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VIDEO sound...why pro tools?
- Thread starter -igor
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That's a pretty loaded question. Pro Tools is used around the world for all things audio. The hardware used with Pro Tools is top of the line. It is the industry standard because it has proven to be the best suited for what people need it to do, and continues to be the industry standard because everybody is using it.
Too bad the software sucks. Most people I know only use it because it is the standard (sort of like w/Windows). The one's who don't are a lot more happy with what they do use (Digital Performer, Logic, etc.). Also, the hardware is good but there are alternatives that are easily as good or rival it. Anyway, sorry if this is a little off topic; I just really HATE using ProTools.
I am just wondering what features pro tools has that makes for a better video sound mix environment. I'm really just looking for a reason to keep my m-powered setup as I'm almost completely switching to live, logic and reaper. I am unsure of whether I want to let it go. The program has a really great user interface but really, getting used to live will probably fix that problem. At this point I just want to know what features pt has over those three.
this made me laugh. thanks to both of you for that.
personally, i think digi's hardware isn't that great and is too expensive for what you get. otoh, i friggin' love the software. i'd love to switch to something not locked to hardware, but PT makes sense w/ my workflow.
DigiDesign are owned by AVID, which make the digital video editing systems most major filmakers use, PT integrates with AVID at a level that makes editing audio against a changing cut very simple, check out the Audio Post documentary on the Two Towers extended DVD, they were re-editing the video during the mix!!!. Protools allows this to be relatively painless with integrated EDL's.
Additionally most Audio Post is purely audio based, so MIDI is not really an issue (please note I'm not speaking about film music here), and the timeline editing functions in PT are still much easier that Logic or DP4 (yes, I know it;s what your used to..!).
PT hardware isn't the best, but it isn't bad, and integrating other AD/DA into it is easy enough.
Finally, Audio Post is done at a flat out sprint and usually with little budget, the Post houses have all but standardised on PT so that transferring files between studios and houses is easy and more importantly fast.
You can do video on anything that runs a video track, Soundtrack Pro 2 works, Logic works, Neuendo/DP4/Abelton Live, they all work, but the industry chose Protools.
Additionally most Audio Post is purely audio based, so MIDI is not really an issue (please note I'm not speaking about film music here), and the timeline editing functions in PT are still much easier that Logic or DP4 (yes, I know it;s what your used to..!).
PT hardware isn't the best, but it isn't bad, and integrating other AD/DA into it is easy enough.
Finally, Audio Post is done at a flat out sprint and usually with little budget, the Post houses have all but standardised on PT so that transferring files between studios and houses is easy and more importantly fast.
You can do video on anything that runs a video track, Soundtrack Pro 2 works, Logic works, Neuendo/DP4/Abelton Live, they all work, but the industry chose Protools.
1. I had no idea Avid owned DigiDesign. Very interesting.
2. This happens way more than you'd think. With the music too... Even in Hollywood, you may have scored a 4 minute scene, only to find out its now 3:50 or something. That makes such a huge difference when you are talking about cues and sync points when scoring.
3. Hey now, we are on DP5 now, and DP6 is coming out in the next month or so. (woot!)
This request for advice is coming from someone (me) who's edited in Avid for years (Avid Xpress Pro), on a Mac... and who ignored audio for the most part... until now. Now I see/hear how important the audio is (well I always knew that, but someone else always did the audio mix, and fixed my mistakes - - now I'm on my own), and I want to do a better job mixing my projects (short documentaries, usually with 8 audio tracks... interview clips, bg sound, wild sound, music).
I can't afford expensive software/hardware solutions, so Pro Tools is out. But I do edit in Avid, so I see that's a problem. What I'm thinking I could do (but I'd like advice from all of you) is edit my project, doing just a rough mix so I can hear all the tracks, then export each audio track separately (and mixdown all the video tracks to one), and import them into a good audio-mixing app.
I'd mix it and fix it here, and then export the finished project.
Now, as a long-time Mac user, I could buy Final Cut Studio, and use Soundtrack (I think that's what it's called), or Logic Pro or Logic Express... or should I use Adobe's Audition... or something else?
