NGWave Audio/Sound/MP3 Editor: Program Features

NGWave is packed with features. More features are added as each new version is released.

Main Features

NGWave supports all basic editing functions. Editing is extremely fast, and NGWave's integrated Multiple-Clip Clipboard lets you quickly Copy, Cut, and Paste between files. Unlike other editors, you can copy and paste between different file formats seamlessly -- NGWave will automatically convert sample rates, bit resolutions, and convert between mono and stereo on the fly.

NGWave's user interface is extremely powerful and easy to use. With full support for 5-button pointing devices, mouse-wheel zoom, and even support for the Griffin PowerMate and various MIDI controllers, you have loads of power to manipulate your audio easily.

Full unlimited Undo and Redo history, along with saved-sessions and true Crash Recovery let you work without worrying about damaging your data. With NGWave's Safe-Save features, you know that NGWave will never overwrite a file with bad data or corrupt existing files.

Fast Editing

NGWave uses a revolutionary internal storage format that makes most edits lightening fast. While other editors often take massive amounts of time to do something as simple as deleting a bit of silence, NGWave doesn't break a sweat.

Many of NGWave's features work much faster than in other sound editors. See our comparison pages for more details.

Basic Editing Functions

Of course NGWave supports your standard editing functions. You can select any portion of audio, and Copy, Cut, Paste Insert, Paste Replace, Paste Mix and Delete.

Adding to this, however, most features give you the option to Fade Edges. This means that when you, for example, Mute a selected portion of audio, the edges will fade out and back in. Likewise, if you perform an EQ, AGC, or any other processing function on a selection, you won't have to worry about pops or clicks when it transitions between processed and unprocessed audio.


As an example, if you highlight a few seconds of audio and reduce the volume by -12db, fading edges for 100ms (1/10th of one second), the result will look like this:


Ordinarily 100ms is overkill, but it is useful to demonstrate what happens when the feature is used. Normally between 3 and 10 milliseconds is generally sufficient and transparent, and completely eliminates clicks or pops that would normally result.

Realtime Preview

Unlike a lot of editors, you can preview most edits in realtime. For example, when you click the Reverb button, you can click on Preview to start playing back your selection. You can then change your parameters, and hear the results in realtime -- without having to stop playback!

NGWave also features a Bypass button, allowing you to easily A/B the processing for quick comparison.

Presets

NGWave allows you to save Presets. A Preset is a saved setting, and you can save settings in every processing dialog. Recall your favorite EQ settings, compressor adjustments, and even color schemes, with the click of a button.

32-Bit Internal Format

For a quality that is unmatched, NGWave utilizes a 32-Bit unbounded floating-point data format. This allows hundreds of decibels of headroom, so you will never have to worry about clipping. If an edit caused your audio to go above 0db, simply reduce the volume. NGWave does not actually clip your data until you choose to save the file -- and you can optionally have NGWave warn you if saving the file will result in clipping.

This also helps make many of NGWave's processing functions very fast. Many editing functions require floating-point numbers internally, and with NGWave there's no need to constantly convert back and forth.

File Formats Support

NGWave supports most WAV file formats. You can open, save, and create 8-, 16-, 24-, or 32-Bit integer files, as well as 32- and 64-Bit IEEE floating point formats. One or Two channels are supported (Mono or Stereo). Sample rates from 4 kHz to 192 kHz are available, and can be arbitrary.

New: NGWave also supports standard AIFF files, as commonly used on the Mac platform. You can open and save 8-, 16-, 24- and 32-Bit signed integer AIFF files just as easily as WAV files.

With the right CODECs installed, NGWave also supports MP3 files, supporting virtually all bitrates.

NGWave supports sample rates up to 192 kHz, and can playback and record 16 or 24 bits.

Processing Functions

Below are some of the processing functions available in NGWave. All of these are accessed by choosing the Process menu item, and each has a toolbar button:

• Mute
• Change Volume
• Maximize Volume
• 10 Band Graphic Equalizer
• FFT Hi-Pass/Lo-Pass/Bandpass/Bandstop Filtering
• Simple Echo
• Full Echo Processor
• Reverb Processor
• Dynamic Compressor/Limiter
• Distortion Processor
• Noise Reduction

Of course the following basic editing functions are available through the Edit menu:

• Cut
• Copy
• Paste Insert, Replace, Mix, and To New File
• Delete
• Crop to Selection
• Trim Silence
• Generate Silence
• Generate Tones
• Correct DC Offset
• Convert to Stereo or Mono
• Convert Sample Rate (resample)

NGWave also supports unlimited Undo and Redo functions, as well as an Undo History window to quickly pinpoint the state you are looking for.

Recording

NGWave of course supports Recording if your sound card supports this. The recording dialog lets you choose among your installed sound cards, and optionally displays a Recording Control Mixer for the selected card.


If you have multiple sound cards installed, you know what a pain it can be to dig out the Windows mixer, select the appropriate card, choose the right controls, and get the levels right. With NGWave, it's all right there.

Waveform Display

One of NGWave's strongest points is its Waveform Display. Unmatched anywhere, you can zoom to any arbitrary integral zoom ratio, and playback scrolling is smooth as silk on any modern video card. The colors are completely customizable -- choose from several predefined themes, or create your own!

New: Crash Recovery

If NGWave exits prematurely for any reason -- Windows problems, power loss, or NGWave itself crashes -- NGWave will prompt to recover your session next time it starts up. See this page for more details on this feature.

Comparison

Not convinced? See our Comparison Pages for a real-world walk-through of NGWave's most advanced features. Compare the results with your favorite sound editor -- you won't be disappointed.

Better yet, download our Free Trial Version of NGWave and see for yourself. The trial version never expires, and the only limitation is that you cannot save your files. There is no registration or obligation necessary -- simply download and install the trial version and test it out on your own time.