Software for Radio

We already past 'R' in our A to Z software tour, but as a honorable mention after recording, here are a number of professional radio programs designed for specific tasks to help the small or start up radio station or podcaster. So if you are interested in creating or hosting your own audio content be sure to check out these radio applications to help you along the way:

BroadWave is an audio streaming software program designed to broadcast any audio connected to the sound input on the PC. It will also stream audio recordings and all BroadWave streams will play directly from the default web browser on any modern Windows or Mac computer.

VRS is a professional voice recording application that can be used radio station logging, recording multiple audio channels simultaneously with digital signal processing, automatic level control and a continuous recording mode to easily save a copy of all your broadcasts.

From recording to editing and mixing your audio, interviews, music and voiceovers you won't want to be without our favorite duo, WavePad audio editor and MixPad multitrack mixer both are available for your Windows PC or Mac, and for recording and editing on the go you can also download Pocket WavePad on your iPhone or iPad, perfect for those coffee shop interviews and more.

Want to share a snippit of audio from something else online with your listeners? Save streaming audio as an mp3 or wav file on you computer with the use of SoundTap streaming audio recorder to rip the audio you hear playing on your computer. And you can always visit our full arsenal of radio software for additional radio tools and applications.

WavePad Recommended App for Students

Dakinane provides support for schools to integrate information and communications technology into their classes and programs through staff training, facilitation and consultation services. Last week Dakinane featured WavePad on their website, looking specifically at the iOS version, saying that "this app can enable students to take recordings in the field or whilst roving around the school, great for podcasting etc." And since the audio recordings and edited audio are easy to email and share with other applications, the WavePad Audio Editing App can also be a stepping stone for embedding audio in wikis, blogs, websites or other learning management systems.

Watch the short video tour/review from Dakinane of WavePad's simple, but feature-packed interface below, and be sure to visit www.nch.com.au/wavepad for the cross platform Windows and Mac versions of this wonderful audio recording and editing program.

M is for Mobile

NCH Software ABCs Series

Software On The Go

For those of you on the go, take NCH with you! Many of our software programs have a web access feature allowing you to log in over the Internet, no matter where you are. Learn more about business software web access and on the go dictation solutions. For the home user there are DesktopNow remote desktop software and EyeLine home surveillance software that you can try.

iPhone & iPad

If you have an iPhone or iPad you wouldn't want to miss the pocket edition of WavePad audio editor, which has always been an NCH favorite. Also available for your iPhone are RecordPad audio recorder, PitchPerfect guitar tuner, TempoPerfect metronome software and Pocket Dictate.

Android

NCH Android apps have been a long time in coming, but development has started. In addition to being able to log-in remotely to some of our desktop software from your Android phone, we expect to have our first Android app, TempoPerfect metronome software, available within three months, with more Android apps to follow.

<<< Previous: L is for Live Streaming

Next: N is for New >>>

Star Trek Software and Technology

The blogosphere has been inundated lately with people talking about the Star Trek 45th anniversary, and I have to admit I have been intrigued with some of the coverage, like the Star Trek Gadgets That Are No Longer Fiction list that Mashable put out, which is what leads me to software. It is absolutely amazing to think of how far software and technology has taken us in its short lifetime. How much longer before all of our once wildest fantasies become possible?

The computer on the deck of the Enterprise that answers to voice commands always seemed so convenient. We are approaching this type of technology already with voice activation. We've already seen voice activation being used with programs like Express Dictate. And we certainly take our technology with us by loading apps to our cell phones and tablets (see our pocket software including WavePad audio editor for the iPhone and iPad), not to be confused with communicators, tricorders audio the pad of the star fleet. We might not have transporters or replicators just yet, but new hardware and software is being created every day, so I can't help but wonder how close to the mark we will make it by the time we really do reach the 24th century.

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.

Do More with Audio - Blog Carnival February 7, 2011

Here are this edition's entries to Do More with Audio:

Bobby Owsinski presents Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture Production Blog: 5 Steps To Prep For Mixing posted at Bobby Owsinski's Big Picture Production Blog.

Katie Tellefson presents 40 Blogs for the Cajun Enthusiast posted at Accredited MBA, saying, "With Cajun culture and history comes amazing music and even more amazing food. It isn’t every day that you get to nosh on gumbo or dance to the sounds of a fast-paced accordion, but with these Cajun enthusiast blogs, you’ll gain a better understanding of the culture and appreciate its quirks."

Steve Guttenberg presents Does lossless audio guarantee good sound? posted at The Audiophiliac.

Nathan Madsen presents Tips for Creating Audio for the iPhone posted at The Sonic Spread.

