Looking back over 2010, a lot has happened with Avid audio, so here's The Air Users Blog top 5 hits and misses. To see why they they rated them then go to the post on the Air Users Blog The rational of our ranking means the most impressive hit is number 1 in the 'Hits' list and the least impressive miss is at number 1 in the 'Misses' list. Hits Pro Tools 9 Pro Tools Instrument Expansion Pack Avid Mbox Max Gutnik Appearing in the Live Chat Three Avid men we can't name Misses Pro Tools Instrument Pack Launch The Structure Update Fiasco The DUC Pro Tools HD Native 'It's FREE', 'no it's not its $99', or is it? If they can get a grip on their product launches (hint Avid - your next one is in 3 weeks, so make this a good one - the product deserves it!) and also keep building the bridges, then you have every chance of maintaining the existing user base and more importantly growing the next generation of Pro Tools users.

I came across this report on the Designing Sound blog in a post by Miguel Isaza. Miguel posted... Sound Designer John Kassab, who shared the Harry Potter interview with us some days ago, has sent me very interesting report he just finished about the state of post-production film sound in both conceptual and technical ways. The text includes some introductory theories, detailed analysis of different topics, and also interviews with sound professionals from different sides of the world. Project Description: To investigate creative, technical and workflow innovations in post-production film sound in London, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Wellington. Highlights: The highlight of this project was being able to meet with such great cross section of visionaries in all corners of the English-speaking world at this particular moment in film sound history. Major Lessons and Conclusions The greatest lesson I learned is that the digital domain is creating many changes to work flow and collaborative methods in film sound and the global industry seems to be going through something of a metamorphosis. As a result, the focus of many topics in this report concern how the industry is evolving as the result of digital and computer based solutions. Download PDF here. Having read it, I have found many parallels in it for other industry sectors including my own in radio production.  In the report John listed a number of developements he would like to see added to Pro Tools. I thought I would use a portion of this report to ask AVID to revise and add a few things to make our working processes a little smoother. This list was compiled in collaboration with Derek Vanderhorst, and Stephen Gallagher. 1. Can you please introduce ability to open multiple sessions so we can rebalance sessions or even cut similar scenes and copy/paste between them? 2. Can you introduce automation for the bussing assignments? 3. What about clip based automation? 4. A 64 bit floating point would be nice, too. 5. At least 1000 tracks even if voices are limited. This would be great for rebalancing and carrying all the elements to the stage in one session. 6. More than 192 voices, please. Most other audio editing applications are dependent on the CPU. Can’t delay compensation be used to free these shackles? 7. Can we have Audiosuite handles and non-linear processing ‘undos’? It’s really frustrating for sound designers and my desktop is covered in screen shots so I can keep track of my processes manually. Also, and ‘undo’ for accidently deleting plug-ins would be great too. 8. LKFS metering in Phasescope? 9. A persistent monitor section when opening/closing sessions for things like headphone mixes would also be nice. 10. So would Multi-mono plug-in presets that are actually presets for all mono components. 11. Please add the ability to add busses from the mix window. 12. Customizable key commands would be great to provide more efficiency for our talented brothers and sisters who prefer to work with other DAWs. 13. Please let us save clips with the layout automation in tact to drag and drop into another session like you can in Nuendo. 14. When will we be able to right-click on a stereo region to flip the left and right track? 15. Please let us be able to record the sound the ‘scrubbing tool’ makes. This will be particularly useful for sound designers who like to perform their sounds. 16. Can you please give us the option to bounce a project without having to sit through it in realtime. Make a warning pop out at us if you are concerned about anything, but please give us the option to hit “ignore”. Most importantly, don’t make it crappy so you can say “I told you so”. Other software companies have been making really good ones for years. Please make it like that. I wonder if these have been submitted to the Pro Tools IdeaScale site? If not we should. Thanks again John for a very stimulating report and I look forward to more in the series.

