Navigating Through the Maze: Choosing Top-Tier Audio Formats Explained

How to Choose Best Audio Formats

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

• Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats
• Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?
• Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?
• Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

---

Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

• Uncompressed Audio Format
• Lossless Compressed Audio Format
• Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.

---

Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

• Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

• Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

• Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

• MPEG-2
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
  • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
• MPEG-4
  • **Video Codec:**264
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format	Corresponding Audio Encoder	Audio Type
MP4	Lossy Compressed
WMV	WMA8, WMA9	Uncompressed
AVI	MP3, PCM	Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV	Lossy Compressed
F4V	Lossy Compressed
MKV	MP3	Lossy Compressed
TS	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
3GP	Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
WEBM	Vorbis	Lossy Compressed

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

• Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats
• Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?
• Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?
• Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

---

Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

• Uncompressed Audio Format
• Lossless Compressed Audio Format
• Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.

---

Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

• Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

• Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

• Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

• MPEG-2
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
  • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
• MPEG-4
  • **Video Codec:**264
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format	Corresponding Audio Encoder	Audio Type
MP4	Lossy Compressed
WMV	WMA8, WMA9	Uncompressed
AVI	MP3, PCM	Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV	Lossy Compressed
F4V	Lossy Compressed
MKV	MP3	Lossy Compressed
TS	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
3GP	Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
WEBM	Vorbis	Lossy Compressed

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

• Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats
• Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?
• Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?
• Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

---

Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

• Uncompressed Audio Format
• Lossless Compressed Audio Format
• Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.

---

Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

• Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

• Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

• Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

• MPEG-2
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
  • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
• MPEG-4
  • **Video Codec:**264
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format	Corresponding Audio Encoder	Audio Type
MP4	Lossy Compressed
WMV	WMA8, WMA9	Uncompressed
AVI	MP3, PCM	Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV	Lossy Compressed
F4V	Lossy Compressed
MKV	MP3	Lossy Compressed
TS	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
3GP	Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
WEBM	Vorbis	Lossy Compressed

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

The quality of sound that you hear depends on various factors, and an appropriate audio format is one of them. While each type of acoustic file has its own significance, choosing the best audio format as per the target player, expected audience, and/or supporting videos or images (if any) is something that needs much consideration to offer a flawless listening experience.

With that said, here you will learn about some of the most common sound file types, which among them could be the best audio format according to your requirements, and a couple of important points that you must keep in might while picking an extension for your media preparations.

• Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats
• Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?
• Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?
• Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Using Filmora to Record & Edit & Save Audio Easily

Wondershare Filmora is a simple yet robust video editing software that allows you to save a video to mp3 easily. Besides, if you want to remove background noise from audio, or change the audio volume or remove unwanted audio parts from the video, you should definitely try Filmora.

---

Part 1: 10 Most Common Audio Formats

Before listing the most common audio file formats, it is important to understand the categories of the sound files. Every audio format that exists belongs to one (or more) category depending on the way it is being created and the characteristics it has.

In a nutshell, there are three major categories, including:

• Uncompressed Audio Format
• Lossless Compressed Audio Format
• Lossy Compressed Audio Format

Below is a brief introduction of each of the classes listed above along with the audio file types that belong to them:

1. Uncompressed Audio Format

Uncompressed audio is the original sound that has been recorded directly from the source in the analog form, and then converted to a digital signal without any modifications or compressions. Because an uncompressed sound is prepared with no retouching or manipulations, it gives an as-is listening experience. Since no compression is done on such a file either, it occupies a remarkably huge amount of space on your storage media.

Some sound files that fall under this category include:

1) Pulse-Code Modulation (PCM)

A PCM file is the digital version of an analog waveform that is created by recording the audio samples, technically known as pulses. The PCM format is mostly used when creating optical media discs, typically the CDs and DVDs.

2) Waveform Audio File Format (WAV)

Generally used on the Windows platform, this audio format is not a file itself but a container that may contain both compressed or uncompressed files. However, in most cases, it is the latter that a WAV file has, and PCM format is one of them.

You may also interest: YouTube to WAV >>

3) Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF)

AIFF is almost identical to WAV format in its characteristics with the only difference that, unlike the latter, it was developed by Apple somewhere in 1988, and works as a container for both compressed and uncompressed audio files. While the compressed version of the format is called AIFF-C, the term Apple Loop is used when the scenario is otherwise. As it is with WAV, even AIFF files mostly contain uncompressed audio, that usually is PCM.

You may also like: Best AIFF to MP3 Converters >>

4) Data Stream Digital (DSD)

Used by Sony and Phillips, DSD is also not a format itself but a container that can store PCM files to provide decent sound quality. However, due to distortions in the composed audio, DSD files are not much in trend.

