Edit and Manipulate Digital Audio Files in Ubuntu Linux

Editing and manipulating digital audio files with Ubuntu is made easier by the variety of open open source software that is available. This article outlines a few of the more commonly used audio software packages used in Ubuntu and other Linux systems. All of these applications are freely available on the Internet. Most modern Linux distributions make these applications available in the default installation or from their software repositories, making installation a very easy task to accomplish.

Ubuntu's Default Sound File Format
Ubuntu uses .ogg Vorbis. as a default file format for many system task. for example, if you want to extract a CD using RhythmBox, then sound file will be saved in .ogg format. If you want to transfer the file to your portable MP3 player, then there is a chance that the MP3 player will not recognize .ogg formats. iPods do not recognize .ogg format, so you will need to change the default file format within RhythmBox to another format like .MP3. If you happen to miss changing your preferences in RhythmBox, then you can use some of the file conversion utilities outlined below.

Using a Linux GUI based program for Sound File Conversion
SoundConverter is a GNOME based program that allows you to convert audio files from one audio format to another. For example, if you have a .WAV file, and you wish to convert it to an .MP3 file, it can be easily be accomplished with soundConverter. Some audio file formats are restricted, and you may need to install an additional codec.

If you are looking to get a little more serious about editing sound files, adding tracks and additional backgrounds, then you can give Audacity a try. Audacity is an open source sound file editor and manipulator that allows you record, play and edit digital audio files. There are also some spectrum analysis tools included with the package.

Converting Sound Files in Linux from a Command Line.
If working from the command line is your preference, then there is a Linux utility that is available called sox. If it is not installed on your Ubuntu system, then you can use:

sudo apt-get install sox

to install the program. The sox utility is a powerful audio conversion tool. Like soundConverter, sox lets you change audio file formats. You can also apply sound effects to your files during the conversion process. Another handy feature is sox is that you can concatenate files together. If you wanted to place several songs or audio files into one single file, than it can be accomplished with sox.