Avid announced this on Christmas Day! Avid is pleased to announce that Mac OS X 10.6.5 is officially qualified with all versions of Pro Tools 8.0.4 and higher, including: Pro Tools HD, LE, and M-Powered 8.0.4 Pro Tools HD 8.1 Pro Tools HD 8.5 (for HD|Native systems only) Pro Tools 9.0 Pro Tools HD 9.0 Also qualified are the current versions of the following: Pro Tools SE 8.0.3 Pro Tools Essential 8.0.3 If you are updating your system from an earlier version of Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) to version 10.6.5, the following update is recommended: Mac OS X v10.6.5 Update (Combo) For information on Pro Tools version compatibility and requirements with different OS versions of Mac and Windows, see the Pro Tools Compatibility home page: www.avid.com/compatibility Or click on the Pro Tools Compatibility link at the top of the forum. I am hoping to create a new boot drive with a clean install of everything as I have been cloning drives for several years now and so I am taking the opportunity with Snow Leopard to start from scratch. However I am doing it on a fresh drive so I don't mess up my current working Leopard boot drive or the back up of it that Super Duper updates every evening for me. I will keep you posted on my developments over the next month when hopefully I will have some time to do it.

Just to let you know that if enjoyed or missed Merry Christmas Morris Minor then it is Radio 4's Podcast of the week so you have 7 days to download it to enjoy both the programme and my Jingle Bells creation for ever. In addition The Guardian have selected it as one of their Radio Highlights for Christmas Eve.... If the festive spirit is still proving elusive, tune into Merry Christmas Morris Minor! (Radio 4, 11am), one of the sweetest radio offerings over the holiday. The Guardian's Martin Wainwright celebrates the car's 50th birthday in this affectionate tribute, which includes a rendition of Jingle Bells played on a chorus of Morris Minor Horns. That moment really is enough to melt even Scrooge's heart.

+ The Metric Halo has always been an interface I have admired with their range of 1U 8 channel interfaces they provide a high quality compact portable range of solutions but until now I couldn't consider using them with my beloved Pro Tools. But with Pro Tools 9 that has all changed. This from their newsletter.... With the introduction of Pro Tools 9, Avid has finally answered the desires of myriad customers the world over: they have made it so that Pro Tools can directly utilize the world’s best audio interfaces. And of course, Metric Halo was ready for PT 9 on day one, with fully supported low-latency CoreAudio drivers and an RTAS version of the unique ConsoleConnect plugin. In case you don’t already know, ConsoleConnect provides direct access to MIO Console from within Pro Tools — allowing you to control the hardware, mixer, plugins and monitor controller without leaving the Pro Tools environment. Even better, ConsoleConnect automatically stores and recalls your complete hardware configuration state with the Pro Tools session. No other third-party interface on the market does that. The Metric Halo line of interfaces provide exceptional audio performance, incredible stability, extreme flexibility and deep integration with Pro Tools at a variety of price points that will satisfy any budget. We have developed a set of resources to help you get started with Pro Tools 9 and Metric Halo hardware. By using the tips in these tutorials and technote you can maximize your workflow and get the most that MH Interfaces have to offer. Tutorial Movies: Using MIO Console with Pro Tools 9 - Part 1 Using MIO Console with Pro Tools 9 - Part 2 Tech Note: Using Metric Halo interfaces with Pro Tools 9 Suite Solution In addition to functioning as a Pro Tools interface, MH interfaces can be used as a complete high-end audio mixer and monitoring system. With +DSP your unit becomes a sophisticated signal processor that is extremely useful in tracking, mixdown and even live applications. The various MH interfaces provide everything you need to configure a brand new edit, recording or mix suite — just add Pro Tools and transducers. So if you are thinking of adding a new Pro Tools room, or just setting up a home-based PT DAW, Metric Halo interfaces provide a complete solution with excellent quality and flexibility. Take  look, I certainly will be and please report back your findings.

For a couple of days I had some great fun making a lovely documentary "Merry Christmas Morris Minor" for Radio 4 all about the Morris Minor car. Martin Wainwright sets off through the snow to give seasonal best wishes to the owners of Britain's favourite mass produced car - and to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the special edition Morris Minor Million - the rarest minor of all.  Highlight of the programme is a special rendition of 'Jingle Bells' from a Morris Minor 'choir.'  Martin has a soft spot for the little car - often described as a large jelly mould with a speedometer sitting like a clock on the dashboard, and orange fingers for indicators. For it's time though, according to Stirling Moss, it was a nippy little car. Martin meets a mechanic who 'soups' the car up, owners like Dave Brown from 'The Mighty Boosh' and the drivers who 'danced ' their Morris Minors at the end of the Manchester Commonwealth Games .  Finally, using the horn, various clunks and clicks from the car door and boot, and a squeak from the chassis, he conducts a unique version of ' Jingle Bells' by the Morris Minor 'choir.' Sound Design and production: Mike Thornton Producers: Janet Graves and Geoff Bird A Pennine production for BBC Radio 4. I had the challenge to create the 'Morris Minor choir' using only the sounds from a Morris Minor. The horn of course was very useful, being a 'tuned' sound and so I loaded it into Structure, a sampler plug-in in Pro Tools. Other sounds I stuffed into Structure were the lovely squeaking of the car's suspension, various door, boot and bonnet open and close sounds to form part of the percussion section as well as a multiple of different sounds extracted from a hub cap ending up as various cymbal sounds, using Serato's Pitch 'n Time plug-in to stretch out the sound into a variety of cymbal crashes. We were able to get a tuned note from it so the hub cap also formed part of the harmony and melody of this unique rendition of Jingle Bells. You will be able to hear this and the documentary on Christmas Eve at 11am on BBC Radio 4 and afterwards on the iPlayer.

