Comparison of free software for audio

Template:Short description Template:Multiple issues This comparison of free software for audio lists notable free and open source software for use by sound engineers, audio producers, and those involved in sound recording and reproduction.

Audio analysis

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Praat	Paul Boersma and David Weenink of the University of Amsterdam	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	A program for the analysis of speech in phonetics.	GPL-2.0-or-later
Sonic Visualiser	Centre for Digital Music at Queen Mary, University of London	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later
Partiels	Pierre Guillot at IRCAM, Paris	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	A software suite for analysing and exploring the content and characteristics of sounds.	GPL-3.0-or-later
WaveSurfer		Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		BSD-like

Converters

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
FFmpeg	Fabrice Bellard	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Audio & video.	LGPL-2.1-or-later, GPL-2.0-or-later
fre:ac	Robert Kausch	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	formerly BonkEnc	GPL-2.0-or-later
Libav	Libav team	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Audio & video.	LGPL-2.1-or-later, GPL-2.0-or-later
MPlayer		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Audio & video.	GPL-2.0-or-later

DJ software

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Mixxx	Mixxx Development Team	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later
Xwax	Mark Hills	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:No	Template:No		GPL-2.0-only

Distributions and other platforms

Various projects have formed to integrate the existing free software audio packages.

Name	Creator	Description	Note	License
AVLinux		Linux distribution		various
dyne:bolic		Linux distribution		various
Musix GNU+Linux		Linux distribution		various
Planet CCRMA		set of packages (in RPM format)
Ubuntu Studio		Linux distribution		various

Modular systems

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Integra Live	Birmingham Conservatoire	Template:No	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later

Notation

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
LilyPond	Han-Wen Nienhuys and Jan Nieuwenhuizen	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	a music engraving program	GPL-3.0-or-later
MuseScore	Werner Schweer	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes Various BSDs<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Yes	a WYSIWYG scorewriter with midi playback and audio export	v4: GPL-3.0-only v0-3: GPL-2.0-only with font exception, Proprietary (mobile app and online service)
Impro-Visor	Bob Keller	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	lead sheet notation, jazz improvisation, auto-accompaniment	GPL-2.0-or-later
MusiXTeX	Andreas Egler	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Music typesetting, TeX-based notation, high-quality scores	GPL-2.0-or-later

Players

Name	GUI	Programming language	Database	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Notes	License
Amarok	Qt	C++	MySQL	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Maybe	Inactive since 2018	GPL-2.0-or-later
Audacious	GTK / Qt	C		Template:Yes			Template:Yes		BSD 2-Clause
Banshee	GTK+	C#	SQLite	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Inactive since 2014	MIT
Clementine	Qt	C++	SQLite3	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		GPL-3.0-or-later
DeaDBeeF	GTK+	C, C++, Objective-C, Assembly		Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		GPLv2, zlib
Exaile	GTK	Python	Pickle	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later
Guayadeque	wxWidgets	C++, C	SQLite3	Template:Yes					GPL-3.0-or-later
JuK	Qt	C++		Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Linux (KDE)	GPL-2.0-or-later
Miro	WebKit in GTK/Cocoa	Python		Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Discontinued in 2013	GPL-2.0-or-later
Muine	GTK#	C#		Template:Yes				Can use GStreamer and xine	GPL-2.0-or-later
Nightingale	XULRunner	C++	SQLite?	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Fork of Songbird; inactive since 2014	GPL v2, MPL, BSD
Quod Libet	GTK	Python	Pickle	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later
qmmp	Qt	C++		Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later
Rhythmbox	GTK	C		Template:Yes		Template:Yes		Not GNU Data Access	GPL-2.0-or-later
Sayonara Player	Qt	C++		Template:Yes		Template:Yes			GPL-3.0-or-later
Songbird	XULRunner	C++	SQLite?	Template:Unofficial	Template:Yes	Template:Unofficial	Template:Yes	Abandoned, final release on Template:Date	GPL v2 with exceptions, Android client closed source
Tomahawk	Qt	C++	SQLite	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Abandoned, final release on Template:Date	GPL-3.0-or-later
XMMS	GTK+	C++		Template:Yes		Template:Yes		Discontinued in 2007	GPL-2.0-or-later

Programming languages

Many computer music programming languages are implemented in free software. See also the comparison of audio synthesis environments.

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Csound	Csound community, Barry Vercoe	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:No?	Template:Yes		LGPL-2.1-or-later
ChucK	Ge Wang, Perry Cook	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:No?	Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later (Mac, Linux, Windows versions) Proprietary (iOS version)
Nyquist	Computer Music Project at Carnegie Mellon University, Roger B. Dannenberg	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes
Pure Data	Pd Community, Miller Puckette	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		BSD-3-Clause
Sonic Pi	Sam Aaron	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Dunno	Template:Yes		MIIT
SuperCollider	SuperCollider community, James McCartney	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes?	Template:Yes		GPL-3.0-or-later
TidalCycles	Alex McLean et al	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		GPL-3.0-or-later

Radio broadcasting

See also streaming below.

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Airtime (software)	Sourcefabric	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Dunno	Template:No	Successor to Campcaster	From 2.5.2: AGPL-3.0-only 1.6 to 2.5.1: GPL-3.0-only
Campcaster	Sourcefabric	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Dunno	Template:No		GPL-2.0-or-later
OpenBroadcaster	OpenBroadcaster	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes	Template:No		AGPL-3.0-or-later

Recording and editing

The following packages are digital audio editors.

