Audio reverser
Choose an audio file, press Reverse and listen to it backwards. The samples are simply read in the opposite order, in all channels. The result can be downloaded as WAV.
Runs in your browser: nothing you enter is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Choose an audio file.
- Press Reverse audio.
- Listen to the preview and press Download WAV.
How it works
The browser decodes the file into samples. For every channel the array of samples is reversed, then the result is written as 16-bit PCM in a WAV file. Both channels are reversed together, so the stereo image is kept. Nothing is uploaded.
Worked example
A 5 s recording of someone saying a word, reversed, is still 5 s long; the last sound of the word is now heard first.
Tips
- Reverse a short cymbal or piano hit and put it before the original for a rising effect.
- Keep the original file; the WAV is a different, larger file.
Frequently asked questions
What does reversing do exactly?
The list of samples of each channel is read from the last to the first. The length, loudness and stereo layout stay the same; only the direction in time changes.
Which files work?
Any audio your browser can decode, usually MP3, WAV, M4A/AAC, OGG and often FLAC. The result is a 16-bit WAV.
Is there a length limit?
Yes: 10 minutes, because the whole sound is held in memory as 32-bit floating-point numbers while it is processed.
Why does it sound odd?
Natural sounds have a fast attack and a slow decay. Backwards, they swell and then stop abruptly, which is the effect people use in music and sound design.