This Sunday Radio 4 will be transmitting an interesting documentary I edited and mixed with Carmel Lonergan on how young black men are turning towards Islam as they find it gives them structure and discipline. More than two thirds of Muslims in Britain are of South Asian ancestry, leading many to believe that Islam is the preserve of these communities. Yet in the last 2 decades, Islam has arguably become the fastest growing religion among Black people in Britain and at a time when the UK appears more disunited over faith, ethnicity and identity than ever before. In this programme the writer and presenter, Dotun Adebayo, explores this phenomenon and asks why is Islam providing such an attractive religious alternative to Christianity for Black Britons seeking spiritual answers? What do they get from Islam that they can't get from their original faith? Is this just a rebellion against the family and society? He will talk to young black people about the reasons for their conversion and to Bishop Joe Aldred from the Black Churches who explains where he thinks the Black Majority Churches are going wrong and why he thinks they need to smarten up and get their message across to young people so they are comfortable with church. Conversion to Islam also has a darker side in the shape of terrorism. As Dotun Adebayo says "Ever since the penny dropped that the Richard Reid, the shoebomber was The Richard Reid I had lived with when he was a teenager in south London, I have been haunted with the question of whether I could have done anything to dissuade my petty thieving 'good lad at heart' flatmate from going down the route of militant Islam. Twenty years later I have to ask is being "young muslim and black" still a "lovely, precious dream". It was a very enlightening programme to be involved in. Finding instrumental music we could use that reflected black and Muslim youth culture was a challenge! If you miss it on 19th December then do go to the iPlayer and have a listen.

On Thursday BBC Radio 4 will be broadcasting Cheque Book and Pen, a fictional drama on how Les Dawson might have got to host Blankety Blank. Working with Woolyback Productions I recorded on location, edited, tracked and mixed this production which will be the afternoon play on 16th Dec 2010 at 2:15pm. Johnny Vegas pays tribute to the legendary Les Dawson in a comic flight of fancy. Les has a way with words but is northern, rather crumpled, a little shambolic and an unknown quantity, and delightfully unpredictable when he is faced with representing a national institution. Nicholas Parsons is Farson, a resplendent foil for Dawson. Farson embraces and embodies the hammiest forces of the 'traditional BBC'. A nemesis to Les and all he stands for and aims to subvert. This homage is a pure joyous farce, taking full artistic license in imagining how the BBC might have engaged the iconic Les to become a game show great in its eighties flagship, Blankety Blank. Cast: Les ..... Johnny Vegas Farson ..... Nicholas Parsons Helen ..... Shobna Gulati Dave Parkins ..... Mick Miller BBC Executive ..... Mark Chatterton Number Two ...... Paul Foot Doris (Barmaid) ..... Catherine Kinsella Other parts ..... Peter Slater (and cast). Written by Andrew Lynch and Johnny Vegas. Sound Design: Mike Thornton Directed by Jim Poyser Producer: Sally Harrison A Woolyback Production for BBC Radio 4. I have had great fun working on this production with challenges like a scene in a Manchester club where Les is on stage doing his act whilst the BBC executives were in the audience commenting on his performance. Another scene, that took a few goes to get right, was a montage of agents all ringing the BBC offering their clients for the new presenter of Blankety Blank. Also look out for Shobna Gulati playing a lovely cameo part as the queen phoning the BBC exec to complain. We were unable to get the original Blankety Blank theme clean but we did get Les's first show from the BBC archive and I was able to weave that into this production. If you don't get to listen to Cheque Book and Pen on Thursday then do go to iPlayer and listen to it from there.

Our Mike Thornton writes the Pro Tools Notes, Techniques and Workshop articles for Sound on Sound as well as reviewing many of the new Pro Tools related products. Note that you will need to be a subscriber to view the recent articles or you can choose to Click & Buy individual ones.   Super Conductors - Pro Tools’ rulers not only show the passage of time, they allow you to control it!