You might also be interested in:

• Put a DJ in the house
  
• Solving A Musicians Tuning Stress
  
• Streaming Audio Recorder Saves Time for Radio Producers
  
• MIDI Support Coming to NCH Software
  

That concludes this edition of "Do more with audio." Be sure to Submit your audio article, story or success to the next edition.

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.

Do More with Audio - Blog Carnival December 6, 2010

Audio is everywhere you look, or listen. Add a little time a dash of creativity and you will be surprised at what you can find out there to listen to. Take for example the discovery that you can get the Google translate tool to sound like a beat box. But be warned playing around with the different language combinations will suck away a chunk of your day before you know what happened.

Here are this edition's entries to Do More with Audio:


Nils J. Sandback presents Piano Humour: A Victor Borge Tribute posted at Piano Street's Classical Piano Blog, saying, "A tribute to the Danish pianist and humorist Victor Borge."

Bart Bryars presents First Time Success Making A Music Video, saying, "This is my first video, and the opening number the musical, Joey, that my wife and I have been working on."

Gregg Fine presents Getting Started in Advertising Music-The Video Reel Pt. 1 posted at Hidden Tiger Music Blog, saying, "This blog focuses on the art and craft of making music for advertising and television commercials. Additional topics include mixing, recording, audio engineering, composing, arranging."

You might also be interested in:

• Boost Audio Quality for Radio and Podcast Production
  
• Make your own haunting halloween soundtrack
  
• More awards for NCH Software including a new award for the audio editing favorite WavePad
  
• Showing that Good Things Do Come in Small Packages since the last edition we announced the WavePad Audio Editing iPhone App, and have had a stellar user review
  

That concludes this edition of "Do more with audio." Be sure to Submit your audio article, story or success to the next edition.

Good Things Do Come in Small Packages

Pocket WavePad for iPhone was released a mere month ago, but it didn't take long to generate some interest. Though this app is meant for quick recording and editing on the go, it was created in the spirit of the full desktop version--and users took notice. User and reviewer Andrew Wardell stated:

"The number of effects included in this app was staggering to me, considering the price. What really blew me away though was that they all work really very well! I could definitely compare the quality of the effects to those on the desktop version of WavePad..."

Another bonus Wardell points out is that Pocket WavePad has more features than comparable audio editing apps, and is free to boot. If you haven't downloaded Pocket WavePad for your iPhone yet, what are you waiting for?

If you need more convincing, you can Learn more about Pocket WavePad and read the rest of Wardell's Pocket WavePad iPhone User Review. Then we're sure you'll agree that the only thing left to do is go Download Pocket WavePad for iPhone from the Apple app store.

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.

Do More with Audio - Blog Carnival August 2, 2010

Welcome to the August 2, 2010 edition of Do More with Audio.


Jack Josey presents How to Sound Like a Pro When Podcasting posted at Audio Production Advice.

How To Record Better Bass posted at podcomplex.

Mike Ross presents The 12 Greatest Costumed Rock Bands Ever posted at Star Costumes Blog, saying, "Rock and Roll has had its share of larger than life characters. Some were born with an innate charisma that just demanded attention. Other artists fully embraced rock and roll’s shared sense of rebellion and theater to create new personas through costume."

Phil Lopez presents Top 10 Christian Hymns of All-Time posted at Christian Colleges and Universities.

Collecting Vinyl Records posted at Recording Video.

peterselby7 presents Jun 30, Used Audio Cables, a great way to save. The Best Speaker Wire and Audio Cable posted at Home Speaker Blog.

You might also be interested in:

• Make your own Glee Music Mash-up
  
• Digitize Your Vinyl Record Collection
  
• PitchPerfect Guitar Tuning Software for Musicians Now Available for the iPhone
  
• TempoPerfect Metronome Software is Now an iPhone App
  
• Zulu Virtual DJ Software New Mac Version
  

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Do More With Audio using our carnival submission form.

PitchPerfect Guitar Tuning Software for Musicians Now Available for the iPhone

Before you can practice or perform, you have to make sure your instrument is in tune. PitchPerfect is an easy-to-use, free guitar tuner that makes tuning easy, and is now available as an iPhone app, joining the Windows, Mac, Pocket PC and SmartPhone versions that continue to be available as free downloads from NCH Software.

While PitchPerfect Tuning Software is great for guitar players, it also includes presets for tuning cello, double bass, fiddle, mandolin, ukulele, viola and violin. Most instruments have several tunings available, so no matter which stringed instrument you play or what style of music, you will know your instrument is in tune. Simply play the string you want to tune to see if you are sharp, flat, or in perfect pitch.