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	GUI toolkit	Note	License
Ardour	Paul Davis	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	GTK+	multi-track audio recorder and editor	GPL-2.0-or-later
Audacity	Dominic Mazzoni	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	wxWidgets	multi-track audio recorder and editor	GPL-2.0-or-later, CC BY 3.0 (documentation)
Ecasound		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes limited support through Cygwin	command line	audio recorder	GPL-2.0-or-later
Gnome Wave Cleaner	Jeff Welty	Template:Yes	Template:No		Template:No	GTK+	audio editor	GPL-2.0-or-later
Jokosher	Jokosher community	Template:Yes	Template:No		Template:Yes	GTK+		GPL-2.0-only with exception
LMMS	Tobias Doerffel	Template:Yes	Template:Yes as of 0.4.0 with Qt4		Template:Yes	Qt	multi-track audio editor intended as a replacement for Cubase-like software (DAW)	GPL-2.0-or-later
MusE		Template:Yes	Template:No		Template:No	Qt	MIDI sequencer	GPL-2.0-or-later
Qtractor		Template:Yes	Template:No		Template:No	Qt	A non-destructive multi-track audio and MIDI Workstation (DAW)	GPL-2.0-or-later
Rosegarden	Chris Cannam	Template:Yes	Template:No		Template:No	Qt	MIDI sequencer and multi-track recorder	GPL-2.0-or-later
SoX		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	command-line	multi-track audio editor/processor	LGPL-2.1-or-later, GPL-2.0-or-later
Sweep	Conrad Parker	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes	Template:No			GPL-2.0-or-later
Traverso DAW	Remon Sijrier	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		multi-track audio recorder and editor	GPL
WaveSurfer	Centre for Speech Technology at KTH	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Tk		BSD-like

Softsynths

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
FluidSynth		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	SoundFont player/renderer	LGPL-2.1-or-later
TiMidity++		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later
Yoshimi	Alan Calvert	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes Various BSDs	Template:No	Forked from ZynAddSubFX in 2009	GPL-2.0-or-later
ZynAddSubFX	Paul Nasca	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		GPL-2.0-or-later
WildMIDI		Template:Yes	?	?	?	Some alternative to TiMidity	Player: GPL-3.0-or-later Library: LGPL-3.0-or-later
VCV Rack	Andrew Belt	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes		GPL-3.0-or-later

Streaming

These programs are for use with streaming audio.

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Firefly Media Server		Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	streams music to DAAP clients like iTunes and Rhythmbox	GPL-2.0-or-later
Icecast		Template:Yes		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	a broadcast server, serves audio signals to clients over the HTTP protocol	GPL-2.0-only
VLC media player		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	media and server programs for video and audio streaming	VLC: GPL-2.0-or-later libVLC: LGPL-2.1-or-later

Technologies

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture (ALSA)		Template:Yes				the sound card driver and management system in the Linux kernel	GPL-2.0-or-later LGPL-2.1-or-later
aRts		Template:Yes				an audio programming API and sound server for general desktop, no longer in development	GPL
DSSI		Template:Yes				a plugin architecture for software synthesizers	LGPL-2.1-or-later
GStreamer		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	a graph-based multimedia framework	LGPL-2.1-or-later
JACK Audio Connection Kit (JACK)	JACK Team, Paul Davis	Template:Yes	Template:Yes (JACK OS X)		Template:Yes (jackdmp)	a sound server for integration of general and low-latency pro audio applications, including timebase transport	GPL-2.0-or-later LGPL-2.1-or-later
Linux Audio Developers Simple Plugin API (LADSPA)		Template:Yes				a plugin architecture for digital signal processing	LGPL-2.1-or-later
Open Sound System		Template:Yes		Template:Yes		a sound card management and driver system for Unix operating systems	BSD-2-Clause CDDL-1.0 GPL-2.0-only Proprietary (formerly)
PipeWire	Wim Taymans	Template:Yes		Template:Yes (FreeBSD)		a media daemon, unifying JACK Audio Connection Kit, PulseAudio, and GStreamer	MIT License
PortAudio & PortMidi	Ross Bencina	Template:Yes	Template:Yes		Template:Yes	a cross-platform, open-source C language library for real-time audio & midi I/O	MIT License
PulseAudio		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes (Solaris, FreeBSD, NetBSD)	Template:Yes	a sound server for general desktop and multihost LAN applications	LGPL-2.1-or-later
sndio		Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes (FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD)	Template:No	sound and MIDI server	ISC

Trackers

These music sequencer programs allow users to arrange notes (pitch-shifted sound samples) on a timeline: see tracker (music software).

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
MilkyTracker		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Also runs on various other platforms including Windows Mobile, PlayStation and AmigaOS 4.	GPL-3.0-or-later MilkyPlay: BSD-3-Clause
OpenMPT	Olivier Lapicque	Template:No	Template:No	Template:No	Template:Yes	Released as free software in 2004	BSD-3-Clause (since OpenMPT 1.17.02.53) / GPL-2.0-or-later, partly public domain
SoundTracker		Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes	Template:No	Fast Tracker clone	GPL-2.0-or-later
SunVox	Alexander Zolotov	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Also runs on Windows CE.	Proprietary (Music Creation Studio) BSD-3-Clause (Engine)

Other

Name	Creator	Linux?	macOS?	Unix?	Windows?	Note	License
Gnaural		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Binaural beat and pink noise generator	GPL-2.0-or-later
Hydrogen		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Partial	Template:Partial	an advanced drum machine	GPL-2.0-or-later
libsndfile		Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	Template:Yes	library for reading and writing many sound formats	LGPL-2.1-or-later
EasyEffects	Wellington Wallace	Template:Yes	Template:No	Template:Yes	Template:No	Effects processing for applications using PipeWire sound server	GPL-3.0-or-later

See also

• ABC notation
• Comparison of 3D computer graphics software
• Comparison of computer-aided design software
• List of 3D animation software
• List of 3D modeling software
• List of 3D rendering software
• List of free and open-source software packages
• List of Linux audio software
• List of video editing software