2. Lossless Compressed Audio Format

Lossless Compressed audio format is a type of file that is compressed using some advanced methods without compromising with the quality of the sound. This means that when played, you experience the same acoustic excellence as that of the source, i.e. uncompressed audio. However, even though the lossless compressed files are comparatively small in size, they still occupy decent amount of space on the hard drive or any other storage media in use.

Some formats that fall under the lossless compressed category include:

1) Free Lossless Audio Code (FLAC)

At around half the size of the source sound file, FLAC offers the original audio quality without removing any acoustic information during compression. Being an opensource and royalty-free audio format, FLAC is even easier to get, and in most cases is used as an alternative to MP3.

Check some of the best FLAC editor programs >>

2) Apple Lossless Audio Codec (ALAC)

Introduced by Apple Inc. and initially released as a proprietary product, ALAC was made royalty-free and opensource in 2011. Even though ALAC files are larger in size when compared to FLAC, the former format is used in iTunes and iOS as the latter isn’t supported by these platforms.

3. Lossy Compressed Audio Format

These are the highly compressed files that occupy significantly less amount of space on your storage media. However, during the compression process, some acoustic information is lost in order to reduce the file size. Nevertheless, if compressed correctly, the deterioration in the quality is almost negligible, and cannot be experienced unless the listener is quite experienced and the source recording is played next to the compressed audio simultaneously.

Some audio formats that fall under the lossy compressed category include:

1) MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3 (MP3)

This is one of the most common file types and the best audio format for almost all media types that have sound. An MP3 file is free from the noises of the least significant in the composed audio. In addition, all the acoustic information with the frequency that normal human beings fail to catch (below 20Hz and above 20000Hz) is safely erased during compilation and compression. Furthermore, what makes MP3 the best audio file format is its ability to accommodate with almost all the devices of nearly any platform such as Android, Windows, iOS, Mac, etc.

Check this MP3 editor and convert video to MP3 easily.

2) OGG

This one, again, is not in fact an audio format but is a container for audio that generally stores Vorbis files. Although OGG files are way advanced in terms of sound quality and even offer higher compression ratio when compared with MP3, they are not much in use as many platforms and devices don’t support the format till date.

3) AU

AU is a format by Sun, DEC, and NeXT. It is yet another container that can hold both lossless and lossy files. AU files are mostly used in UNIX.

What’s the difference between common audio file formats like MP3, WAV, and FLAC? Watch the video below to learn more.

---

Part 2: How to Choose Best Audio Format?

If you are a media creator, and are into the business of preparing audio and video content for your clients or directly for the audience, it is imperative to understand what could be the best audio file format to compose the audiovisual files. Here are a few tips that you must keep in mind in this context before proceeding:

• Uncompressed Audio

If the media type you are about to create is expected to be used for further editing before exporting to a different format, using an uncompressed audio format would be best as it offers a smooth and flawless post-production experience without giving much overhead to the processor.

• Lossless Compressed Audio

If your audiences own highly sophisticated audio players with Hi-Fi speaker systems, and they are also good at recognizing and understanding the differences between poor and optimal audio quality, using lossless compressed audio format would be a good choice as it gives decent sound quality in smaller file size.

• Compressed Audio

If you are preparing a media for home users and casual listeners, you can safely use an audio format that has been prepared using a higher compression ratio. In such a scenario, MP3 is the best audio format that not only offers the decent sound quality, it also occupies less amount of space on your storage media, thus enabling you to save more files at a given time.

Part 3: Which Audio File Formats Does YouTube Support?

At the time of this writing, YouTube supports two types of formats namely MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. Although both of these are video containers, they also hold audio files. Details about both these types are as follows:

• MPEG-2
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above
  • Audio Codec: Dolby AC-3 or MPEG Layer II
• MPEG-4
  • **Video Codec:**264
  • Audio Bitrate: 128kbps or above

Since many people nowadays produce videos in MP4 due to its wide range of supported devices and players and the fact that the container is used by majority of users worldwide, MPEG-4 with audio format could be mostly seen on YouTube.

Part 4: Audio Format in Filmora

Being one of the most versatile post-production tools preferred by many professional editors worldwide, Filmora comes with a variety of audio formats from all the three categories discussed above. Furthermore, Filmora also displays relevant information about each of the file types it offers.