I'd like something that's not too overwhelming (I end up burning the docs and videos to DVD for clients... they're not for broadcast), and something whose interface is friendly to video editors (and in which I can see the video while I mix the sound).
Please... I'd love your advice. I've purchased a pretty good set of monitors, and an Apogee Duet to connect them to my powerbook (soon to be a MacBook Pro). So I'm a little ways there... but still a long way to go, I know.
Cheers,
malch
I can't afford expensive software/hardware solutions, so Pro Tools is out. But I do edit in Avid, so I see that's a problem. What I'm thinking I could do (but I'd like advice from all of you) is edit my project, doing just a rough mix so I can hear all the tracks, then export each audio track separately (and mixdown all the video tracks to one), and import them into a good audio-mixing app.
I'd mix it and fix it here, and then export the finished project.
Now, as a long-time Mac user, I could buy Final Cut Studio, and use Soundtrack (I think that's what it's called), or Logic Pro or Logic Express... or should I use Adobe's Audition... or something else?
I'd like something that's not too overwhelming (I end up burning the docs and videos to DVD for clients... they're not for broadcast), and something whose interface is friendly to video editors (and in which I can see the video while I mix the sound).
Please... I'd love your advice. I've purchased a pretty good set of monitors, and an Apogee Duet to connect them to my powerbook (soon to be a MacBook Pro). So I'm a little ways there... but still a long way to go, I know.
Cheers,
malch
Soudtrack Pro isn't a bad application for Post audio, and it syncs with FCP well enough, but the mixing interface is a little awkward I feel.
Don't bother with Abelton, whilst it's a unique bit of software it's not going to give you what you need.
Protools and Logic (and DP) all work well with Post audio and handle video without issues, but I would suggest you take a good look at Protools LE rather than Final Cut, or at least Logic Studio. Protools LE is cheaper than FCS, and is compatible with Avid, however the Video Production Toolkit is pricey....!
You can do everything you need to do in Soundtrack, but it's a bit clunky.
Don't bother with Abelton, whilst it's a unique bit of software it's not going to give you what you need.
Protools and Logic (and DP) all work well with Post audio and handle video without issues, but I would suggest you take a good look at Protools LE rather than Final Cut, or at least Logic Studio. Protools LE is cheaper than FCS, and is compatible with Avid, however the Video Production Toolkit is pricey....!
You can do everything you need to do in Soundtrack, but it's a bit clunky.
Thanks for the reply, WinterMute... I'll check into the cost of these options. I wonder if, since I'd be opening any one of these as a first-timer, whether I wouldn't have some of the same biases that someone who's seen them all has... in other words, would I know SoundTrack is clunky, if I've never seen and worked in an unclunky audio app?
I also suspect that most of these apps offer far more than I need. I'm mixing eight tracks at most, and I want to adjust levels, take out the odd bit of background sound, EQ here and there... well, now that I think of it, I don't really know what I want to do except to make it all sound better.
Thanks again for your help.
malch
I also suspect that most of these apps offer far more than I need. I'm mixing eight tracks at most, and I want to adjust levels, take out the odd bit of background sound, EQ here and there... well, now that I think of it, I don't really know what I want to do except to make it all sound better.
Thanks again for your help.
malch
On that basis I would look at Soundtrack Pro 2 and see if it does what you need, then adjust your expectations (and possibly spending) from there.
Because I find that it's video handling in standard sound to picture is a bit clunky and the audio mixing interface is too fiddly.
That said it's a marvelous compositional tool and I have used it in sound design situations, where the real-time morphing functions are very nice.
I've alwys found dedicated sound to picture Apps to be more productive than "do everything" apps, thats why Logic isn't used much in Audio post pro.
That said it's a marvelous compositional tool and I have used it in sound design situations, where the real-time morphing functions are very nice.
I've alwys found dedicated sound to picture Apps to be more productive than "do everything" apps, thats why Logic isn't used much in Audio post pro.