And if you like PitchPerfect, we hope you check out our other software for musicians, including TempoPerfect Metronome Software—also available as an NCH iPhone app.

TempoPerfect Metronome Software is Now an iPhone App

Metronomes are essential for keeping time, improving practice sessions, and for developing a consistent rhythmic feel.

For a long time, NCH Software has offered TempoPerfect metronome software free to musicians, providing a clear and precise beat on their PC, pocket PC or smartphone. TempoPerfect is now also available for the iPhone, giving musicians one more way to stay on the beat wherever they go.

TempoPerfect has a highly accurate, and easily adjustable tempo that won't wind down like older mechanical metronomes. You can set the correct beats per minute (BPM) for any tempo, using the BPM tempo guide for reference. Additional features allow you to subdivide beats to hear tricky patterns like triplets, or accent the first beat in a measure when working in difficult time signatures.

We're pleased to make TempoPerfect even more accessible to musicians everywhere. And if you like TempoPerfect you should also check out our other software for musicians.

Do More with Audio - Blog Carnival June 7, 2010

Welcome to the June 7, 2010 edition of Do More with Audio.


Angelita Williams presents 10 Amazing College Marching Bands On YouTube posted at OnlineUniversities.com.

Laura presents Tone Generation Software and Sound Therapy, saying, "Perhaps the most intriguing application of sound frequencies is in sound therapy. Health problems ranging from cancer to asthma, allergies to influenza can reportedly all be treated with sound therapy."

Sushant Das presents iPhoneProgramming Resource for Developers and Entrepreneurs posted at The iPhone Developer Resource, saying, "iPhone Development and iPhone Programming Resource for developers. Sign up to get daily coding tips and tricks straight from the gurus. Get free source code snippets in weekly packs. Access experts and ask them any questions or issues you are facing."

If you are interested in audio and have an iphone, you should also check out NCH Software's free iphone apps. WavePad will be available for the iphone soon, so be sure to check back for updates.

Ferrari Dude presents 50 Free Android Apps Every College Student Needs posted at Online University Reviews, saying, "Saving money is paramount in college, as most students don’t have a lot of that commodity to throw around. So, you may welcome some free Android apps that can push your productivity, creativity and communication always seem welcome."

Garth presents Creating Unique Sounds with MixPad and WavePad, saying, "I like to use MixPad to create a variety of unique sounds I can use as sound effects or to play on my synthesizer. These sound effects can be used in commercials, movies, videos, music, audio programs, or by DJs on the radio."

Pierson Group presents Agile Development- 10 Principles posted at Companies Improve ROI in Software Development, saying, "Pierson Requirement Group has trained various business analyst, corporate project managers, quality assurance managers, and professional consultants. The training format used by Pierson group includes on-site classroom training, instructor-led public classroom training, and virtual instructor-led training."


That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
Do More With Audio using our carnival submission form.

RecordPad Simple Audio Recorder Now Available for iPhone

Apple has just approved NCH's second iPhone application, RecordPad sound recording software. Record voice and other audio on your iPhone, and then save or send recordings to an email address or FTP server. You can also use the voice activated recording mode to record only when you are speaking, eliminating long silences.

Use RecordPad to record anything from interviews to presentations to meetings, or just to record an audio note, you can easily make a recording and save it as either wav or aiff file no matter where you are.

Just like the Windows, Mac and Pocket PC versions of RecordPad, the iPhone app is designed to be simple and straightforward to use, so you will be able to immediately start recording, saving, and replaying your audio recordings.

If you have an iPhone, look for RecordPad in the iTunes store.

NCH iPhone and Android Update The Express Dictate iPhone App is here

Update: Express Dictate for Android is now available. You can Get Express Dictate for Android from Google Play or Amazon


That's right, I am finally making good on my promises of NCH iPhone applications. (July 2009: NCH Starting development for iPhone)

Pocket Dictate has been approved by Apple and is officially available and free to download through iTunes for your iPhone, making our range of digital dictation software nearly complete. You can use any of the applications in our dictation suite to record your dictations almost anyway you choose:

Express Dictate for your Mac or PC for easy computer dictation. You can also use Express Dictate with a portable dictation device, and simply dock and send your dictation files when you are back at your desk.

Pocket Dictate is the mobile version of Express Dictate which can be downloaded for your Pocket PC, Windows Mobile or Palm OS devices--and now your iPhone as well. A Droid version is currently under development, which will round out all your portable devices.

Web Dictate lets you set up a web dictation server so you can log in and record dictation files anywhere with a microphone and an internet connection.

With Dial Dictate, you can set up a phone-in dictation system, so that you can have a dedicated phone number to call whenever you need to make a dictation.

