Sound Forge in Samplitude Suite: Workflow, Editing and Mastering Guide
Sound Forge ships with Samplitude Suite as part of the Boris FX product family, and the most common question from Samplitude users who encounter it for the first time is some version of: why? Samplitude is already a full-featured DAW with audio editing, restoration tools, mastering chain support, and precision object editing. What does a separate file editor add?
Quick answer: In Samplitude, right-click any audio clip and choose Edit in Sound Forge. Sound Forge opens with that file. Edit it, close Sound Forge, and the file updates automatically in the Samplitude project. Use Sound Forge for work that needs to happen at the file level — restoration, mastering, batch processing, sample-level repair — and stay in Samplitude for everything that involves the timeline.
The two tools work at different scales. Samplitude manages the session — multiple tracks, the arrangement timeline, object-level effects, the mix. Sound Forge works on individual audio files with a depth of control that DAW clip editors don't provide. The official Boris FX Samplitude page confirms Sound Forge 2026 is part of the Suite and accessible via the right-click workflow. The bundle is not about replacing Samplitude's arranger. It is about adding a specialist file editor beside it.
What's Included: Sound Forge 2026 in Samplitude Suite
As of the current Samplitude 2026 product page, Sound Forge 2026 is listed as part of Samplitude Suite, not the standard Samplitude edition. The Suite also bundles Dolby Atmos/ADM integration, Spectral Editing at the track level, FX Routing Matrix, Soundly integration, CrumplePop plugins, Acon Digital Acoustica 7 Premium, Celemony Melodyne 5 Essential, Convology XT Complete, and 3D Reverb. Because bundle contents can change between releases, check the current Boris FX product page before buying specifically for Sound Forge.
I've been running Sound Forge alongside Samplitude Suite for the past year and the standalone application behavior is one of the things that makes the combination work well — Sound Forge's Plug-In Chainer presets persist across all Samplitude projects, so a mastering chain I set up for broadcast delivery is available in any session without any per-project configuration.
Sound Forge 2026 opens as a standalone application in this workflow, not as a reduced clip editor embedded in Samplitude. It maintains its own preferences and plugin configuration independently of any Samplitude project. For licensing details and exact edition naming, check the current Boris FX product page. The integration is a round-trip: Samplitude sends a file to Sound Forge, Sound Forge returns the edited file automatically when closed.
How to Open an Audio File in Sound Forge from Samplitude
The official workflow documented on the Boris FX Samplitude page: right-click on any audio clip in the Samplitude arranger and select Edit in Sound Forge from the context menu. Sound Forge opens with that audio file loaded.
When you finish editing and close Sound Forge, the updated file is automatically saved back into the Samplitude project. The Boris FX Samplitude page specifically mentions sending audio to Sound Forge by right-clicking the clip and choosing "Edit in Sound Forge." An older Samplitude community discussion also describes the same external-editor behavior, confirming that the round-trip saves back into the project automatically when Sound Forge is closed.
The right-click path is the one I use consistently — it's faster than going through the Tools menu and the round-trip back to Samplitude is automatic once you close Sound Forge.
Two points worth knowing before you start:
First, the edit is destructive — the source audio file is modified when you save in Sound Forge. Samplitude's VIP project is nondestructive at the arrangement level, but the audio file itself changes. If you want to preserve the original, make a copy of the clip before opening it in Sound Forge, or use Samplitude's object duplication to create a backup clip on a muted track before sending the active clip to Sound Forge.
Second, do not use Save As in Sound Forge with a different filename or location. If you rename the file, Samplitude will not find it automatically on next project open and you'll need to relink the media. Save with Ctrl+S to overwrite the original path.
Doesn't Samplitude Already Do This? What Sound Forge Adds
This is the right question, and it comes up regularly in the Samplitude community. Samplitude is not a weak audio editor. It has object-level effects chains, sample-accurate clip editing, spectral editing in the Suite version, and restoration plugins available through its effects chain. For many tasks, staying in Samplitude is faster than the round-trip to Sound Forge.
In a recent mastering session after a Samplitude Pro mix, I exported the stereo bounce, opened it in Sound Forge, and Sound Forge's measurement tools showed the exported file was sitting around -18 LUFS before mastering. That number isn't as readily visible during the Samplitude mix session — it requires analysis on the exported file itself. That's one of the practical differences: Sound Forge gives you the file-level numbers on the actual delivery file, not the mix bus estimate.
Sound Forge adds value at the edges of what Samplitude's clip editor handles well:
Sample-level waveform editing. Sound Forge's Pencil tool lets you draw directly on the waveform at single-sample resolution — redrawing a corrupted sample, fixing a click artifact that's too short to address with a restoration plugin, correcting a DC offset in a specific region. Samplitude's Object Editor provides detailed clip editing but doesn't have a Pencil-mode waveform drawing tool at this level.
Dedicated restoration workflow with noise print capture. Samplitude Suite includes restoration tools, but Sound Forge's approach to noise reduction — capture a noise print from a specific section of the file, apply that exact profile to reduce the noise floor — is purpose-built for the task. For files with a consistent noise floor that needs removal (room tone, tape hiss, HVAC bleed), the Sound Forge noise print workflow is more targeted than running a broadband noise reduction plugin on a clip in Samplitude.
