Sound Analysis Software
A selection of software packages for analysing bat echolocation calls recorded using a broadband bat
detector (time expansion or frequency division) are listed here (with some of the more frequently used
ones at the start). We do not recommend specific packages, but BCT training courses in sound
analysis cover the following: BatSound, BatScan, Wavesurfer, and TF32.
 Adobe Audition v 3.0 is a substantial package that calculates all the start/end/peak
frequencies of a pulse for you and allows you manipulation sounds. It can also convert
batches of mp3 or other formats to WAV format quickly. You can also listen to heterodyne
separate from the FD channel on Duet recordings. Audition v 3.0 is available as a 30 day tryout and the full package is $350. Website: http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/audition/.
 Avisoft, at www.avisoft.com, offers a free download of a minimal program called SAS Lab
Lite (5.7 MB) for very basic editing and generation of spectrograms. The full Avisoft has a
whole range of functions although it takes time to learn how to use them all.
 Bat Scan, available from www.batbox.com,comes with a selection of sample files so that you
can compare your own recordings. It costs £17 (plus VAT and delivery) and is a simplified
version of Spectrogram. In general, it is faster and easier to use than BatSound, but does not
have all of the functions. It is designed to be used with frequency division recordings.
Follow-up service and advice is good.
 BatSound is the original software developed by Pettersson especially for use with ultrasonic
bat calls and is generally considered to be the industry standard. It is available directly from
Pettersson (http://www.batsound.com/?p=34). Costs start at around £275 for a single user
licence, and more for multiple licences. BatSound has a nice big window for sonograms and
an easy to use toolbar with shortcut buttons that operate on a mouse click for common
functions. It also has a lot of additional functions and newer versions have improved settings.
The help files are generally well-structured and easy to use. Newer versions also allow you to
import mp3 files directly into BatSound and to manage recordings from the D500x. You can
download an evaluation version of the latest software for free from the Pettersson website.
 TF32 is a free programme designed for speech analysis. A user manual is available from
http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/~milenkvc/tools.html and a sound analysis instruction booklet
from BCT.
 Wavesurfer
is
another
completely
free
program
available
from
http://www.speech.kth.se/wavesurfer. This was developed for speech analysis and you need
to establish your own spectrogram parameters and save them. Therefore, you need to know a
little about the terminology (FFTs, etc.) or you can look at the ibats website for instructions
written by Dr Jon Russ (http://www.ibats.org.uk/page.aspx?tabid=256.
 Cool Edit Pro 2.1, produced by Syntrillium, has been taken over and is now sold as Adobe
Audition.
However, the old version is available as a free download from
http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Cool-Edit-Pro-Download-2076.html (18.20MB) for
a 21-day free trial in which you can analyse 10ms calls. The spectrogram and oscillogram
cannot be viewed simultaneously.
There are also a number of programs that have been developed in the USA and/or are
designed to work with Apple Macs, although most of these have not been tested.
 Sonobat v 2.5.5 is a program developed in the USA. It includes an auto-trigger recording
function developed especially for the D240x, set up to trigger automatically and allowing
remote recording to a digital recorder. It allows you to look at reference calls in the same
window next to a call that you are trying to identify. Reference calls are automatically
adjusted to match the time and frequency scale of the one you are looking at. Analysis
functions are plentiful, including definition of low/high frequencies, bandwidth, duration,
heel, slope, characteristic frequencies, harmonics and automatic calculation of the inter-pulse
interval. The program costs US$320. There is a free downloadable demo of v2.4 for Mac
and PC (http://www.sonobat.com).
 bcAnalyze 1.0 is a programme designed to work with real-time recordings of bat calls. To be
used with recordings from the Batcorder system (http://www.ecoobs.com/cntbcAnalyze.html). A call finding algorithm quickly finds calls within the recording. A license
costs €140 (+VAT) and runs for 30 days in trial mode. System requirement is a Mac running
Mac OS X 10.5.
 The Bioacoustics Research Programme at Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology developed a
well-respected sound program called Canary some time ago. It is free to download, but
unfortunately only runs on Mackintosh ( http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/software/canaryinformation). The user manual includes background information about how spectrograms are
created and analysed. If you are willing to delve into some physics, it can help you to use
other sound analysis programs more effectively. Relevant sections (available from
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/software) are Appendix A: Digital Representation of Sound
and Appendix B: A Biologist’s Introduction to Spectrum Analysis.
 The new sound analysis software from Cornell University, called ‘Raven,’ is available from
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/raven/Raven.html. There are two options – Raven v 1.4, and
Raven Lite which is free. The full version is able to display any number of sound files
simultaneously, with each file in its own window. It has other features that allow you to easily
measure, compare and edit parts of different sequences and sounds. The Raven Lite version
has the ability to view only a single spectrogram at one time. Both versions are available for
Mac OSX or PC. The full version is US $400 ($100/year for students).