Monthly Archive for June, 2009

Stuart Gillan builds Flight-Cased ProTools Systems With MADI Interfaces

Published on June 29, 2009 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Freelance engineer and audio consultant Stuart Gillan has designed and built a portable, flight-cased ProTools system using the latest MADI interfaces from SSL and RME.

<!– pro motion hire news island removed – complaints about sound
–> Using minimal Digidesign gear i.e. circuit boards and a Sync I/O for easy system control under Pro Tools, this highly flexible system fits into a 12U rack. His standard configuration is 64 inputs and outputs on MADI (fibre or bnc) or AES3 (db25 or xir) and 64 analogue mic/line inputs using an optional 12U rack with 64 channels of RME preamp. They can be acquired from just about any source e.g. analogue or digital console, stage-box or splitter.

The entire system is 192kHz compatible and has time-code I/O using a Sync I/O box. The maximum track count with his system is 128 tracks at 48kHz, recorded on rackmount Seagate Firewire drives.

An RME ADI-8QS converter in the MADI stream, provides 8 x analogue outputs for monitors or headphone mixes and a Presonus Central Station provides headphone/monitor control as standard.

Further information is available at Stuart’s website Soundscape Audio.

I have worked with Stuart on a number of occasions in the past and he is an excellent and thorough engineer that I would trust my recordings to any day.

Well done Stuart, this needed doing.

New Digidesign Tech Support and Customer service system

Published on June 28, 2009 in Digidesign and News. 0 Comments Tags: .

Digidesign have posted a new system to access Tech Support, they say….

We have changed our internal ‘email’ system used by Tech Support and Customer Service Admin.

Customers that have been contacting us via www.digidesign.com/tsr or www.digidesign.com/ask can now contact us though our new Support Center.

New users need to Create a Support Profile

Returning users can Login to Support Center (If your password does not work, use the “Forgot Your Password” link on the Login page)

I have just tried to log in with my Digidesign profile usernale and password but the system denied all knowledge of my existence!!

So I registered as a new user and the first thing I noticed is that it is all Avid branded. However in there is a new searchable Knowledge Base so it is looking promising.

Let me know how you get on with this new system.

Scoot Church is leaving Digidesign

Published on June 28, 2009 in News. 1 Comment Tags: .

Stiff at ProToolerBlog has just posted that Scott Church is leaving Pro Tools. He says…

Scott Church was to me the only real connection between Avid and the end-users. While others, such as Dave Lebolt, connected with columns in Digizine and very few occasional posts on the DUC and so on (which I of course appreciate), Scott understood the true value of real connection and communicated through videos and on his blog which is now down.

I don’t want to spread any false rumors here. According to Scott himself, his departure had nothing to do with anyone else (this was not Dave starting a mutiny, at least not to my knowledge). He got a chance to continue his career elsewhere and took it. No hard feelings from my side at all, that’s just business and life, but I’m sure gonna miss the bloke. He did some great things for Pro Tools, playing a part in Pro Tools 8 that shouldn’t be underestimated.

I can confirm Scott’s blog is down, but not only that, all the great videos he has created and uploaded to vimeo.com have been taken down, and the link to his blog from the DUC has gone.

All of this leads me to surmise that Scott must be going to work for a direct competitor so that it would be a conflict of interest to seen to be promoting Avid, Digidesign and Pro Tools. Apparently according to posts on the DUC he is going to Universal Audio.

Scott’s website is still up though here.

Scott you will be missed from this Pro Tools community but we wish you well in your new career opportunity.

Pro Tools Pref & Database Helper updated

Published on June 28, 2009 in tip. 3 Comments Tags: , .


JC who is the creator of this stunning useful free Pro Tools helper application has just updated it to run much faster in OS X 10.5.

He has also added a button which will open the folder where the the app stores the backup preferences which is located in your home folder/Library/Application Support/ProTools Pref and Database Helper

When you download it you will find he has included a small AppleScript that will only delete the Digidesign Databases. Also included is a small video showing how to have this script automatically run at startup.

Brainworx news

Published on June 25, 2009 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Dirk Ulrich at Brainworx has announced an upgrade deal to the bx_bundle it you already own any Brainworx plug-ins. The easiest thing to do is go to their site and check out the options but you could save between 55 and 439 Euros depending on what you already own.

Also they have received a stunning testimonial from Sound Designer and Sound Effects Editor Tim Nielsen at Skywalker (Lord of the rings, Pirates of the Carribean, Indiana Jones 4, etc.) after purchasing his bx_tools:


“Hybrid and Digital have quickly become the only EQs I use in mastering sound effects. The presence and bass shifters are some of the most useful tools I’ve ever seen in any plugin, and I wish I’d had them 10 years ago. The stereo width control, mono maker, the amazing solo features, I’m simply stunned at how useful this plugin is in almost everything I do.
And because I record mostly in M/S, that it can do that too makes Brainworx the only EQ and first plugin I ever reach for anymore. Period.”

