Audacity.sourceforge.net - Record & Edit Digital Audio

Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder primarily for the Mac OS X, Windows, and GNU/Linux platforms. Audacity can be used for recording live audio or for converting vinyl and audiotapes to digital recordings. You can also edit digital sound files (Mp3, WAV, AIFF, or Ogg Vorbis) by cutting, copying, splicing, and mixing sounds together, changing the speed or pitch of a recording, and more. After downloading the Audacity software, it is fairly easy to master and ample instructions are provided. When editing a digital recording, you will see a visual representation of the sound waves and, to cut out a portion of a recording, for instance, you simply drag the start and end points along the sound waves, press play to make sure you hear your desired results, and save your new audio file. Audacity is open source software for personal, commercial, or educational use, and while unlimited use is free, donations are encouraged.

"Audacity is free, open source software for recording and editing sounds."

Serious music enthusiasts or professionals, or casual listeners, will find the Audacity software to be really useful. Say you’re making a mix CD and want to cut off some banter on a live recording, or you simply want an mp3 of something from your old vinyl collection – Audacity is a free and easy-to-use tool for securing your desired results.

Are some of the advanced audio editing functions beyond what the casual user would need or be able to master? What percent of users is actually making donations, and is it enough to maintain the site and further develop the software?