File-level batch processing. Sound Forge's Batch Converter processes entire folders of audio files through a defined processing chain — normalize, convert sample rate, apply effects, export to a target format — without opening a Samplitude project. For sample library preparation, converting a folder of field recordings to a consistent format, or applying the same processing chain to 50 files at once, this is faster than setting up individual object chains in Samplitude for each file.
Single-file mastering. When a stereo mix needs a mastering pass before delivery, opening it in Sound Forge gives a purpose-built environment for that specific task. Statistics provides before-and-after loudness measurement on the whole file. The mastering chain runs on a single file without session overhead. POW-r dithering handles 16-bit CD export. Samplitude can master audio through a master bus chain, but Sound Forge's single-file workflow is more direct for mastering a finished stereo bounce.
Repeatable processing chains. Sound Forge's Plug-In Chainer saves processing chains as presets that can be recalled instantly and applied to any file. For engineers who process the same types of files regularly — voice-over cleanup, sample preparation, stem processing — keeping named presets in the Plug-In Chainer means the chain is always one click away regardless of which Samplitude project is open. The Plug-In Chainer guide covers this in detail.
Practical Workflow: Voice-Over and Dialogue
Voice-over and dialogue are the tasks the Boris FX documentation specifically highlights for Sound Forge in the Samplitude Suite context. The official Samplitude page gives the sequence directly: "Record and edit the perfect voice-over or dialogue in Sound Forge and quickly send it to Samplitude by right-clicking on the clip and selecting 'Edit in Sound Forge.'"
For a broadcast documentary project last autumn — narration delivered by the client as dry 24-bit WAVs — the Sound Forge pass on each VO file handled noise reduction and loudness normalization to EBU R128 spec before the files went into Samplitude for placement. The same mastered VO files also became the standalone delivery assets for the client, so the Sound Forge pass served double duty: timeline-ready files and archive-ready assets from the same session.
In practice, the workflow splits naturally: record the voice-over in Samplitude or import it from a delivered file, send it to Sound Forge for cleanup and processing, return the processed file to the Samplitude timeline for final placement and mix.
The Sound Forge pass on a voice-over file typically covers: noise floor reduction (noise print from the pre-speech room tone, reduction pass), EQ correction (high-pass to remove proximity effect, optional presence boost), de-essing if the sibilance is audible on headphones, and compression. If the file needs to be delivered as a standalone asset as well as placed in the Samplitude session, the mastered version exports directly from Sound Forge without re-opening the Samplitude project. The full voice-over processing workflow is in the voice-over guide.
In a typical music production session in Samplitude, recorded vocals often benefit from a Sound Forge pass before comping: the cleanup happens at the file level, and the processed takes go back into Samplitude for the comp and mix. This avoids stacking noise reduction, EQ, and de-essing plugins on every vocal take lane when the problem can be addressed on the source files once.
Practical Workflow: Mastering Inside a Samplitude Session
Samplitude is commonly used for both production and mastering in the same session — particularly for engineers who master their own projects. When the mix is done and the stereo bounce is ready, the workflow choice is between mastering on the Samplitude master bus and mastering in Sound Forge.
My current workflow for productions where I'm both engineer and mastering: finish the mix in Samplitude, bounce the stereo mix to a WAV with no limiter on the master bus, open in Sound Forge for the mastering pass. Keeping the two stages in separate applications makes the mastering chain independent of the session — I can revisit the mastered file later without needing the Samplitude project open.
Mastering on the Samplitude master bus works well for quick passes where all processing stays in the DAW. Sound Forge becomes the better choice when the master needs: a precise before-and-after loudness measurement on the whole file (Statistics in Sound Forge, vs reading the master bus meters in Samplitude), POW-r dithering for 16-bit CD delivery, or a mastering chain that the engineer wants saved as a named preset independent of any Samplitude project.
The workflow: export the finished mix from Samplitude as a 24-bit WAV, open in Sound Forge, run Statistics for the pre-mastering state, apply the mastering chain, verify with Statistics, dither if needed, export. The export doesn't need to come back into the Samplitude project — it's a separate delivery file. The full mastering workflow with specific settings is in the mastering guide.
Practical Workflow: Sample and Audio File Preparation
On a recent sound design project where I was building a custom percussion library from field recordings — 180 WAV files at various sample rates and levels — the Batch Converter in Sound Forge handled the entire normalization, sample rate conversion, and format pass in one configured chain while I worked on something else in Samplitude. The alternative would have been setting up object chains in Samplitude for each file, which would have taken much longer.
Samplitude users who work with custom sample libraries, field recordings, or large collections of audio assets benefit from Sound Forge's Batch Converter outside of any DAW session. The typical tasks: converting a folder of 24-bit/96kHz recordings to 16-bit/44.1kHz for a hardware sampler, normalizing a set of sound effects to consistent peak levels, applying noise reduction to a set of field recordings before import.