The following table shows a list of formats and the details that Filmora supports:

Video Format	Corresponding Audio Encoder	Audio Type
MP4	Lossy Compressed
WMV	WMA8, WMA9	Uncompressed
AVI	MP3, PCM	Lossy Compressed, Uncompressed
MOV	Lossy Compressed
F4V	Lossy Compressed
MKV	MP3	Lossy Compressed
TS	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
3GP	Lossy Compressed
MPEG-2	MPEG-2 Audio	Lossy Compressed
WEBM	Vorbis	Lossy Compressed

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Plugging Into Precision: The Guide to Free Plugins for AutoTuning Audio with Audacity

Audacity is one of the well-known multi-track audio recorders with in-built audio editing tools. It allows adding effects to tweak audio recordings and songs. In short, it incorporates vocal effects to produce better quality audios. You might not find an autotune feature when correcting the pitch of the song in Audacity software. Moreover, there are no inbuilt tools for tuning recordings.

However, GSnap is one of the free plugins that enable you to autotune in Audacity. GSnap plugin is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. So, you can download it on any one of them to adjust the pitch of audio recordings. The following article will give you in-depth information about Audacity autotune. Let’s begin.

In this article

01 What is Auto Tune and How Does It Work?

02 Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

03 How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

Part 1: What is Auto Tune and How Does It Work?

Autotune is a tool that enables you to adjust the pitch of the audio song or recording. It was launched in 1997. The plugin enjoys a trademark from Antares Audio Technologies. It automatically corrects the out-of-tune vocals in your recording.So, if you are struggling with tuning issues after recording a song in software like Audacity, this Audacity autotune tool can help.

Using autotune plugins is one of the best options to autotune songs in Audacity. They are becoming increasingly popular among singers, music producers, and others. Do you want to know why audio recordings need to be tuned and how they are adjusted using autotune? Here’s the answer.

There are high chances of multiple frequencies becoming intertwined when recording audio. Autotune detects the frequencies that are intertwined and splits them into single frequencies. So, the over-tuned vocals are isolated. In brief, autotune is the process of correcting vocal pitch. There are several plugins that can help you deal with tuning issues on piano, guitar, and other musical instruments.

Part 2: Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

Audacity comes with built-in audio recording and editing tools. It also allows you to mix different audios. Plus, you can also cut, split, and splice audio files in this amazing software. However, if you are recording a song in Audacity, it won’t be autotuned. Moreover, you cannot auto-correct the song’s pitch by default. So, you need to install autotune plugins for Audacity recording to enhance your vocal performance.

There are a number of plugins that enable you to fine-tune audios in Audacity. If you are interested in mastering the art of autotune using plugins, we have handpicked the following three best free autotune plugins for Audacity. Let’s get into them one by one.

1. GSnap

GSnap is a free audacity autotune plugin offered by GVST. It enables users to fine-tune the vocalist’s pitch, which is also a very easy and quick process. So, you can refine out-of-tune audio using GSnap. The correction mechanism is simple. First, it identifies over-tuned frequencies and then corrects them. Do you want to know more about GSnap and its advantages? If yes, we have summarized all its features in the list below.

Advantages

• GSnap enables you to configure both high and low frequency to offer the best pitch-correction mechanism.
• Background noise can be filtered out by configuring decibel settings.
• Allows controlling the parameters of a vocal performance through Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI).
• GSnap lets you control the pace.
• Enables calibrating tune
• Free and easily accessible
• Available for Windows operating systems
• Maximum pitch bend can be set
• Customizable speed parameters
• Tune calibration

2. MAutoPitch

MAutoPitch provides automatic tuning for audio recording. This plugin comes with a simple yet intuitive interface to facilitate users. It supports pitch correction for all mainstream musical instruments and vocals. In addition to autotuning, MAuto Pitch is also known for offering creativity in your audio recordings. Stereo expansion is one of the creative features provided in this plugin. Furthermore, it also incorporates formant shift.

It applies the channel separation technique to tune the vocals. Moreover, it incorporates a MIDI controller that enables you to control parameters in real-time audio recording. MAutoPitch offers the following benefits to the users.

Advantages

• Offers safety brick wall limiters to limit audio output to a standardized threshold.
• Utilizes efficient and robust algorithms to cope up with fast computers.
• Advanced GUI to maximize flexibility.
• It includes automatic gain compensation to align input loudness with output loudness.
• Compatible with both Windows and Mac
• Easily accessible without internet
• Free updates
• Unique visualization engine

3. Graillon

Graillon is an auto-tuner with the capacity to take your vocal performance to the next level. It comes with unique features, such as pitch-tracking modulation. This can help you change the input voice. Moreover, it also enables users to create choruses. In short, it makes the voice recording pure. In addition to pitch correction, Graillon also performs the pitch-shifting function. So, it’s an ideal solution for people looking for autotuning tools. Here is a brief overview of the pros of Graillon.

