Soundtrack Pro User Manual
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Bruce UM Homepage.qxp 3/11/05 12:47 PM Page 1 Soundtrack Pro User Manual To view the user manual, click a topic in the drawer on the side. Otherwise, click a link below. m Late-Breaking News m Soundtrack Pro Support m Soundtrack Pro on the Web m Apple Training Centers m Feedback Apple Computer, Inc. © 2005 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Apple. Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The Apple logo is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Use of the “keyboard” Apple logo (Option-Shift-K) for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Apple may constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition in violation of federal and state laws. Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Apple Computer, Inc. is not responsible for printing or clerical errors. Apple Computer, Inc. 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014-2084 408-996-1010 www.apple.com Apple, the Apple logo, AppleScript, DVD Studio Pro, iTunes, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, FireWire, Logic, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, QuickTime, and Soundtrack are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Finder is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Apple Care is a service mark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Production stills from the films “Koffee House Mayhem” and “A Sus Ordenes” provided courtesy of Refuge Films. “Koffee House Mayhem” © 2004 Jean-Paul Bonjour; “A Sus Ordenes” © 2004 Eric Escobar. http://www.refugefilms.com Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products. 1 Contents Preface 7 An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro 7 What Is Soundtrack Pro? 9 Resources for Learning About Soundtrack Pro 10 Soundtrack Pro Onscreen User Manual 10 Apple Websites Chapter 1 13 Setting Up Your System 13 System Considerations 15 Connecting Audio Equipment 19 Example Hardware Setups Chapter 2 23 The Soundtrack Pro Interface 24 Project Window 33 Media and Effects Manager 40 Utility Window Chapter 3 45 Getting Started With Soundtrack Pro 45 Two Kinds of Projects 47 Setting Up Your Workspace 50 Playing Projects 56 Locating and Adding Audio Files 68 Previewing Audio Files 71 Using Undo and Redo 72 Using Snap 74 Reconnecting Media Files 75 Setting Soundtrack Pro Preferences Chapter 4 81 Working With Multitrack Projects 81 Creating and Opening Multitrack Projects 82 Closing Multitrack Projects 82 Setting Project Properties 86 Setting the Project Length 86 Saving Multitrack Projects 87 Adding Audio Files to a Multitrack Project 3 89 Viewing and Editing Clip Properties 90 Tracks, Busses, and Outputs Chapter 5 93 Working in the Timeline 94 Moving Around in the Timeline 99 Working With Tracks, Busses, and Outputs in the Timeline 107 Editing Audio Clips in the Timeline 119 Working With Markers Chapter 6 123 Working in the Mixer 124 Steps in Mixing 125 Working With Channel Strips in the Mixer 134 Working With Effects and Sends in the Mixer 138 Setting the Overall Project Volume Level 140 Listening to a Temporary Mono Mix 140 Recording Audio in the Mixer 140 Recording Automation in the Mixer 141 Creating Multiple Mixes 141 Things to Keep in Mind While Mixing Chapter 7 143 Working in the Waveform Editor 144 Getting Started With Audio File Projects 152 Playing Audio Files in the Waveform Editor 154 Editing Audio Files in the Waveform Editor 161 Processing Audio Files 170 Working With Actions 177 Analyzing an Audio File 181 Using Markers in the Waveform Editor 181 Scripting Actions in the Waveform Editor Chapter 8 183 Working With Video in Soundtrack Pro 183 Supported Video File Formats 184 Adding a Video to a Project 185 Playing the Video 188 Viewing Video Details 189 Working With a Video’s Audio 190 Using the Time Display and Time Ruler With Video 191 Using Markers With Video 194 Removing a Video From a Project Chapter 9 195 Working With Audio Effects 195 Realtime and Processing Effects 196 Audio Effects Included With Soundtrack Pro 207 Working With Realtime Effects 4 Contents 216 Working With Processing Effects 217 Working With Effect Presets Chapter 10 219 Working With Automation 219 Working With Envelopes 228 Recording Automation Data 229 Working With Timeslices Chapter 11 235 Recording Audio in Soundtrack Pro 235 Getting Ready to Record 236 Recording Audio in the Timeline 239 Saving Recorded Clips 240 Recording Audio in the Mixer 240 Recording Audio in the Waveform Editor Chapter 12 243 Using Control Surfaces With Soundtrack Pro 243 Connecting Control Surfaces 244 Adding and Deleting Control Surfaces 245 Premapped Controls 245 Mapping Commands to Control Surface Buttons 246 Recording Control Surface Automation Chapter 13 247 Exporting Multitrack Projects 248 Exporting a Project Mix 248 Exporting Selected Tracks, Busses, and Outputs 250 Exporting With Compressor 252 Distributing a Multitrack Project and its Media Files Together Chapter 14 253 Using Soundtrack Pro With Apple Professional Applications 253 Using Soundtrack Pro With Final Cut Pro 258 Using Soundtrack Pro With Motion 260 Using Soundtrack Pro With DVD Studio Pro 261 Using Soundtrack Pro With Other Applications Appendix A 263 Using Apple Loops Utility 263 What Is Apple Loops Utility? 