Free Software Collection
Free Audio Editing and Music Software
Audio is priced even more densely than video: production software sold in feature tiers, score writing sold once and then charged annually for cloud storage, and music playback taken over entirely by subscriptions. Yet recording and editing, music production and score writing all have mature free implementations, one of which is the most widely used audio editor in the world. This list follows the chain — record it, build it, write it down, play it back.
6 curated recommendations
Selection Criteria
- Exports carry no watermark and have no length or count limits.
- Core features are free, with no pricing by track count or feature module.
- Processing is local, with no requirement to upload project files.
- Open or widely supported file formats throughout.
Recommended Tools
Audacity
The world's most popular free audio recorder and editor
- Open Source
- No Ads
- Offline
- No Sign-up
LMMS
Free music production software, the entry point for electronic music
- Open Source
- No Ads
- No Tracking
- Offline
MuseScore Studio
Write scores, hear them play back, export PDFs — no licence needed
- Open Source
- No Ads
- No Tracking
- Offline
Strawberry
A music player for people who still own their music files
- Open Source
- No Ads
- No Tracking
- Offline
AntennaPod
An Android podcast client that subscribes over RSS, with no platform in between
- Open Source
- No Ads
- No Tracking
- Offline
Recommended Skills & MCP
FAQ
- What should I record and edit a podcast with?
- Audacity. Multitrack recording, noise reduction, compression and limiting, fades and batch processing, with broad format support and a mature plugin ecosystem. It is the most widely used free audio editor in the world, so almost any problem already has an answer online. The interface is plain, but nothing an edit needs is missing.
- Where do I start making electronic music?
- LMMS. It sits in the FL Studio family — piano roll, beat editor, built-in synthesisers and samplers, VST plugin support. Nothing is cut out of the free version and finishing and exporting a track costs nothing. Its weakness is audio recording; it is built for writing with virtual instruments and samples rather than tracking a band.
- Is there free score writing software?
- MuseScore. Professional engraving — enter notes, hear playback, export PDF and MIDI, write piano parts, guitar tab or full orchestral scores, with output good enough to print. Note that its online score library is a separate thing with paid tiers; the desktop application itself is entirely free.
- How do I play local music files?
- Strawberry, made for people who still keep a music collection — large library management, lossless formats, automatic cover art and tag completion. It does no streaming, no recommendation algorithm and no account; it organises what is on your disk and plays it. For podcasts use AntennaPod, subscribing over RSS with no podcast platform in between.