The Batch Converter in Sound Forge handles these through a configured processing chain applied to an entire folder of files, outputting to a specified format and destination. Setting up the chain once handles the whole folder without opening Samplitude or building clip-level processing chains for each file individually.
For sample-level loop editing specifically — trimming loop points to exact zero crossings, cleaning artifacts at the loop boundary, removing the click that appears when a sample loops — Sound Forge's zoom capability and zero-crossing snap tools handle this more precisely than Samplitude's clip editing tools. The Z and Shift+Z shortcuts snap selection edges to zero crossings; Ctrl+B toggles snap-to-zero-crossings globally.
When to Stay in Samplitude Instead
The default position in any session should be Samplitude first. I open Sound Forge maybe three or four times per full production — once for a specific problem file, once for the mastering pass, occasionally for batch prep. The rest of the session stays in Samplitude. Sound Forge opens when something specific can't be done cleanly inside the DAW.
The round-trip to Sound Forge adds a step. For most audio work inside a Samplitude session, that step isn't worth it.
Stay in Samplitude for: applying EQ, compression, or effects to a clip via the Object Editor; running restoration plugins on a clip through the object effects chain; editing clip boundaries, fades, and crossfades; any work that involves the timeline relationship between clips; spectral editing on clips (available in Samplitude Suite's spectral view); and all mixing, routing, and automation work.
The round-trip to Sound Forge is worth it for: problems that need the Pencil tool at sample level, noise floor cleanup that benefits from a noise print capture on that specific file, file-level mastering with Statistics verification, batch processing outside the session, and processing chains you want saved independently of any Samplitude project.
The broader question of where Sound Forge fits in a production workflow is covered in the Sound Forge music production guide. Most Samplitude sessions need Sound Forge for a handful of specific files — not for every clip. Sending everything to Sound Forge for processing adds round-trip overhead without quality improvement on the clips that don't need file-level work. The decision is the same as in any other DAW context: handle what the DAW can do well in the DAW, and send to the specialist tool only when the specialist tool is actually needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Samplitude Suite come with Sound Forge?
Yes — as of the current Samplitude 2026 product page, Sound Forge 2026 is listed as part of Samplitude Suite, not the standard Samplitude edition. The Suite also includes Dolby Atmos/ADM integration, Spectral Editing, FX Routing Matrix, Soundly integration, CrumplePop, Melodyne 5 Essential, Acon Digital Acoustica 7 Premium, Convology XT Complete, and other Suite features. Because bundle contents can change between releases, check the current Boris FX product page before buying specifically for Sound Forge.
How do I open Sound Forge from Samplitude?
Right-click any audio clip in the Samplitude arranger and choose Edit in Sound Forge from the context menu. Sound Forge opens with that audio file. When you close Sound Forge, the edited file is automatically saved back into the Samplitude project. Do not use Save As with a different filename in Sound Forge — Samplitude will not find the renamed file automatically on the next project open.
Doesn't Samplitude already do what Sound Forge does?
Samplitude covers most audio editing tasks and has its own restoration tools, object-level effects, and mastering capabilities. Sound Forge adds specific capabilities Samplitude's clip editor doesn't match: sample-level Pencil editing directly on the waveform, a noise print capture workflow for targeted noise reduction on specific files, single-file mastering with Statistics measurement and POW-r dithering, and the Batch Converter for processing entire folders of audio files outside a DAW session. For most clips in a Samplitude session, staying in the DAW is faster. Sound Forge is for the cases where file-level precision work is needed.
Can I use Sound Forge for mastering inside a Samplitude project?
Yes, but the typical workflow keeps them separate. Export the finished mix from Samplitude as a 24-bit WAV, open it in Sound Forge for the mastering pass — Statistics measurement, EQ, dynamics, loudness targeting, dithering — and export the delivery file from Sound Forge. The mastered file doesn't need to go back into Samplitude. This keeps the mastering chain in a dedicated file editor rather than on the master bus of the production session, and the Plug-In Chainer presets in Sound Forge are reusable across projects.
What's the difference between Samplitude Pro X and Samplitude Suite for Sound Forge users?
As of the current Samplitude 2026 product page, Sound Forge 2026 is listed with Samplitude Suite rather than the standard Samplitude edition. The Suite also adds Dolby Atmos/ADM integration, track-level Spectral Editing, FX Routing Matrix, Soundly integration, CrumplePop plugins, Melodyne 5 Essential, Acon Digital Acoustica 7 Premium, and Convology XT Complete. If Sound Forge is one of the reasons you are considering Suite, treat the other Suite-exclusive tools as part of the same decision and check the current Boris FX product page before purchase.
Is Sound Forge inside Samplitude or a separate application?
Sound Forge opens as a separate application. Samplitude sends the selected audio file to Sound Forge, then updates the project when the edited file is saved and closed. It is not a small plugin embedded in the Samplitude arranger — it opens as a separate Sound Forge application used through a round-trip workflow. This means Sound Forge maintains its own preferences, Plug-In Chainer presets, and settings independently of any Samplitude project.