With all of these different choices you would be hard pressed to not find a solution that will work well for you.

So what's next for NCH apps?
As I mentioned, Pocket Dictate for Droid is on its way. We are also planning on porting PitchPerfect Instrument Tuner, WavePad Audio Editor, RecordPad Sound Recorder, and TempoPerfect Metronome Software for both the iPhone and Android. Those will keep us busy for a little while longer, but I'm sure there will be even more to add to the list after that, so if there are any of our products that you are dying to have on your phone, or if you have any feedback on Pocket Dictate be sure to let us know.

New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of year again, when everyone makes their new year's resolutions. And as we all look forward to the new year and start planning for how we would like to see things go there is a surprisingly consolidated list of resolutions that the majority of people make. While searching on-line here is one Top Ten List of New Year's Resolutions that many of you may find yourself on:

1. Spend More Time with Family and Friends
   
2. Fit in Fitness
   
3. Tame the Bulge
   
4. Quit Smoking
   
5. Enjoy Life More
   
6. Quit Drinking
   
7. Get Out of Debt
   
8. Learn Something New
   
9. Help Others
   
10. Get Organized
    

My personal resolution is getting to the gym more which fits right in there with number two on that list, and I'm sure that plenty of you are with me on that. Sadly none of our software will help me make that particular goal happen, but we do have software that can help with some of the items on the list. Take a look at some the software programs that you might enjoy whether or not they are related to your resolution: Get Organized Sort through all of your photos and home movies and turn them in to memorable presentations with either PhotoStage Slideshow Software or VideoPad Video Editor. Your memories do deserve a life outside of a dusty shoebox, so turn them into something worth watching. Then use Disketch Label Maker to create CD and DVD labels and covers for all of your mixed CDs and home movies. Help Others Are you bursting with enough information to start your own podcast or tutorial series? Record yourself with RecordPad or capture video of yourself or your computer screen with Debut Video Recorder, and then share your knowledge with the world using BroadWave Audio Streamer or BroadCam Video Streamer. Enjoy Life More and Spend Time with Family and Friends One great idea would be to have more parities, and with Zulu DJ Software you can be the disc jockey for a guaranteed playlist with all your favorites. NCH Software 2010 Resolutions As always we have lots of things in the works but I would say the most exciting are plans to develop a healthy library of apps for the iPhone and Droid. Currently the top five programs that we are working on for Android and iPhone platforms are Express Dictate, WavePad Audio Editor, RecordPad Sound Recorder, PitchPerfect Guitar Tuner, and TempoPerfect Metronome Software.

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.

iPhone VoIP Applications

Since its inception last year, Apple's App store has evaluate over 200,000 applications and updates. It has been reported that they receive 8,500 new apps a week!

But it still seems their guidelines are a bit unclear. Reviewers check for a variety of things such as: buggy software, crashing apps, use of unauthorized API, privacy violations, inappropriate content for children, and anything that "degrades the core experience of the iPhone."

Recently Vonage announced that their mobile application for iPhone made it through Apple's approval board. How is this possible? Vonage is a VoIP provider after all.

Through Apple's exclusive contract with AT&T they are obligated to follow AT&T's terms of service. This means iPhone apps cannot use AT&T's 3G signal to place calls. It does however leave room for apps to use the iPhone's WiFi signal.

This is exactly what the new Vonage app does. Although it has not been reported what exact capabilities the Vonage app will have, it will only be using the iPhone's WiFi to connect.

As the iPhone's exclusivity may be drawing to a close with AT&T, will the VoIP app approval process be altered?

Would you be interested in a VoIP application like our Express Talk on your phone?

Because of some of the unclear guidelines when we announced plans to start developing for the iPhone Express Talk want' originally on the list, but users of the Express Talk Pocket PC already enjoy the extra flexibility of being able to take their VoIP phone number with them wherever they go, and with the extra business features like transferring calls, call recording and a push to talk intercom.

The jury is still out, but perhaps there will be NCH VoIP iPhone apps on the horizon as well as Express Dictate and WavePad Audio Editor which are already being planned.

Starting Development for iPhone Applications

We are excited to announce that we have begun work on adapting some of our applications for Apple’s iPhone. So soon iPhone users will be able to record and edit audio with nothing more than their phone.

The first applications expected to be ready tor the iPhone are going to be Express Dictate, a digital voice recording application, and the NCH favorite, WavePad Sound Editor, a fully featured professional audio editing application.

While you are waiting for the iPhone applications your can still check out the full versions of Express Dictate Dictation Software and WavePad Audio Editor for a preview of what is coming to the iPhone near you.