This is from their press release... Minnetonka Audio Redefines Dolby E Value and provides more Dolby E functionality for less while adding new crossgrades & bundle Minnetonka Audio Software, Inc., announced today new pricing on the entire family of Dolby E solutions, including standalone encoders, decoders and bundles. In line with these adjustments, a newly announced production suite offers a simple and comprehensive entry into Dolby E workflows for a wide variety of businesses. Minnetonka Audio has reduced the price of their entire line of Dolby E production tools up to 43 percent. In addition, a new collection has been created that affordably bundles all the tools a shop needs to handle Dolby E in their day to day jobs, while new crossgrade pricing helps businesses to flexibly grow their capabilities without limited licensing restrictions. The new SurCode for Dolby E Suite combines the SurCode for Dolby E Encoder and Decoder with Minnetonka's Audio Workflow Engine, AudioTools AWE, and their new SurCode for Dolby E Stream Player plug-in. This suite provides real time and faster-than-real time encoding and decoding of Dolby E streams and files, while also equipping a separate operator with the ability to automatically downmix surround streams to stereo in real time with the cross-platform SurCode for Dolby E Stream Player plug-in for Avid, Final Cut, VST and AudioTools AWE formats. The Stream Player's downmixing is a true emulation of what a consumer equipped for stereo playback would hear. Unit pricing for the SurCode for Dolby E Encoder or Decoder is now US$1975, making it easy to accommodate on any budget. The cost of a SurCode for Dolby E Bundle, which includes an encoder and decoder along with AudioTools AWE for background/parallel processing of audio assets, has been reduced from $4499 to $3495. The new SurCode for Dolby E Suite is priced at $3995, and adds the SurCode for Dolby E Stream Player to the above bundle. For companies who are locked in to a competitor's more limited licensing scheme, SurCode for Dolby E Encoder and Decoder are individually available as a crossgrade for $1695.

I have been busy on a number of dramas and documentaries most of which I cannot talk about yet but will be on air around and just after Christmas so will share more when they go public. However one that I am just finishing is a 2 part documentary on Manny Pacquiao, the Filipino boxer, and now politician. An exclusive interview produced by Lyndon Saunders at All Out Productions which I have been involved in editing and mixing will be going out on the World Service on Nov 26th and Dec 3rd as the Friday Documentary. Fighting for the people Making the leap from top level sport to politics is not unique: Pakistan’s Imran Kahn did it; Britain’s Sebastian Coe’s done it… but Filipino, Manny Pacquiao, takes things to a new level. As an active boxer – and the world’s first fighter to win eight world titles in no less than eight different weight divisions – earlier this year he was also elected to Congress in the Philippines earlier this year. Now, Mike Costello, the BBC’s Boxing Correspondent travels to the Philippines to spend time with this sporting legend as he trains for his forthcoming fight with Antonio Margarito. Mike discovers who Pacquiao is as the boxer, the newly appointed politician and man of the Filipino people. Speaking with people that know, love and work with Pacquiao, his story of poverty to one of the world’s most high earning sportsmen is compelling. Mike Costello will visit the streets in General Santos where Pacquiao grew up to see for himself where he came from. TX times... East Africa Friday 07:00, 14:00, 21:00 West Africa Friday 09:00. 14:00, 21:00 America Friday 14:00, 19:00 East Asia Friday 03:00, 08:00, 13:00 South Asia Friday 04:00, 09:00, 15:00 Europe & Middle East Friday 10:00, 15:00, 20:00 Australia Thursday 23:00, Friday 04:00, 11:00, 16:00 UK Friday 09:00, 12:00, 15:00

Paul has been busy developing a controller product to run on the iPad. This is from the press release... Neyrinck is pleased to introduce two new iPad apps, V-Control and V-Control Pro, which are multi-touch controllers for Pro Tools. V-Control and V-Control Pro provide access to transport, editing, and mixing functions of any Pro Tools system connected to a Wi-Fi network. V-Control provides core features for portable, mouse-free recording and mixing while V-Control Pro provides fully-featured, professional control comparable to expensive hardware control surfaces. Both apps utilize the iPad surface and the iOS operating system to provide innovative features such as a big counter overlay, swipe gesturing to bank channels, and a popover plug-in editor. In tandem with an iPad, V-Control and V-Control Pro's portability, small footprint, and ease-of-use provide a powerful addition for any Pro Tools user. V-Control and V-Control Pro require an iPad running iOS 3.2 or later and are compatible with Pro Tools 7.0 and later on Mac OS X and soon on Windows systems. The Pro Tools system must be connected to local area network with a WiFi access point. The Pro Tools system must be running the free Ney-Fi utility available for download at neyrinck.com. V-Control and V-Control Pro are sold through the Apple App Store in the iPad. Prices V-Control - $19.99 V-Control Pro - $49.99 Well if you own an iPad, this has got to be the cheapest control surface for Pro Tools. Anybody had a go yet? Do comment because I don't have an iPad so can't try it out.

