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Sound Editing & Mastering in Soundtrack Pro - iTunes Edition
Sound Editing & Mastering in Soundtrack Pro
Get Control Over Your Soundtracks
Sound Editing and Mastering is a comprehensive and immersive tutorial covering all aspects of audio post production using Apple's Soundtrack Pro 2. Whether you're an editor working in Final Cut Pro needing to perform audio sweetening, or a dedicated sound mixer with experience using other audio workstations, this tutorial presents a complete picture on how to edit, process, mix and ultimately master your soundtracks for any delivery medium.
In this tutorial you will learn more than just the application. You'll learn how Soundtrack Pro fundamentally deals with audio which will help you determine which Soundtrack Pro project type is best suited for your workflow. You'll learn how to improve your dialogue tracks, work with effects and music, and repair audio problems encountered during the shoot. You'll learn how to record voice overs and Foley effects to picture as well as how to mix and master in both stereo and 5.1 surround. The running time on this tutorial is just under 5 hours and includes all the necessary projects and media files for following along in your own copy of Soundtrack Pro.
Now Available in iTunes
We chose iTunes as our online delivery vehicle for the simple reason that millions of Mac and PC users are already using it - every day - to play, organize, backup and sync their media files. We do not think you should have to download and install a proprietary media player just to watch our tutorials. In fact, our tutorials will be added to your iTunes library and be accessable in the same way your music, tv shows and podcasts are accessable right now.
How Does it Work?
We realize you may have a question or two, so we created a short FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page to answer them.
For many video editors, working with sound can be intimidating. And with budgets and deadlines so tight, many picture editors do not have the luxury of hiring a dedicated sound editor and therefore have no recourse but to try hacking their soundtracks into something acceptable - or at the very least, useable. We make no claim that we can turn you into Walter Murch in 5 hours. However, we do claim to give you the basic tools and knowledge you need to help you approach the most common audio problems while dramatically improving the quality of your finished soundtracks.
As with all our tutorials, the focus of this training is project-based and not tool-based. We don't waste your time with needless explanations of software features that you will never use. The idea behind this tutorial is to give you real-world advice based around common real-world problems and solutions. And in the process, make you feel as at home working in Soundtrack Pro as you do working in Final Cut Pro. The tutorial is broken into 12 lessons grouped around common audio post production tasks. So you can see the scope of what's covered, we've included 10 excerpts from the lessons.
Sound editors more than anything else, are tasked with making the spoken word more intelligible while preventing it from getting lost in the mix. You'll work with filters such as Reduce Noise and Multiband EQs to remove hiss and rumble. You'll learn how to control an audio clips's dynamic range using Compressors. Also helpful is learning how to isolate specific frequencies and knock them out using the Frequency Selection Tool.
Design Your Sound
In Lesson 8, you'll work with the various tools Soundtrack Pro provides for editing sound effects. You'll learn how to manage your effects in the Bin, use the Multipoint Video HUD to spot your effects, and learn how to set up, record, and edit Foley effects.
Find Your Voice
For many sound editors, voice overs are the bread and butter of their work. In lesson 9 you'll learn how to do Multitake Recordings then quickly edit them using the Multitake Editor.
Make a Score
In Lesson 7 you'll work with Soundtrack Pro's sizeable music library as well as learn some music arranging principles to keep your songs from sounding "loopy".
Mix in Stereo & 5.1 Surround
Mixing is the balancing of all the various track elements such as dialogue, music and effects. Mixing also involves placing sounds in their appropriate aural spaces to create perspective and enhance realism. In the lesson on mixing, you'll learn the value of proper speaker monitoring and placement, how to work with the Mixer, manage and control your mix using Submixes and Busses, and how to output both a stereo and 5.1 mix.
Be a Conformist
In a traditional post workflow, editorial tasks are often split between a dedicated picture editor and a sound editor. Any changes introduced into the process can be potentially time consuming and costly. Fortunately, Soundtrack Pro has a feature called Conform, that makes this process more efficient and less prone to errors. In lesson 10, you'll learn how to use the ConformTool to reconcile changes sent from the picture editor with your ongoing work in Soundtrack Pro.
Master the Possibilities
Mastering is the final stage in the process of creating your soundtracks. It involves outputting your final mix for your intended delivery format while ensuring all the audio is at the proper levels. In lesson 12 you'll learn how to read the digital meters, and learn what third-party hardware options you have for outputting your multitrack projects. Since no editor works in a vacuum, you'll also learn how to share your Soundtrack Pro projects with sound editors using other digital audio workstations.
These are just a few of the subjects this tutorial addresses. But there is more. A lot more. Check out the Table of Contents to see just how much stuff we packed into this training.
Watch on Apple TV
The movies that download into iTunes are formatted for HD playback on Apple TV. This means you can sync our tutorials with iTunes, then sit back on your sofa, remote in hand, and watch the tutorials on your Hi-Def monitor connected over DVI. The picture quality is stunning.
Who is this Tutorial for?
This tutorial is designed for anyone who wants to improve their soundtracks. The workflows presented in this tutorial are centered around Final Cut Pro, but editors using other systems such as AVID, and Premiere Pro can also benefit. Also, the tutorial assumes no prior knowledge of working with a Digital Audio Workstations such as Logic, ProTools or Cubase.
What's on this DVD-ROM?
The entire tutorial comprises 12 lessons with a running time of aproximately 5 hours. Each lesson can be viewed
as a stand-alone module. However, because of the complex nature of this subject matter, we recommend watching each lesson in its entirety and in order. All lessons include chapter markers so you can go back and watch the sections you need to review. All the project files and media are included with this tutorial in case you want to follow along in your own copy of Soundtrack Pro 2.
About the Instuctor
Steve Marting is the founder of Ripple Training. He has been using and teaching Final Cut Pro since 1999. Steve is the creative force behind many of the Final Cut Studio QuickTours on Apple's site and he is a Lead Trainer on Final Cut Studio for Apple's Worldwide Training.