Advantages

• Incorporates 23ms of latency
• Maximizes the sound quality of output
• Optimized pitch shifter
• Ability to produce robotic sounds
• Free access to the tool
• Allows altering the vocal pitch
• Compatibility with all mainstream operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, and others
• Simple interface
• Equipped with bit crusher
• A full edition version is also available, which provides state-of-the-art features

Part 3: How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

GSnap is a famous plugin for autotuning audio recordings in Audacity. This plugin is free and can be easily installed on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. If you are wondering how to install and use this plugin to autotune your voice in Audacity, the step-by-step guide highlights the process below.

Step 1: Install GSnap

Access the web link https://www.gvst.co.uk/gsnap.htm and click on download GSnap. Choose the GSnap version that matches your operating system.

Note: Audacity must be installed on your computer before the GSnap plugin is downloaded. Plus, the plugin will be downloaded in a zipped file. So, make sure you have an application installed on your device to unzip the downloaded file.

Step 2: Copy GSnap

Navigate to the download folder and right-click on the zipped GSnap option. Select extract here from the menu and copy the file named GSnap.dll.

Step 3: Paste the copied file

Navigate the plugins folder of Audacity and paste the copied file into the folder.

Step 3: Add plugin

Open Audacity and locate the Effects tab on a recording window. Select add/remove plug-ins, click on the GSnap option, and press enable button.

Note: The GSnap plugin will appear in the list under the effects tab and let you autotune your voice recording. You need to configure settings in a GSnap to get the fine-tuned voice.

For the detailed information, you can check the tutorial about how to add and set up GSnap plugin in Audacity.

Conclusion

Human voices and inputs from musical instruments are not perfect by default. Voice recordings in Audacity are no exception. They also need to be processed to enhance the vocal presentation. So, you need to tune the vocals in one way or another. This article mentions free Audacity autotune tools like GSnap to produce better sounds.

02 Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

03 How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

Part 1: What is Auto Tune and How Does It Work?

Autotune is a tool that enables you to adjust the pitch of the audio song or recording. It was launched in 1997. The plugin enjoys a trademark from Antares Audio Technologies. It automatically corrects the out-of-tune vocals in your recording.So, if you are struggling with tuning issues after recording a song in software like Audacity, this Audacity autotune tool can help.

Using autotune plugins is one of the best options to autotune songs in Audacity. They are becoming increasingly popular among singers, music producers, and others. Do you want to know why audio recordings need to be tuned and how they are adjusted using autotune? Here’s the answer.

There are high chances of multiple frequencies becoming intertwined when recording audio. Autotune detects the frequencies that are intertwined and splits them into single frequencies. So, the over-tuned vocals are isolated. In brief, autotune is the process of correcting vocal pitch. There are several plugins that can help you deal with tuning issues on piano, guitar, and other musical instruments.

Part 2: Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

Audacity comes with built-in audio recording and editing tools. It also allows you to mix different audios. Plus, you can also cut, split, and splice audio files in this amazing software. However, if you are recording a song in Audacity, it won’t be autotuned. Moreover, you cannot auto-correct the song’s pitch by default. So, you need to install autotune plugins for Audacity recording to enhance your vocal performance.

There are a number of plugins that enable you to fine-tune audios in Audacity. If you are interested in mastering the art of autotune using plugins, we have handpicked the following three best free autotune plugins for Audacity. Let’s get into them one by one.

1. GSnap

GSnap is a free audacity autotune plugin offered by GVST. It enables users to fine-tune the vocalist’s pitch, which is also a very easy and quick process. So, you can refine out-of-tune audio using GSnap. The correction mechanism is simple. First, it identifies over-tuned frequencies and then corrects them. Do you want to know more about GSnap and its advantages? If yes, we have summarized all its features in the list below.

Advantages

• GSnap enables you to configure both high and low frequency to offer the best pitch-correction mechanism.
• Background noise can be filtered out by configuring decibel settings.
• Allows controlling the parameters of a vocal performance through Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI).
• GSnap lets you control the pace.
• Enables calibrating tune
• Free and easily accessible
• Available for Windows operating systems
• Maximum pitch bend can be set
• Customizable speed parameters
• Tune calibration

2. MAutoPitch

MAutoPitch provides automatic tuning for audio recording. This plugin comes with a simple yet intuitive interface to facilitate users. It supports pitch correction for all mainstream musical instruments and vocals. In addition to autotuning, MAuto Pitch is also known for offering creativity in your audio recordings. Stereo expansion is one of the creative features provided in this plugin. Furthermore, it also incorporates formant shift.