I saw a picture recently in all the Pro Tools v9 frenzy of a setup with what looked like some very compact control surface in front of a screen with an Apple keyboard, all of which didn't take up too much work surface real estate so I did some digging around and found that it was Euphonix MC Control ethernet connect control surface that now works with Pro Tools. Power Features Customizable LED-backlit touch-screen interface 12 assignable soft keys 4 touch-sensitive motorized faders 8 touch-sensitive rotary encoders Jog/shuttle/zoom wheel and transport controls Control multiple applications & workstations via Ethernet 250X faster and 8X the resolution of MIDI Supports EuCon, HUI and Mackie Control protocols Studio Monitor Express software Slim-line design for easy studio integration and portability Euphonix have produced some very informative videos that I have found very interesting They will show you some of the many operational features of the MC Control and MC Mix with Pro Tools. The online files require Flash. Click here to get the plug-in if you don't have it. Artist Series & Pro Tools - Part 1 - Overview Watch it - High Res - Lo Res Download it - High Res Quicktime Movie 960x540 Artist Series & Pro Tools - Part 2 - Navigation, Tracks Show/Hide & Knobsets Watch it - High Res - Lo Res Download it - High Res Quicktime Movie 960x540 Artist Series & Pro Tools - Part 3 - Soft Keys, Editing & Macros Watch it - High Res - Lo Res Download it - High Res Quicktime Movie 960x540 Well I am very taken with both the form factor and the features and plan to get my hands on one sooner rather than later. Anyone already using one who would like to post their experiences? Would be a great help.

If there is a group of 5 or more they will receive a 10% discount and a group of 20 or more will command a juicy 30% all groupbuy participants will also receive a free copy of sibliminator. The offer closes on 1 December 2010 (00:01am NZ Time GMT+13) If want to be included in the group then email groupbuy(at)maggot(dot)co(dot)nz too add your name to the list conformalizer is an audio post production tool which allows sound editors to automatically conform and rebalance ProTools sessions, FX lists and ADR databases to match a changed picture cut. It works by comparing picture EDLs, XML, cutlists or change notes and creating a new "change EDL" which reflects the difference between two versions of the picture. The conformalizer can then automatically conform your ProTools session or database file to match the new version of the cut. It also has the ability to play two versions of a cut together in order to visually compare shots or sequences. conformalizer supports CMX3600 EDLs, film cutlists, FCP XML interchange format and AVID change notes and has the ability to import quicktime movies to use as a reference. the workflow is simple: 1. import the old list 2. import the new list 3. click the compare button 4. click the conform button the program will conform a running Pro Tools session or any tab-separated or comma-separated file containing timecodes or feet+frames values. Alternatively, you can import an AVID change note directly into the 'change' panel and use the conformalizer to conform a session or file. The new 'block view' panel gives an easy to read overview of the difference between the two versions. key features: can use EDLs, cutlists and FCP XML to generate the conform avoids changenote shortcomings with swapped/moved shots gives you the ability to compare any version to any other. rebalancing is a piece of cake. even ADR and FX databases can be rebalanced exports changenotes in timecode or Feet+frames compares two movies against each other and locates both movies as you check your conform allows editing, creation and deletion of events tracks VFX updates across versions shows visually the exact difference between two frames of picture graphical representation of the old and new cuts ability to search for particular shots in a list of old cuts

Here are some excellent videos aimed at Pro Tools 8 LE users on some of the new features there are in Pro Tools 9 that wern't in PT8LE. This video explains some of the features and workflows open to you by using the Import Session data window in Pro Tools HD Import Session Data from Brent Heber on Vimeo. This video shows the different ways of copying and pasting automation in Pro Tools HD Copying and Pasting Pro Tools Automation from Brent Heber on Vimeo. This video shows how the "Write To..." automation controls on Digidesign control surfaces can be used in real time to do a lot of mixing very fast - non linear! You want me to Write automation to WHERE?? from Brent Heber on Vimeo. and he is promising more. Thanks Brent for doing this.

