Sources of sounds. Audio Evolution arranges and combines sounds. The sounds can be recorded directly into the program, from the inputs on a sound card, or loaded as AIFF format files from disk.

Disks full of samples are widely available. The files are usually in WAV format, and will need to be converted to AIFF. These samples may be single notes from instruments such as guitars or percussion, or they may be loops one or two bars long. Single notes from instruments are more suitable for use in an audio sequencer program, since AE cannot change the pitch of the note to construct a melody. Single percussion sounds can be put together in AE to build up complex rhythm loops. The Repeats function and the grid are useful here. A loop can be mastered to reduce it to a single stereo sample file.

Tracks from audio CDs can be transferred to the hard drive and either edited to extract short sections or used complete. Do not try to play directly from the CD - although AsimCDFS would allow this, a CD drive is too slow.

Another source of sound files is synthesizer programs such as Wavebeast, or the synth options in SoundFX. Wavebeast will directly save AIFF files, including sequences of up to 64 steps.

Sequences and drum loops can be created in a MIDI sequencer program such as Bars & Pipes (or BarsnPipes), by playing the sequence through a keyboard or music module and recording the audio output into Audio Evolution.