Praat

Praat is a free, cross‑platform tool for analyzing, synthesizing, and manipulating speech signals. It offers spectral, pitch, formant, intensity, jitter, shimmer, and cochleagram analyses, as well as synthesis methods such as Klatt acoustic and articulatory models. Users can conduct listening experiments, label and segment recordings on multiple tiers, and handle sound files up to two gigabytes.

The software includes statistical and learning utilities, including multidimensional scaling, principal component analysis, discriminant analysis, feed‑forward neural networks, and Optimality Theory algorithms. Graphics functions generate high‑quality visualizations suitable for publications, with export options for PDF, PNG, or EPS. A built‑in scripting language enables automation and interaction with external programs, while extensive manuals and tutorials are accessible from the Help menu.

Praat is aimed at researchers, educators, and students in phonetics, linguistics, and related fields who need a stable, configurable environment for detailed acoustic analysis and speech synthesis on macOS, Windows, Linux, and other systems.