Soundboard Software Recommendations

Steve Shapero

Freshman
Dec 31, 2014
2
0
0
Can someone recommend a good soundboard program that I can use on my Windows 7 laptop for our community theater productions?

It doesn't have to be free and it can be browser-based as long as it doesn't required an Internet connection to work during a performance.
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I need to be able to load, save and cue up 30+ .mp3 sound effects for a show and be able to start and stop them at will. Simple to use always is better than complicated.
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Thanks in advance!

Steve
 
Re: Soundboard Software Recommendations

There are options. QLab is one. Similar to that, there is Show Cue System (www.showcuesystem.com) and SFX (https://www.stageresearch.com/products/sfx6/sfx6.aspx).

Personally, I've found SCS to be the easiest to use.

Your use of the word sound board leads me to this suggestion: Sound Byte
http://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/soundbyte_rack_cart_machine_radio_automation_software.html

It is a cart based system and on a touch screen would be really slick. They have versions for PC/Mac/iOS. I have an old version of this at a radio station I maintain for DJs to load their own music and play easily.
 
Re: Soundboard Software Recommendations

Depending on your needs you can use ableton live for clip playing, with or without looping.

Another approach would be a software sampler like the native instruments Battery or the builtin sampler in presonus studioone. Those sounds can be triggerd with your mouse or some external midi controller like a keyboard or a pad.

Back in the days I used the akai s5000 for sample triggering in live events where I had to provide commercial jingles and other sound fx as random cues. This could be done on the actual unit or via midi controllers.
 
Re: Soundboard Software Recommendations

If I understand your question correctly, you are looking for software you can load on the computer to setup to playback audio clips.

I have been using software called Soundplant.

You can set it up to use the keys on your computer to start playback of clips, then using Shift+key can stop the playback of that clip.
You can also adjust the start and stop points and relative level for each clip that is assigned to each key.

It is very handy software, but the free version requires WAV files. If you buy the license you can play MP3's.