Russ has added two more Pro tools 9 videos. The first demonstrates the long overdue ADC feature in Pro Tools.. ADC in Pro Tools 9 from AIR Users Blog on Vimeo. The other is a video on how to set up an aggregate device on a Mac. This where you can have more than one interface that Pro Tools 9 can access... Pro Tools 9 - Setting Up An Aggregate Device On A Mac from AIR Users Blog on Vimeo. Finally they have created a hardware checker list which enables you to check whether the Pro Tools user community has experience of a particular interface working with Pro tools. This is an excellent crowd sourcing project as Russ explains... We've created a community list for Pro Tools users to check to see if their device works with Pro Tools 9. It is hoped that over time this will help users thinking about buying a device for Pro Tools 9 and to check for issues and bugs with a device. As this is a community list then it only shows devices added by members of the community. If you are a device owner then please add you device. If you are manufacturer then please feel free to add all devices you make which work with Pro Tools 9. Please use the 'search' options which are very powerful. If you have a device not shown that works then please add it to the list, if you have encountered any issues then please say what the issues are including system used; for example Mac OS X 10.6.2. If your unit works correctly then please say which version of the software it works on. If you think a listing is missing or incorrect then please add or edit to the listings. Please just give facts, not opinions.

Brent on his ProToolsProfessional blog has posted about folk like me complaining that Pro Tools 9 has devalued our HD investment. The main gripes and whines are things like “but whats in it for HD users?? You’re hitting us up for all this money for PT9HD upgrade and what do we get for it? Bugger all”. Simple answer: don’t buy it! You have backwards compatibility with PT8.1, you have Snow lepard support, if you dont see a good reason to buy PT9 HD, wait for the next release… But my gripe is that you can now buy a system that has nearly all the features that in Pro Tools 8 were HD only for a fraction of the price that I have invested in my HD rig. Oh yeah, I bought DigiTranslator 5 years ago and now you’re giving it away for free?? I’m outraged. It’s AUS$800. The average post room books for AUS$100 an hour. Thats a days work. It’s been 5 years. Maybe try a different business if that’s a concern. Did you know you can claim some equipment purchases, like software, back on tax?? For crying out load!! Last I checked some car companies were including air con with their cars at no extra cost. I bought a car with aircon 3 years ago and paid for it! I’m outraged!! I’ll write to Holden, AND ford! They’re all doing it! The EVILLLLLL!! Yes you are right that I should be getting a return on my investment built into my business plan. However from now on someone can buy Pro Tools 9 for much less than my HD rig set up and because of reduced overheads can undercut me. Now I know it is more than just rates, there is your personal reputation as well but in these tight financial times there are and will be clients that will go with the cheaper option. On top of that, you remember the IO setup changes in 8.1? Now, with PT9 everyone can talk the same language and we can move sessions around without radically moving our outputs around all the time. Not a feature of PTHD9, but a byproduct of compatibility that the PT9 release begets. THAT is a good thing and not mentioned by Avid in this release. Very true and all very helpful. Anything that makes session portability and compatibility has to be good news.

Russ has already released a couple of Pro Tools 9 videos on Pro Tools 9. The fist is a little video review showing some of the new features... Pro Tools 9 Review from AIR Users Blog on Vimeo.Russ from the AIR Users Blog gets his hands on Avid Pro Tools 9 and gives his review of the new key features and his impressions. The second video shows a new feature I hadn't read about in all the posts about Pro Tools 9 and is the new New Track creation options... New Track Creation Option PT9 from AIR Users Blog on Vimeo.Russ shows how workflows can be speeded up using the new track creation feature on Pro Tools 9. This looks excellent for when I want to reconfigure a session to bounce to track.