It applies the channel separation technique to tune the vocals. Moreover, it incorporates a MIDI controller that enables you to control parameters in real-time audio recording. MAutoPitch offers the following benefits to the users.

Advantages

• Offers safety brick wall limiters to limit audio output to a standardized threshold.
• Utilizes efficient and robust algorithms to cope up with fast computers.
• Advanced GUI to maximize flexibility.
• It includes automatic gain compensation to align input loudness with output loudness.
• Compatible with both Windows and Mac
• Easily accessible without internet
• Free updates
• Unique visualization engine

3. Graillon

Graillon is an auto-tuner with the capacity to take your vocal performance to the next level. It comes with unique features, such as pitch-tracking modulation. This can help you change the input voice. Moreover, it also enables users to create choruses. In short, it makes the voice recording pure. In addition to pitch correction, Graillon also performs the pitch-shifting function. So, it’s an ideal solution for people looking for autotuning tools. Here is a brief overview of the pros of Graillon.

Advantages

• Incorporates 23ms of latency
• Maximizes the sound quality of output
• Optimized pitch shifter
• Ability to produce robotic sounds
• Free access to the tool
• Allows altering the vocal pitch
• Compatibility with all mainstream operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, and others
• Simple interface
• Equipped with bit crusher
• A full edition version is also available, which provides state-of-the-art features

Part 3: How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

GSnap is a famous plugin for autotuning audio recordings in Audacity. This plugin is free and can be easily installed on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. If you are wondering how to install and use this plugin to autotune your voice in Audacity, the step-by-step guide highlights the process below.

Step 1: Install GSnap

Access the web link https://www.gvst.co.uk/gsnap.htm and click on download GSnap. Choose the GSnap version that matches your operating system.

Note: Audacity must be installed on your computer before the GSnap plugin is downloaded. Plus, the plugin will be downloaded in a zipped file. So, make sure you have an application installed on your device to unzip the downloaded file.

Step 2: Copy GSnap

Navigate to the download folder and right-click on the zipped GSnap option. Select extract here from the menu and copy the file named GSnap.dll.

Step 3: Paste the copied file

Navigate the plugins folder of Audacity and paste the copied file into the folder.

Step 3: Add plugin

Open Audacity and locate the Effects tab on a recording window. Select add/remove plug-ins, click on the GSnap option, and press enable button.

Note: The GSnap plugin will appear in the list under the effects tab and let you autotune your voice recording. You need to configure settings in a GSnap to get the fine-tuned voice.

For the detailed information, you can check the tutorial about how to add and set up GSnap plugin in Audacity.

Conclusion

Human voices and inputs from musical instruments are not perfect by default. Voice recordings in Audacity are no exception. They also need to be processed to enhance the vocal presentation. So, you need to tune the vocals in one way or another. This article mentions free Audacity autotune tools like GSnap to produce better sounds.

02 Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

03 How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

Part 1: What is Auto Tune and How Does It Work?

Autotune is a tool that enables you to adjust the pitch of the audio song or recording. It was launched in 1997. The plugin enjoys a trademark from Antares Audio Technologies. It automatically corrects the out-of-tune vocals in your recording.So, if you are struggling with tuning issues after recording a song in software like Audacity, this Audacity autotune tool can help.

Using autotune plugins is one of the best options to autotune songs in Audacity. They are becoming increasingly popular among singers, music producers, and others. Do you want to know why audio recordings need to be tuned and how they are adjusted using autotune? Here’s the answer.

There are high chances of multiple frequencies becoming intertwined when recording audio. Autotune detects the frequencies that are intertwined and splits them into single frequencies. So, the over-tuned vocals are isolated. In brief, autotune is the process of correcting vocal pitch. There are several plugins that can help you deal with tuning issues on piano, guitar, and other musical instruments.

Part 2: Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

Audacity comes with built-in audio recording and editing tools. It also allows you to mix different audios. Plus, you can also cut, split, and splice audio files in this amazing software. However, if you are recording a song in Audacity, it won’t be autotuned. Moreover, you cannot auto-correct the song’s pitch by default. So, you need to install autotune plugins for Audacity recording to enhance your vocal performance.

There are a number of plugins that enable you to fine-tune audios in Audacity. If you are interested in mastering the art of autotune using plugins, we have handpicked the following three best free autotune plugins for Audacity. Let’s get into them one by one.

