Audio production tools aid audio producers and engineers in the creation of the audio content we listen to in music, film, games, podcasts, and more. However, commercial audio production tools are often not designed for everyone but rather for professionals and serious hobbyists with particular knowledge, experience, and abilities. We research audio production tools aimed at addressing users’ needs that aren’t met by commercial developers. For example, to address the needs of novices, we reframe the controls to work within the interaction paradigms identified by research on how audio engineers and musicians communicate auditory concepts to each other: evaluative feedback, natural language, vocal imitation, and exploration. And more recently, we have begun investigating how to address the audio production needs of deaf and hard of hearing users.