Well at least Russ doesn't have to eat his hat!!! and also whilst on the subject of Russ and the AIR Users Blog, hats off to you for not spilling the beans early and so someone loosing their job at Avid.  Anyway on with the news... Work the way you want Get the flexibility of using Pro Tools 9 with your favorite Avid audio interface or third-party Core Audio- or ASIO-compatible interface—or use Pro Tools 9 completely standalone for easy on-the-go creation. Version 9 of Pro Tools offers customers the unprecedented choice to work with Avid audio interfaces, third-party audio interfaces, or no hardware at all when using the built-in audio capabilities of your computer. Create bigger, better mixes Develop larger, more complex projects, with up to 96 or 192* simultaneous audio tracks, 128 instrument tracks, 512 MIDI tracks, 256 internal busses, and 160 aux tracks.  See all track specifications. Be more creative with coveted professional tools Work efficiently and get the best sonic results with Automatic Delay Compensation, multitrack Beat Detective, full Import Session Data dialog, DigiBase Pro, and other separately priced add-ons—now standard. Collaborate with others more easily Team up with other creators, editors, and mixers easily—with built-in OMF/AAF/MXF file interchange support, you can exchange projects created in other audio and video software with Pro Tools and vice-versa. Get more options to grab hold of your mix Along with C|24 and ICON*, you can now use Avid Artist Series and Pro Series consoles and controllers to enhance your editing and mixing workflow, thanks to added EUCON integration. More creative options with coveted, professional features now included as standard As a result of customer requests, many high value features formerly available as add-ons are now available right out-of-the-box, including: Automatic Delay Compensation More audio tracks and busses Advanced production toolset Post enhancements A series of audio for picture enhancements provides customers with the ability to easily collaborate with other audio and video software users, including: OMF/AAF/MXF interchange and MP3 export Built-in Time Code Ruler—Enables customers to achieve greater accuracy when syncing audio to video in post production (software only configuration of Pro Tools) New variable stereo pan depths Markers in Media composer can be imported into PT9 as memory locations!! Any RTAS plugins and their settings used in Media composer 5.x can be imported into PT9!! There’s also the new Complete Production Toolkit 2, which adds HD features to Pro Tools 9: Exchange sessions with Pro Tools|HD users without ever losing session information Create huge mixes with up to 192 simultaneous audio tracks** on playback—512 total Get full VCA mixing capabilities and support for up to 64 video tracks Mix in 7.1 surround while monitoring in stereo with the Neyrinck SoundCode Stereo plug-in Speed up your workflow with advanced automation, audio, and video editing tools Shift time and pitch with natural-sounding results using the X-Form plug-in My thoughts on Pro Tools 9 Well for me the most telling part of all the publicity that has come flooding out is the features comparsion chart. Reading it as an HD owner with DigiTranslator etc.... I will get Core Audio support but why would I want to use it when I have a 192 interface. I get 512 MIDI tracks instead of 256 but I hardly use MIDI in what I do. I get 256 busses instead of 128 but I don't think I have used more than about 32. I will get an updated 7.1 Suround Panner but I have yet to mix anything beyond 5.1 but if the improvements affect that format then for the small number of jobs I do in surround a small feature benefit. I get variable pan depth, this sounds interesting and want to find out more about this feature. I can use my LE interfaces with my HD rig but again why would I went I have a 192 interface. I can use the Euphonix Eucon control surfaces but I have a Command 8 but hardly ever use it as I have grown up mixing in the box with a mouse and so hardly use the Command 8. The only glimmer of light is the control surface that is featured in the video above, depending on how that functions that looks like a very tidy set up. I could use a 3rd party interface such as an Apogee but again I already have a 192 so the chances of me investing in another expensive interface are non existent. I get this 'great' features for an upgrade price of £293.95 or $349 Now looking at the comparison chart as an LE user the story is very different... I get 96 voices instead of 48 and with the Complete Production Toolkit that goes up to 192 - the same as my HD rig. I can record 32 simultaneous audio streams inside of 18 I get 64 instrument tracks instead of 32 and it goes up to 128 with the Complete Production Toolkit - the same as my HD rig. I get 512 MIDI tracks instead of 256. I get 256 busses up from 32, an amazing increase! I get Automatic delay compensation which is long overdue for LE users. I get multi-track Beat Detective without having to pay extra for it. I get OMF/AFF etc import and export rather than having to pay extra for it with the DV Toolkit. I get Core Audio support so I don't have to buy an Avid interface. I get MP3 export without having to pay extra. I get the Timecode ruler without having to pay extra for it. I get variable pan depths. I can mix in surround all be it I can only monitor in stereo unless I get the Complete Production Toolkit when I can mix in up to 7.1. I can use Euphonix EUcon control surfaces. I get all this for an upgrade price of £209.95 or $249. This is the bargain of the century!! However as an HD owner I am completely underwhelmed by this. Pro Tools 9 can completely undermined my investment in Avid and Digidesign with virtually no special offer to compensate  and soften the blow. As an LE owner I would be laughing all the way to the bank so either way 'thank you' Avid. Useful Pro Tools 9 Links AIR Users Blog - Tonight's Show From Avid Has Been Leaked AIR Users Blog - Avid Pro Tools 9 - The Facts and Features AIR Users Blog - Whats New In Pro Tools 9? AIR Users Blog - Pro Tools 9 - Change We Have - The People's Review Brent Heber - PROTOOLS 9!!! Avid - Pro Tools 9 home page Avid - Complete Production Toolkit Avid - Pro Tools 9 Compatibility & Upgrade Information Avid - Pro Tools comparison chart

