As far as the Audacity platform, I'm all for free software, but the Samplitude platform allows you, if you choose, to gradually upgrade to professional software. But you can download the trial version and try both for free. As far as classical music goes--and early music in particular--there just isn't anything like it. Of course everyone has their fave proggies. All of the engineers I work with--and that of course is just my acquaintances--use, in order-- Sequoia/Samplitude Pyramix Sadie
Then I know some people in the pop world that use Protools. I think protools has gotten better, but I don't think it is up to the other three. I expect in five years there will be an open source program that will do everything, but so far I haven't seen anything with the advanced features. And in five years we will be doing 3D video. dt To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
