Audio recording and editing has come a long way from the Ampex tape recorders and aluminum editing blocks. Yes, friends, there once was a way, back in the day, to edit audio recordings and it required audio tape, an aluminum editing guide, and a razor blade.
Those days are gone, and, frankly, good riddance. Recording and editing audio today is a delight compared to the old days. Not only does Garageband’s multi-track recording and effects capability come free with every Mac, there are countless tools and plugins which can make nearly any audio recording sound better than the original.
On my lengthy list of audio tools is Amadeus Pro, a modestly priced Mac audio and recording app that features multiple tracks (editing and recording), batch processing and audio file conversions. Also built in to Amadeus Pro are a few tools to repair bad audio, and remove background noise from audio recordings.
The interface is a bit old school and features plenty of floating palettes and tools, but the basic transport options are clear and easy to use.
Amadeus makes it much easier to edit audio waveforms than Garageband. Tracks are easy to split into multiple clips.
Audio Units plugins can be applied to an audio track without harming the original recording, and each can be applied in real time.
One feature I dearly love is the option to edit and sweeten audio tracks in QuickTime movies. Removing background noise is just a few clicks.
Amadeus Pro also does scheduled recordings, and can record internet streams in real time. And it comes with a bunch of real time and offline tools for sound analysis (not something you’ll find in Garageband).
Having used Amadeus Pro for many years I’m comfortable with the interface, but new users may find the prolific use of windows and palettes to be daunting.