Software to play two audio files simultaneously?
April 23, 2009 5:08 AM Subscribe
I'm ripping some old vinyl, running the audio through some 'clean up' software, but am having difficulty when comparing alternate versions of the output files after trying different settings. Does anybody know of software that will simultaneously play two audio files, and let me 'flick a switch' back and forth to compare the versions? (Like the switch they use at the audio store when comparing two sets of speakers) (I'm a Mac)
Response by poster: load each song into garageband
Actually, that's exactly what I've been doing, but some of these are long files, and it's kind of clumsy to load them in there. Also, unless I'm overlooking something obvious, you need two clicks to switch between tracks that way. I'd just like to flick back and forth between the two tracks on the fly, to compare easily ...
posted by woodblock100 at 5:41 AM on April 23, 2009
Actually, that's exactly what I've been doing, but some of these are long files, and it's kind of clumsy to load them in there. Also, unless I'm overlooking something obvious, you need two clicks to switch between tracks that way. I'd just like to flick back and forth between the two tracks on the fly, to compare easily ...
posted by woodblock100 at 5:41 AM on April 23, 2009
Preview them using Quick Look (just hit the space bar when they are selected in Finder). You can switch back and forth using the up and down arrows (easiest if they are the only two files in a folder). While it doesn't play them simultaneously maybe it's enough to do what you need.
posted by 6550 at 6:00 AM on April 23, 2009
posted by 6550 at 6:00 AM on April 23, 2009
Doesn't get much easier than using Itunes or Garageband as described above.
BUT.....
If you are willing to spend some coin Snapper will save you that extra click. It is pretty awesome software.
posted by Studiogeek at 6:00 AM on April 23, 2009
BUT.....
If you are willing to spend some coin Snapper will save you that extra click. It is pretty awesome software.
posted by Studiogeek at 6:00 AM on April 23, 2009
Oops, wish I had seen 6550s post. Same thing FOR FREE! (Duhhh on my part).
posted by Studiogeek at 6:02 AM on April 23, 2009
posted by Studiogeek at 6:02 AM on April 23, 2009
Best answer: You can use Quicktime, and set the preference to "only play sound in frontmost player".
Then you can have as many files playing as you want, and only the active player will make sound. You can now click on the players to your hearst content and jump around.
posted by gmm at 6:50 AM on April 23, 2009
Then you can have as many files playing as you want, and only the active player will make sound. You can now click on the players to your hearst content and jump around.
posted by gmm at 6:50 AM on April 23, 2009
Response by poster: You can use Quicktime
This seems to be the closest to what I want ... It's not easy to get the two playbacks synchronized - for 'seamless' comparison - but it does do the job.
Thanks for all the replies!
posted by woodblock100 at 7:17 AM on April 23, 2009
This seems to be the closest to what I want ... It's not easy to get the two playbacks synchronized - for 'seamless' comparison - but it does do the job.
Thanks for all the replies!
posted by woodblock100 at 7:17 AM on April 23, 2009
Also, unless I'm overlooking something obvious, you need two clicks to switch between tracks that way. I'd just like to flick back and forth between the two tracks on the fly, to compare easily ...
Not that it makes the Garageband solution all that much more likeable, but you can work around this:
1. Mute one track, leave the other unmuted.
2. Click on the "solo" button for the muted track to activate it and as a side-effect mute the unmuted track.
3. Click on the "mute" button for the that same track to mute it again and cancel the solo-muting on the unmuted track.
4. Goto (2), repeat ad audium.
It's a bit hacky, but it works and keeps you to one click per switch (though between two alternating points). Note that soloing a track cancels its "muted" flag, which is why you have to cancel the solo flag by explicitly remuting it rather than just unsoloing it.
I don't know whether its fortunate or unfortunate in the grander scheme of things that muting and soloing aren't undo-sensitive actions, but in this case it's unfortunate because otherwise you could just pop back and forth with undo/redo hotkeys instead of clicking. Ah well.
posted by cortex at 7:30 AM on April 23, 2009
Not that it makes the Garageband solution all that much more likeable, but you can work around this:
1. Mute one track, leave the other unmuted.
2. Click on the "solo" button for the muted track to activate it and as a side-effect mute the unmuted track.
3. Click on the "mute" button for the that same track to mute it again and cancel the solo-muting on the unmuted track.
4. Goto (2), repeat ad audium.
It's a bit hacky, but it works and keeps you to one click per switch (though between two alternating points). Note that soloing a track cancels its "muted" flag, which is why you have to cancel the solo flag by explicitly remuting it rather than just unsoloing it.
I don't know whether its fortunate or unfortunate in the grander scheme of things that muting and soloing aren't undo-sensitive actions, but in this case it's unfortunate because otherwise you could just pop back and forth with undo/redo hotkeys instead of clicking. Ah well.
posted by cortex at 7:30 AM on April 23, 2009
As far as hacky manual syncing in Quicktime:
One way to get it fairly tight is to load both windows first and then hit play on the first one and then read of a steady count and pause it after a fixed interval.
Next, restart the count as you hit play on the second window. The moment you finish the count, unpause the first one again. Boom, sync. Depending on your counting and clicking skills, involving a metronome or other mechanical counter may be useful.
posted by cortex at 7:42 AM on April 23, 2009
One way to get it fairly tight is to load both windows first and then hit play on the first one and then read of a steady count and pause it after a fixed interval.
Next, restart the count as you hit play on the second window. The moment you finish the count, unpause the first one again. Boom, sync. Depending on your counting and clicking skills, involving a metronome or other mechanical counter may be useful.
posted by cortex at 7:42 AM on April 23, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by avex at 5:17 AM on April 23, 2009