Neyrinck release a new version of their SoundCode for Dolby E software suite

Published on June 25, 2009 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .


Neyrinck have announced a new version of SoundCode for Dolby E that now offers compatibility for Windows XP and Vista users as well as adding features for Avid Media Composer and Apple Final Cut Pro users.

This from their press release….

The new software version 1.1.3, available now for both Windows and Mac OS X, significantly improves upon the standalone Broadcast Monitor module used for Dolby E decoding. Now it can decode a Dolby E stream faster-than-real time to BWF files that can be directly imported into Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, and other media workstations. Also, the Broadcast Monitor can play back a Dolby E stream file in real time for auditioning using Core Audio or Windows MME sound hardware. These new features allow video editors to receive Dolby E content, audition it, decode it, and import it for editing and mixing. The Broadcast Encoder module, as in the previous version, can be used to encode the finished audio. And both modules also operate directly in Pro Tools as Audiosuite and RTAS plug-ins. This update makes Neyrinck SoundCode For Dolby E a complete Dolby E encode/decode solution for Media Composer, Final Cut, Pro Tools, or any other media workstation that uses BWF files. “SoundCode For Dolby E has been embraced by Pro Tools professionals on Mac OS,” commented Paul Neyrinck, “but broadcasters need Dolby E encoding and decoding on their video workstations to finish their work quickly. And Windows-based Pro Tools users want to take advantage of SoundCode’s unsurpassed integration. I am very pleased to say that now we have a solution for nearly everyone, no matter what system they are using.” The version 1.1.3 update is free for existing owners of SoundCode For Dolby E and can be downloaded at www.neyrinck.com. SoundCode For Dolby E can be purchased worldwide from professional audio and video resellers and online at store.neyrinck.com.

Wild Tracks post house goes under

Published on June 25, 2009 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Wild Tracks, one of Soho’s longest standing Pro Tools based audio post houses, has been forced to close due to a lack of work and falling rates.

The Greek Street facility, established in 1987 by owner and managing director Paul Headland, shut its doors on 18 June and has appointed liquidators. All 10 employees will lose their jobs.

Headland had already reduced staff levels through redundancies and natural wastage in an effort to adjust overheads. He had also asked the remaining employees to take a pay cut.

“It’s a tragedy for the staff,” he said. “We tried everything we could to save the company but looking ahead in June the volume of work was appalling and my gut feeling was that July and August were going to be rotten too.”

Only last year Wild Tracks had installed seven ProTools HD systems and 12TB of server storage at its Greek Street studios as part of a£250,000 upgrade to the facility which also included a Sohonet Fibre connection.

Managing iLok Plug-in Licences – part 2

Published on June 24, 2009 in tips. 0 Comments Tags: , .

PACE, the manufacturers of iLoks, have also introduced a number of additional licence-management features aimed at helping the end user to manage our iLok authorisations (for free) and protect our valuable iLoks (for a fee!) and it is these features we are going to look at now.

Transferring Licences
You can transfer licences between different iLoks. This service is free for any iLoks you own within one account on iLok.com. However, you can also transfer licences from one iLok to another on different accounts for a fee of $25 per licence, which enables you to buy plug-in licences ‘second-hand’.

To transfer within an account (free)
To transfer licences between your own iLoks, first make sure your iLoks are plugged in to USB ports on your computer and then log into your account on iLok.com and choose the Transfer Licenses option. You will then need to synchronise your iLoks to make sure the data held on iLok.com matches what is on your iLoks. This will also tell you which licences are on which iLok. Make sure you don’t remove your iLoks from the computer at this point. Then choose the source iLok and which licences you wish to move, select the destination iLok from the simple step-by-step instructions and it is done.

Be aware, though, that you can run into problems synchronising and transferring licences if you’re connecting to iLok.com from behind a proxy server or firewall, which will be the case for many corporate and educational users. If you do run into the dreaded “unexpected authorization error 411″, your only option is to find another machine that’s connected to the Internet in a different way.

In part 3 we will look at how to transfer iLok assets between accounts for a fee.

Dave Lebolt resigns from Avid Audio

Published on June 22, 2009 in Digidesign and News. 1 Comment

David Lebolt, senior vice-president and chief technology officer of Avid Technology, Inc – and ex-general manager of Digidesign has reportedly resigned from the company last week.

Dave Lebolt joined Digidesign in 1994 and has held a variety of positions, including, most recently, Vice President and General Manager, Avid Audio where he was , he is responsible for the company’s strategic technology vision and user experience.

Before Digidesign, Dave was a professional keyboardist, producer, arranger, and composer. He toured and/or recorded with many well-known musical artists, including David Bowie, Billy Joel, and Laurie Anderson.