1. GSnap

GSnap is a free audacity autotune plugin offered by GVST. It enables users to fine-tune the vocalist’s pitch, which is also a very easy and quick process. So, you can refine out-of-tune audio using GSnap. The correction mechanism is simple. First, it identifies over-tuned frequencies and then corrects them. Do you want to know more about GSnap and its advantages? If yes, we have summarized all its features in the list below.

Advantages

• GSnap enables you to configure both high and low frequency to offer the best pitch-correction mechanism.
• Background noise can be filtered out by configuring decibel settings.
• Allows controlling the parameters of a vocal performance through Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI).
• GSnap lets you control the pace.
• Enables calibrating tune
• Free and easily accessible
• Available for Windows operating systems
• Maximum pitch bend can be set
• Customizable speed parameters
• Tune calibration

2. MAutoPitch

MAutoPitch provides automatic tuning for audio recording. This plugin comes with a simple yet intuitive interface to facilitate users. It supports pitch correction for all mainstream musical instruments and vocals. In addition to autotuning, MAuto Pitch is also known for offering creativity in your audio recordings. Stereo expansion is one of the creative features provided in this plugin. Furthermore, it also incorporates formant shift.

It applies the channel separation technique to tune the vocals. Moreover, it incorporates a MIDI controller that enables you to control parameters in real-time audio recording. MAutoPitch offers the following benefits to the users.

Advantages

• Offers safety brick wall limiters to limit audio output to a standardized threshold.
• Utilizes efficient and robust algorithms to cope up with fast computers.
• Advanced GUI to maximize flexibility.
• It includes automatic gain compensation to align input loudness with output loudness.
• Compatible with both Windows and Mac
• Easily accessible without internet
• Free updates
• Unique visualization engine

3. Graillon

Graillon is an auto-tuner with the capacity to take your vocal performance to the next level. It comes with unique features, such as pitch-tracking modulation. This can help you change the input voice. Moreover, it also enables users to create choruses. In short, it makes the voice recording pure. In addition to pitch correction, Graillon also performs the pitch-shifting function. So, it’s an ideal solution for people looking for autotuning tools. Here is a brief overview of the pros of Graillon.

Advantages

• Incorporates 23ms of latency
• Maximizes the sound quality of output
• Optimized pitch shifter
• Ability to produce robotic sounds
• Free access to the tool
• Allows altering the vocal pitch
• Compatibility with all mainstream operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, and others
• Simple interface
• Equipped with bit crusher
• A full edition version is also available, which provides state-of-the-art features

Part 3: How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

GSnap is a famous plugin for autotuning audio recordings in Audacity. This plugin is free and can be easily installed on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. If you are wondering how to install and use this plugin to autotune your voice in Audacity, the step-by-step guide highlights the process below.

Step 1: Install GSnap

Access the web link https://www.gvst.co.uk/gsnap.htm and click on download GSnap. Choose the GSnap version that matches your operating system.

Note: Audacity must be installed on your computer before the GSnap plugin is downloaded. Plus, the plugin will be downloaded in a zipped file. So, make sure you have an application installed on your device to unzip the downloaded file.

Step 2: Copy GSnap

Navigate to the download folder and right-click on the zipped GSnap option. Select extract here from the menu and copy the file named GSnap.dll.

Step 3: Paste the copied file

Navigate the plugins folder of Audacity and paste the copied file into the folder.

Step 3: Add plugin

Open Audacity and locate the Effects tab on a recording window. Select add/remove plug-ins, click on the GSnap option, and press enable button.

Note: The GSnap plugin will appear in the list under the effects tab and let you autotune your voice recording. You need to configure settings in a GSnap to get the fine-tuned voice.

For the detailed information, you can check the tutorial about how to add and set up GSnap plugin in Audacity.

Conclusion

Human voices and inputs from musical instruments are not perfect by default. Voice recordings in Audacity are no exception. They also need to be processed to enhance the vocal presentation. So, you need to tune the vocals in one way or another. This article mentions free Audacity autotune tools like GSnap to produce better sounds.

02 Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

03 How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

Part 1: What is Auto Tune and How Does It Work?

Autotune is a tool that enables you to adjust the pitch of the audio song or recording. It was launched in 1997. The plugin enjoys a trademark from Antares Audio Technologies. It automatically corrects the out-of-tune vocals in your recording.So, if you are struggling with tuning issues after recording a song in software like Audacity, this Audacity autotune tool can help.