Michael Maroussas has set up a Sound Collectors Club where if you share a sound effect on a theme you will get access to all that months sound effects. What an excellent use of crowd sourcing. I will let Michale explain.... Recent improvements in Soundcloud’s private sharing features have enabled me to put into action an idea that I’ve been wanting to set up for quite a while now but which I haven’t felt able to in quite the simple and fuss-free way I envisaged. The Sound Collectors’ Club is basically a private account I’ve set up on Soundcloud.  The idea is that people can upload their recordings on a given monthly theme to this account via the dropbox above.  Once the recording or recordings have been transferred into that month’s private ‘set’ (by me) I will then e-mail you a private link which will give you direct access to all the tracks which that set contains and which you are free to download and use within commercial projects without any restriction (other than you obviously mustn’t go and sell them on as sound effects – individually or as libraries).  Hence, from contributing just one recording you could end up with a small arsenal of sounds to add to your library.  However, a contribution is necessary in order to even be able to audition any recordings within the private set. Part of the big appeal for me of using Soundcloud for this venture is that some of it’s ‘Stat’ features come in really handy.  Once you’ve gained access to a set you can comment on each other’s recordings and ‘favourite’ a sound – all of which I’m hoping will soon be able to be automatically documented on Twitter for people to follow (and, hence, within the ‘Activity’ feed above).  The creator of the track that gets the most downloads (decided by the number of ‘favourites’ that a recording gets if download numbers are tied) gets to choose the theme or topic for the following month.  In this way, participants get a chance to supplement their libraries in the way that best suits them rather than me dictating the subject matter every month. As is probably evident from this idea, I’ve been very inspired by the flurry of activity that has occurred over the past year or so within this global sound community that is currently thriving online.  The Sound Collectors’ Club borrows ideas from several of the products of this community that have come before it but tailors them into a package which best suits me and my interests. In a nutshell, the club is basically inspired by 4 things: I love the (potentially) phenomenal productivity of crowdsourcing (nod to Tim) I love the idea of field recording workshops but I’m always a bit frustrated that the pooled results are just for listening purposes and cannot be used on commercial projects. I like the concept of Shaun Farley’s Sound Design Challenge but I want to participate in a field recording version of this. Soundsnap.  I’ve begun to dip into this from time to time over the past year or so and have grown to quite like using it for grabbing a couple of fresh sounds here and there.  In this way, I don’t envisage the club providing definitive collections such as Tim’s Hiss and a Roar ventures; rather an occasional supplementary boost to the palette of fresh sounds at your disposal. My current priority is just to get this idea out there and see if anyone’s interested in joining in.  However, if people are interested, I do have a lot of ideas that I would like to try out in this format.  One such idea is to do a larger worldwide version of Noise Jockey and fieldsepulchra‘s Project MoMa collaboration that they did back in May and then pool the results. Also, I’d like to try and make this not just a virtual club but also organize field recording meet-ups with other local sound enthusiasts and then once again use the club account to bring all our efforts together. The whole basis and appeal for me of this idea is it’s simplicity but please do bear with me if there are any rough edges that crop up over the coming weeks that I may have overlooked.  I’m no web wizard:  I have no idea how to set up a website (hence I’ve stuck with wordpress.com) and have no real intention of learning as I prefer to focus all my attention on my primary ambition which is to keep getting better and better at sound editing.  This is still a work in progress:  I’ve made a point of avoiding the inaction that overdeliberation can produce but as a result I will need to continue fine tuning things over the coming weeks.  Having said all that, in theory the club should need very little supervision other than accepting submissions so I’m hoping this is a very straightforward yet fruitful venture! Feel free to offer up any comments or suggestions within this blog or through Twitter.  With a bit of luck, there’s a few of you folks out there that are keen on this idea too and we can start getting a few sounds together! Look forward to hearing from you - Best, Michael Maroussas I have joined and uploaded two rain related sound effects from my own collection.