It is believed he is now taking a job at Apple. In a statement, Avid said “In his 15 years with Avid, Dave played a significant role in the strategic development of the company and its advancement in the marketplace. We wish Dave well in his future endeavours.”

I would love to know why he has resigned and gone to Apple. I hope this isn’t a sign that Avid are movong away from the Apple platform.

Bias Master Perfection Suite update released

Published on June 20, 2009 in News. 0 Comments Tags: , .

BIAS, Inc. have announced that the Master Perfection Suite, their ensemble of six audio processing plug-ins, has been updated to version 1.2.1 and now offers full compatibility with Pro Tools 8 on Mac and Windows computing platforms. In addition, version 1.2.1 features new presets for mixing, mastering, and special effects. The Master Perfection Suite includes: Repli-Q (spectral matching), PitchCraft (pitch correction/manipulation), Reveal (analysis), Sqweez-3 & -5 (multi-band dynamic processing), SuperFreq (paragraphic EQ), and GateEx (gate/expander). The Master Perfection Suite plug-ins are also available as single editions.

From the press release….

EQ Matching with Repli-Q:
Repli-Q not only provides high quality spectral matching, but also the ability to improve an improperly equalized track. Users can also rely on Repli-Q to assist with mastering for different delivery targets. With a stereo mix equalized for delivery in a compressed file format such as MP4 (AAC), Repli-Q can help repurpose it for CD or DVD and can also help ensure equally optimized playback in multiple listening environments. Other applications include voice-over matching where an original take recorded in one environment and an overdub recorded in a different environment need to match. Repli-Q employs a linear phase equalization algorithm to ensure optimum results.

Multi-band Compression with Sqweez-3 and Sqweez-5:
The Master Perfection Suite includes two powerful multi-band compressor/limiter/expander plug-ins – Sqweez-3 (3 band) and Sqweez-5 (5 band). Like Repli-Q, both Sqweez-3 and Sqweez-5 incorporate advanced linear phase equalization algorithms from BIAS. Sqweez-3 and Sqweez-5 both offer graphic per-band viewing/editing of threshold and EQ. Each band may be soloed and/or bypassed individually, and a convenient “auto gain” button compensates for loudness variations due to compression. Additionally, a variable “digital ceiling” slider controls the clipping headroom of the integrated soft clip function.

Advanced Pitch Correction and More with PitchCraft:
PitchCraft is a real-time pitch correction/transposition plug-in that also offers the ability to manipulate the signal to achieve creative effects. Professionals can rely on PitchCraft to fix out-of-tune vocals or other single voice instruments easily and with minimal artifacts, thanks to a powerful pitch-shifting algorithm. PitchCraft may also be used to obtain “over-corrected” effects – popularized by many of today’s leading vocal artists.
Professional Audio Analysis with Reveal:
Reveal combines seven powerful tools in a single plug-in interface – Oscilloscope, Peak and RMS Power History, Spectrogram, Pan Power, Spectral Analysis, Lissajous Phase Scope and Peak and RMS Level Meters. An “all” view displays every tool in a single window.

Paragraphic EQ with SuperFreq:
A power suite of mastering-quality 4, 6, 8 & 10-band parametric graphic equalizers with everything for professional caliber equalization, including -18dB to +18dB Gain Values; 0.1 to 30 “Q” (bandwidth) values; sweepable frequencies from 20Hz to 20kHz, individual band bypass buttons; 24dB stereo input/output meters; and filters including Peak, Notch, High Shelf, Low Shelf, High Cut, and Low Cut.

Gate and Downward Expand with GateEx:
Featuring waveform and graph displays and a suite of advanced parameter controls, GateEx effectively removes signals below an assignable threshold while the integrated downward expander helps reduce residual unwanted content.

Pricing and Availability:
The Master Perfection Suite is now available for $599 US SRP through authorized BIAS resellers and distributors worldwide, and directly from BIAS. While the suite offers a significant savings, the individual plug-ins may be purchased separately via download or boxed retail editions and range in price from $59 to $149 US. Registered users of Master Perfection Suite or individual Master Perfection Suite plug-ins may download the version 1.2.1 update at no charge from the BIAS web site.

Special offer – Free SoundSoap Pro
BIAS is also offering a special incentive through June 30th: customers purchasing new retail editions of the full Master Perfection Suite will be eligible to receive SoundSoap Pro – BIAS’ audio noise reduction and restoration plug-in suite – at no additional charge – worth $599 SRP (eligibility requirements, free trials, and additional information is available at the BIAS web site.

About Me

You are currently browsing the Pro Tools for Media weblog archives for the month June, 2009.

Donate

If you have found something useful here, please consider having a donation so I can keep this going. Thanks.

Pro Tools For Media Archives

  • ▼2010 (118)
  • ▶2009 (264)

Groove 3 advert

Flux Advert

MacProVideo advert

For UK readers

For US Readers