products with other users at: http://nch.invisionzone.com

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Beware WavePad Imitators

Recently we have seen several would-be WavePad applications enter the audio editing market. While copying is a form of flattery so we are grateful for the compliment, keep in mind that not all sound editing programs are created equal.

After taking a close look at one of these digital audio editors and testing it against WavePad, we found a whole list of WavePad features that are unmatched.

• Sample Editing
  
• Better Noise Reduction
  
• VST Support
  
• Can open an entire folder of files
  
• Can display waveform in +/-, left right, or dual
  
• Temporal frequency analysis
  
• DC Offset correction
  
• Effect Chain
  
• Simultaneous speed & pitch change
  
• Distortion effect
  
• Reduce Vocals effect
  
• Automatic Gain Control
  
• Scrub Feature
  
• Assemble Regions feature
  

In all of these areas WavePad beat the competition in addition to the WavePad download being 8 times smaller.So when you're looking for the best audio editing software, don't be fooled by lookalikes. Visit http://www.nch.com.au/wavepad/index.html for more product information and the free download of WavePad, the powerhouse in audio editing software.

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