Playing audio files backward

[moviebuff2]

Hi everyone:

Is there any software that will play audio files (mp3, wave, etc.) backward?

For example, I want to hear Streisand's "People" in Chinese (not exactly Chinese, but you get the idea! )

Thanks

[guns1inger]

Don't know about playing the backwards, but most audio editors have a reverse function, which will do the same thing, and allow you to save a backwards copy if you wish.

[TJohns]

Load into GoldWave, press F5

Trevor

[moviebuff2]

Thank you!

[AlecWest]

I realize this is a late post (by 4 months) but, in case others search for this topic as I did just now, there's another solution.

Download/install the latest version of Audacity. For starters, it's freeware. Then:

1) Click on File and choose "Open" (I've only tested this on WAV files).

2) Click on Edit and choose "Select" -> "All."

3) Click on Effect and choose "Reverse."

4) When the Reverse procedure is done, click on File again and choose "Export Selection As..." (choice of WAV, MP3, or Ogg Vorbis). The newly saved audio file plays the originally input file in reverse.

P.S. FWIW, the reason why I was personally looking for "reverse audio" software is because I was curious about music in the 1999 film, "Eyes Wide Shut." Stanley Kubrick wanted special music for the Satanic ritual scene. He got the music he wanted from Jocelyn Pook - the song, "Masked Ball," from her "Flood" album. To achieve the effect in that song, Pook recorded 2 Romanian Priests doing a chant - then recorded it in reverse. Since the presence of upside down crosses in some Satanic rituals is common, Kubrick thought that a Catholic chant played in reverse would be appropriate as well.

Anyhoo, I have the movie (and the song) and un-reversed it with Audacity. So, if you speak Romanian or otherwise want to hear the chant in its original form, click here. Or, if you'd prefer just downloading it, click here.

P.P.S. BTW, Romanian isn't the only foreign language spoken in that film. In fact, Kubrick asked his sound people for lyric chants that would go well with the orgy scene - and put them in the film without knowing their origins (snicker). Almost immediately after the film was released, angry letters started arriving from the Hindu community that the chants used in Kubrick's "unholy" orgy scene were "very holy" chants to Hindus - and that they were offended. So whatever you do, don't play the film to a devout Hindu unless you want to get yelled at.