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Summitt New MediaReviewsSound Forge XP |
Sonic Foundry
1997
The concept is to be able to edit your audio on your computer. If you have a multimedia enhanced computer, which most computers one can buy these days are, then this software might be what you need.
I was looking for software that would allow me to put together audio on my computer; basic things like narration, some music, stuff that would enhance the web sites I work on. While calling around, talking with the various companies that produced such software, I ended up talking with the folks at Sonic Foundry. They send me a copy of Sound Forge XP to look at.
This software is easy to use right out of the box. Although it comes with a 270+ page instruction manual, I have rarely done more than use it as a reference. Sonic Foundry achieved one of their goals as stated in the user manual in that they have "made the interface as easy to use as possible."
A quick experiment resulted in my creating a WAV version of one of my songs I recorded (You don't have to Talk to Me - see Fiction area) and placing a small sample on the web page for people to listen to. Further experimentation allowed me to create a full length RealAudio file version and this soon replaced the WAV version.
One note, the RealAudio and RealMedia versions that come with Sound Forge XP is an older version. I later ended up downloading the most current version (at the time Version 5) of the RealMedia encoder and re-encoding the WAV to RealAudio using it.
While not a multi-track audio editing and mixing studio like I was originally looking for, this software is definitely worth checking out and using. I like using the software and find it easy to use. The version I have tested in Version 4. I understand Version 4.5 was recently released. If it builds on the capabilities the software already possesses, it is going to be a very valuable asset to your multimedia software options.
Minimum System Requirements:
It will also run on Windows 3.1 16-bit installations with similar requirements.