Following on from my post about Waves releasing v8 of their plug-ins, they have now relased a set of installers v8r3. Waves V8r3 installers include the following bug fixes: C6 Multiband Compressor no longer generates low level noise on Avid Venue Consoles Doubler: minor preset issue fixed GTR Amp & GTR ToolRack: minor graphic issue fixed PAZ Analyzer: restored toolbar original functionality M360° Manager: minor graphic issue fixed SoundShifter Graphic: ruler restored GTR Standalone & GTR Solo: mouse wheel support now available on Mac Download Waves V8r3 Read more on Waves Version 8

Now you might be wondering why I am talking about a new feature in Media Composer on a Pro Tools blog. But remember that these are both made by Avid. Avid have just launched Media Composer 5 and one of the new features in the enhanced Find functionality, is Phrase Find. It can search through the audio in the project with a speech recognition type of algoritm. So you can search for a key word and then ask it to find the clips where someone has spoke that word or words. There is a video here on Avid TV. You might want to skip toward the end to see a demo of Phrase Find. This would be so useful in radio documentary work to find audio where a contributor said soemthing particular, instead of having to seach through transcripts, if you have them, and then find the appropriate point in the audio region. So here's hoping Avid add this functionality to Pro Tools sometime soon.    

For those of you that haven't heard about Audio Finder, it is a sample cataloguing application. AudioFinder is an audio asset management system, and music production hub. AudioFinder gathers all the most useful tools in one quick and intuitive application, enabling you to be more creative by handling all the time consuming tasks that slow down your music production. AudioFinder can build a catalog of every sound on your system, save it, and search it instantly to find the sounds you need when you need them. Use AudioFinder to create custom sets for sound categories and specific projects, with fast file browsing to audition, analyze, process, convert, and move or copy the samples in your library. AudioFinder features the ability to add Metadata to your library of sounds, making it simple and easy to find the sounds you're looking for when you need it. AudioFinder can visualize sounds instantly with the waveform overview and preview them at any pitch via MIDI or the built in keyboard, all in real-time. Sounds can even be previewed through your favorite AudioUnits. Speaking of Plug-Ins, AudioFinder features an advanced Plug-In manager and slew of other studio necessities that will make your workflow flow. Necessities like audio editing with built-in beat detection and tools for fast trimming, fading, slicing and dicing your sounds. You can even convert your audio sample CDs into individual files with just a few clicks of the mouse. AudioFinder is the first sound browser for Mac OS X, with a long history of innovation, AudioFinder has consistently broke new ground and with free updates you can expect to always get more value added. Built 100% for Mac OS X using CoreAudio, AudioFinder is PPC and Intel Native Features • Sophisticated Metadata Database • Groundbreaking Mac OS X Finder Integration • Advanced and fast sound searching • Integrated Sample Tool trim/loop/fade editor with beat slicer • Browser, bookmarks, history, favorites, and navigation tools • Database Notes for keeping track of things. • Play multiple sounds at one time and explore layering. • Comprehensive power renaming functions • Instant playback with mouse and MIDI input for pitch control • Peak analysis and pitch analyzer tools • Micro-Harmonic Sound Compare • Find Duplicate sounds by analyzing the sound content. • Drag-and-drop integration with Finder and all audio apps • Direct Pro Tools and Logic support for spotting sounds to the track/cursor location. • BPM and Key detection • BPM tap pad, reference tone generator, delay calculator • AudioUnit preview playback and processing • Useful built-in DSP operations and effects • High-quality sample rate, depth, and format conversion • Most operations available in automated batch processing mode • Auto-trimming audio CD sample extractor • AU/VST/MAS/RTAS plugin manager and AU presets management • Generic sysex transmission and SMF playback • Create single sample EXS instruments with one click • Direct connect with SoundCloud. • 100% Non-destructive, AudioFinder will not modify your files. Instead it creates new files when processing leaving the originals intact. • Supports ReCycle/REX playback and export to AIFF • Loads fast, doesn't crash, and light on system resources • Apple Loop, BWF and ACID Wav Metadata display • Formats: Apple Loops, CAF, AIFF, AIFC, SDII, BWF, WAV, REX, RX2, MP3, ACC, M4A, SYX, MID, FLAC and OGG Vorbis So it is now pitching at the SoundMiner market but is a lot cheaper  as it only costs $69.95. If you check it out then please post a comment as it looks like a good package that wil work better than Digibase Pro within Pro Tools but not as expensive as Soundminer. There is a new beta available for download here.

This has to be an interesting "enhancer" plug-in to combine the Aphex harmonic system with the even harmonic sound of valves. I look forward to trying this one.... When it was originally introduced in the mid-1970s, the Aphex Aural Exciter® brought its distinctive sound to select sessions by leading recording artists, traveling from studio to studio as an exclusive (and expensive) rental unit. A true groundbreaker, the original Aural Exciter was highly regarded for its ability to increase and enhance presence, brightness, and vibrancy on vocal and instrumental tracks alike. It was even credited as a "session player" on best-selling albums by the likes of Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor, engineered by Val Garay, who worked closely with us on the development of the plugin. Modeled on one of only a few tube-powered units ever made, the new Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter plugin delivers all the unique character of the rare original hardware unit, with all the advantages of software.