Using autotune plugins is one of the best options to autotune songs in Audacity. They are becoming increasingly popular among singers, music producers, and others. Do you want to know why audio recordings need to be tuned and how they are adjusted using autotune? Here’s the answer.

There are high chances of multiple frequencies becoming intertwined when recording audio. Autotune detects the frequencies that are intertwined and splits them into single frequencies. So, the over-tuned vocals are isolated. In brief, autotune is the process of correcting vocal pitch. There are several plugins that can help you deal with tuning issues on piano, guitar, and other musical instruments.

Part 2: Top 3 Best Free Autotune Plugins for Audacity

Audacity comes with built-in audio recording and editing tools. It also allows you to mix different audios. Plus, you can also cut, split, and splice audio files in this amazing software. However, if you are recording a song in Audacity, it won’t be autotuned. Moreover, you cannot auto-correct the song’s pitch by default. So, you need to install autotune plugins for Audacity recording to enhance your vocal performance.

There are a number of plugins that enable you to fine-tune audios in Audacity. If you are interested in mastering the art of autotune using plugins, we have handpicked the following three best free autotune plugins for Audacity. Let’s get into them one by one.

1. GSnap

GSnap is a free audacity autotune plugin offered by GVST. It enables users to fine-tune the vocalist’s pitch, which is also a very easy and quick process. So, you can refine out-of-tune audio using GSnap. The correction mechanism is simple. First, it identifies over-tuned frequencies and then corrects them. Do you want to know more about GSnap and its advantages? If yes, we have summarized all its features in the list below.

Advantages

• GSnap enables you to configure both high and low frequency to offer the best pitch-correction mechanism.
• Background noise can be filtered out by configuring decibel settings.
• Allows controlling the parameters of a vocal performance through Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI).
• GSnap lets you control the pace.
• Enables calibrating tune
• Free and easily accessible
• Available for Windows operating systems
• Maximum pitch bend can be set
• Customizable speed parameters
• Tune calibration

2. MAutoPitch

MAutoPitch provides automatic tuning for audio recording. This plugin comes with a simple yet intuitive interface to facilitate users. It supports pitch correction for all mainstream musical instruments and vocals. In addition to autotuning, MAuto Pitch is also known for offering creativity in your audio recordings. Stereo expansion is one of the creative features provided in this plugin. Furthermore, it also incorporates formant shift.

It applies the channel separation technique to tune the vocals. Moreover, it incorporates a MIDI controller that enables you to control parameters in real-time audio recording. MAutoPitch offers the following benefits to the users.

Advantages

• Offers safety brick wall limiters to limit audio output to a standardized threshold.
• Utilizes efficient and robust algorithms to cope up with fast computers.
• Advanced GUI to maximize flexibility.
• It includes automatic gain compensation to align input loudness with output loudness.
• Compatible with both Windows and Mac
• Easily accessible without internet
• Free updates
• Unique visualization engine

3. Graillon

Graillon is an auto-tuner with the capacity to take your vocal performance to the next level. It comes with unique features, such as pitch-tracking modulation. This can help you change the input voice. Moreover, it also enables users to create choruses. In short, it makes the voice recording pure. In addition to pitch correction, Graillon also performs the pitch-shifting function. So, it’s an ideal solution for people looking for autotuning tools. Here is a brief overview of the pros of Graillon.

Advantages

• Incorporates 23ms of latency
• Maximizes the sound quality of output
• Optimized pitch shifter
• Ability to produce robotic sounds
• Free access to the tool
• Allows altering the vocal pitch
• Compatibility with all mainstream operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, and others
• Simple interface
• Equipped with bit crusher
• A full edition version is also available, which provides state-of-the-art features

Part 3: How to AutoTune Your Voice for Free with GSnap on Audacity?

GSnap is a famous plugin for autotuning audio recordings in Audacity. This plugin is free and can be easily installed on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. If you are wondering how to install and use this plugin to autotune your voice in Audacity, the step-by-step guide highlights the process below.

Step 1: Install GSnap

Access the web link https://www.gvst.co.uk/gsnap.htm and click on download GSnap. Choose the GSnap version that matches your operating system.

Note: Audacity must be installed on your computer before the GSnap plugin is downloaded. Plus, the plugin will be downloaded in a zipped file. So, make sure you have an application installed on your device to unzip the downloaded file.

Step 2: Copy GSnap

Navigate to the download folder and right-click on the zipped GSnap option. Select extract here from the menu and copy the file named GSnap.dll.

Step 3: Paste the copied file

Navigate the plugins folder of Audacity and paste the copied file into the folder.