264 The Apple Loops Utility Interface 269 Opening Files in Apple Loops Utility 270 Tagging Files in Apple Loops Utility 271 Working With Transients 273 Saving Changes to Files 273 Removing Files From the Assets Drawer 274 Apple Loops Utility Preferences 275 Apple Loops Utility Keyboard Shortcuts Contents 5 Appendix B 279 Soundtrack Pro Keyboard Shortcuts 279 General and File 279 Windows, Tabs, and Layouts 280 Project Playback and Setting the Playhead 281 General Editing 281 Editing Audio Clips in the Timeline 282 Adjusting Audio Clips in the Timeline 282 Navigating in the Timeline 283 Editing Audio Files in the Waveform Editor 284 Tracks and Markers 284 Video Out 285 Recording Appendix C 287 Audio Basics 287 Basic Audio Concepts 289 Recording Sound Appendix D 293 Solutions to Common Problems and Customer Support 294 Solutions to Common Problems 295 Calling AppleCare Support Index 297 6 Contents An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro Preface Soundtrack Pro gives you the tools you need to create high-quality soundtracks for your video productions. Recent years have seen a revolution in working with digital audio, matching the revolution in digital video editing and postproduction. Now, using a personal computer with a fast processor and enough RAM, video editors and other creative professionals can manipulate the audio for their video projects with the same power and flexibility as the video. What Is Soundtrack Pro? Soundtrack Pro is a new professional audio application for Macintosh computers that gives you the tools to perform a wide range of audio postproduction tasks. Using Soundtrack Pro, you can edit audio files, repair field recordings, perform multitrack arranging and mixing, synchronize audio and video, analyze and fix common audio problems, and perform creative sound design. You can work in two kinds of projects in Soundtrack Pro: multitrack projects and audio file projects. In multitrack projects, you add and arrange audio clips on the Timeline, where you can edit audio clips, synchronize audio and video, and automate volume, pan, and other changes over time using envelopes. You can also record audio directly to a track in the Timeline. You mix multitrack projects in the Mixer, which includes a channel strip for each track, bus, and output in the project. In both the Timeline and the Mixer you can add and adjust professional-quality realtime effects, including compression, EQ, and reverb. You can export your project mix to an audio file or to a QuickTime movie, export using Compressor, and also export individual tracks, busses, and outputs. 7 In audio file projects, you can edit audio files in the Waveform Editor for tasks ranging from audio repair to sound design. In the Waveform Editor, you can perform precise edits down to the individual sample level. You can perform edits nondestructively using actions, which include processing effects and other operations, and can turn off or completely reorder actions. You can analyze audio files in the Waveform Editor for a range of common audio problems, including clicks and pops, hum, and phase issues, and automatically fix problems detected by analysis. Soundtrack Pro is designed to work with Final Cut Pro and with other Apple professional applications, allowing you to send video and audio files back and forth between the applications as you work on both the video and the audio. Soundtrack Pro also includes a large selection of Apple Loops that you can use to add Foley effects, background ambience, sound effects, and music transitions to your projects. Apple Loops tagged as looping files automatically match the tempo and key of the project, allowing you to use them in the same project. Soundtrack Pro includes the following features: Â Powerful audio editing: You can edit audio files nondestructively in the Waveform Editor. You can edit audio files graphically with sample accurate precision, and process files using actions, which can be reordered and turned on or off individually. Â Analysis and repair of common audio problems: The Waveform Editor features analysis of audio files. You can choose which problems to analyze the file for, then fix the problems detected by analysis either individually or in a single operation.