Waves post interviews with high profile users but most are in music production but here is one with a sound designer.... Ben Minto is an Audio Director/Sound Designer working out of EA DICE’s Stockholm studio. Over his 12 years working in the games audio industry, he has accumulated vast insight and knowledge into all aspects of field recording, sound design, and production. Ben’s credits include audio direction and sound design for video games such as BLACK, Burnout (1,2,3 and Revenge), Battlefield (1943, Heroes, Bad Company), Mirror’s Edge and Medal of Honor. With his commitment to quality audio design which pushes the boundaries of sound, it is no wonder that Waves processors are the “backbone of his rig.” In this interview In this interview, Ben gives us an in-depth look at the world of sound for games. Read more....

Following on from my sound design competion post for the new Sound Design Suite from Waves, the folks at the Designing Sound blog have posted an excellent series of tutorials on how to start getting the best of the the plug-ins featured in this bundle. Inside the Waves Sound Design Suite [Pt 1] – Frequency and Dynamics Control Welcome to the first of a series of posts dedicated to explore the whole Sound Design Suite of Waves. Apart of my own review, I’ll also include anecdotes, opinions, tips and tricks from professional sound designers that use these plugins everyday. Today I’m going to talk about several tools designed for dynamics and frequency control, including the following: L1, L2, L3 and L3-LL C4 H-Comp Linear Phase Multiband and Linear Phase EQ Q10 I know there are other special tools included in the suite that also work with dynamics and frequency processing, such as the Renaissance plugins, V-Series, and tools like Trans-X and DeEsser. Inside the Waves Sound Design Suite [Pt 2] – Renaissance and V-Series Continuing with this series of articles dedicated to explore the Waves Sound Design Suite, now let’s move to a very special plugins included in the suite. I’m talking about the amazing Renaissance and the (recently added) V-Series. The Sound Design Suite doesn’t include the whole Renaissance Maxx Suite, but it includes enough tools for sound design purposes. All those Renaissance plugins were based on vintage gear, so all they add a really nice warmth to the signal processed. The same happens with the V-Series, three plugins that were also modeled from vintage gear. These plugins were recently added to the Sound Design Suite, and although they’re not “essential” tools, it’s very useful to have plugins with such incredible vintage warmth. The processors included were modeled from different hardware processors of Neve, including several legendary models, such as the 2254 compressor and the 1073, 1066 and 1081 equalizers. Inside the Waves Sound Design Suite [Pt 3] – Modulation Effects Welcome to the third part of this series of articles dedicated to explore the sound design suite of Waves. Today the turn is for five powerful modulation-featured plugins included in the bundle: Enigma H-Delay MetaFlanger MondoMod SuperTap Inside the Waves Sound Design Suite [Pt 4] – Transformation Tools Fourth article in this series dedicated to explore the plugins included in the Waves Sound Design Suite. Today’s topic is transformation, featuring five effects: Doubler Doppler Morphoder SoundShifter UltraPitch Doubler, Morphoder and ShoundShifter are included in the Waves Transform bundle, so reading its description could give you a basic overview of the kind of plugins we’re dealing with in this section. I shall be working my way through these tutorials as soon as I get a bit of down time.

Brent has just posted this excellent guide to the new routing features introduced by Avid in Pro Tools 9.... PT9 Mix window additions from Brent Heber on Vimeo. Thanks Brent for this. If a picture paints a 1000 words, how many words does a video paint.......

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.   Elastic Audio = Springy Sound - Elastic Audio in Pro Tools can do more than time stretching: it can also be your route to some killer pitch based mixing techiques

 Show off your sound design chops to four industry leaders: Scott Martin Gershin (Star Trek, Hellboy 2, Chronicles of Riddick, American Beauty), Charles Deenen (Need for Speed, Fast & Furious 1 and 2), David Farmer (Lord of the Rings Trilogy, King Kong, The Incredible Hulk, The Arrival), and Tom Ozanich (Kill Bill: Vol. 2, The Incredible Hulk, Speed Racer, 2 Fast 2 Furious). Here’s how it works: Download the clip from Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed™ (courtesy of Electronic Arts) and sound effects (courtesy of Hollywood Edge). Using plugins in the Waves Sound Design Suite*, design the sound for the clip. You may also use your DAW's native effects. Upload your submission hereYou'll need a free Vimeo account. Once you have your Vimeo account set up, return to this page to submit your video to the competition. Scott Martin Gershin, Charles Deenen, David Farmer, and Tom Ozanich will then choose the winner, based on the impact, creativity, and effectiveness of the sound design. The Prize The winner will receive Waves Sound Design Suite Native**. There are a couple of ground rules: You must use Waves Sound Design Suite plugins - the more the better. When uploading your video, use the 'description' field to tell us which plugins you used, on which effects, and how. No more than one entry per person. *If you don't already own the Waves Sound Design Suite, you can download Waves Sound Design Suite demo and use it for the competition. If you've already demoed it, call Waves Tech Support at +1-865-909-9200 ext. 1, and they'll give you a special 7-day demo extension. **If you already own Sound Design Suite, you may choose an alternative prize in the form of a bundle or upgrade of equivalent value. The Waves Sound Design Competition will run from February 1st until February 28th 2011, and the winner will be announced shortly thereafter. Learn more about Sound Design at designingsound.org