Step 3: Add plugin

Open Audacity and locate the Effects tab on a recording window. Select add/remove plug-ins, click on the GSnap option, and press enable button.

Note: The GSnap plugin will appear in the list under the effects tab and let you autotune your voice recording. You need to configure settings in a GSnap to get the fine-tuned voice.

For the detailed information, you can check the tutorial about how to add and set up GSnap plugin in Audacity.

Conclusion

Human voices and inputs from musical instruments are not perfect by default. Voice recordings in Audacity are no exception. They also need to be processed to enhance the vocal presentation. So, you need to tune the vocals in one way or another. This article mentions free Audacity autotune tools like GSnap to produce better sounds.

The Ultimate Guide to Premium Audio Editors for Creative Distortion

The media industry uses multiple ways to distort audio and bring uniqueness to the product. The film editors create emphasis and add an element of humor and suspense through the distortion of audio. Let us begin in understanding the tools more clearly! Five popular audio distorters Wondershare Filmora will be discussed.

5 Popular Software to Help You Distort Audio

The video audio distorter has their need in the market to bring a musical effect to the audio. It is essential to have access to good audio editing software to make the process flawless. The section introduces five software to distort video audio. Let us have a look, shall we?

Adobe Audition

Adobe Audition has to be a good choice for handling the audio distortion with minimal effort. Offering an interactive interface and good audio editing features, Adobe Audition provides multi-track editing. It makes the user experience worthwhile. The Adobe Audition distorted audio works on an Al technology that determines places where low volume is needed.

It helps make the vocals, speech, and sound clearer. Essentially, Adobe Audition plays a vital role in integrating multiple audio clips in one file and helps repair audio breaks. It surely is a good package, isn’t it?

Another workable feature of this audio distorter is that it supports various audio formats, including WAV, OGG, CAF, MP3, AIF, AIFF, AIFC, FLAC, and PCM. The video formats include AVI, MP4, MOV, FLV, etc.

Aduacity

The global market recognizes Aduacity as the premiere pro distorted audio software that is free of charge. The tool has become popular due to the multiple advanced features it brings to the table. For instance, professionals can count on this application to add effects such as bass and treble. The tool does a phenomenal job in noise removal and distorting it.

Aduacity comes first in a user’s mind if several analysis tools are the need of the hour. From beat finder to silence finder and sound finder, Aduacity has got you pretty much all covered. Covers pretty much, right?

Aduacity helps record audio , digitize recordings from other media, insert effects, and add plugins as a cross-platform. It supports multiple formats such as WAV, MP4, OGG VORBIS, AC3, FLAC, and MP3. The user is also free to enable keyboard shortcuts for faster workflow.

WavePad

To have access to distort audio premiere pro software, WavePad has to be your first choice. The tool acts as an exceptional audio editor offering basic as well as advanced features. Creative professionals can use WavePad for music production and regular recordings in the media industry. Additionally, the application does an impeccable job in supporting the major audio formats.

WavePad can be relied upon for significant reasons. The user can cut, trim, copy, amplify, split, equalize, and normalize the audio tracks in a matter of seconds. Feels right for your use, does it?

The batch processing feature enhances the productivity at the workplace multifold. With this, WavePad distorts audio like a pro and handles all processes to distort video audio simultaneously.

Ardour

Finding the best tool is exhaustive. Ardour is another audio distorter that is reasonably workable for musicians in the industry. The musicians use the software to audio record and distort audio to give it a quality and a meaning. Additionally, Ardour is more focused on the enhancement of recorded audio as compared to the editing of audio and music.

Ardour is effortlessly free, which makes it popular among different creative professionals. The software does an exceptional job of cutting, moving, copying, pasting, aligning, trim, renaming, crossfading, zooming, transporting, quantizing, dragging, and stretching the audio.

One can count on this application to work for several hours. It also gives the musician complete control over the tool usage. Does it truly helps you in making music this perfect?

Sound Forge

Sound Forge is on the list of perfectly designed audio editors and audio distorters, acting as the Premiere Pro audio distortion tool. Even if it offers advanced features, a significant ratio of amateurs and beginners can use Sound Forge for audio editing, mastering, recording, and processing. Sounds like a tool for you, does it?

Sound Forge is in the market with a diverse range of versions. The Pro version is designed for professionals and offers multi-track recording, voice activity detection, Disc Description protocol, and much more. The application can be relied upon for it works on artificial intelligence to bring nothing but the best.

The Audio Studio of Sound Forge lets the user record, edit, restore, and master songs with professional effects. The Windows and Mac users can safely use the tool effortlessly.

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