Apple Soundtrack - 1.5 User Manual

Soundtrack

User Manual

Apple Computer, Inc.

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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, Final Cut, FireWire, iTunes, Logic, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, QuickTime, and Soundtrack are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

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Preface 7 An Introduction to Soundtrack

What Is Soundtrack?

Creating Music with Soundtrack

Resources for Learning About Soundtrack

Soundtrack Onscreen User Manual

Apple Websites

Chapter 1 13 Audio and Music Basics

Basic Audio Concepts

Basic Music Concepts

Chapter 2 21 Setting Up Your System

System Considerations

Connecting Audio Equipment

Example Hardware Setups

Chapter 3 31 The Soundtrack Interface

Project Window

Media and Effects Manager

Utility Window

Chapter 4 47 Getting Started with Soundtrack

Overview

Setting Up Your Workspace

Playing Projects

Locating and Adding Audio Files

Previewing Audio Files

Using Undo and Redo

Using Snap

Reconnecting Media Files

Setting Soundtrack Preferences

Chapter 5 77 Working with Projects

Creating and Opening Projects

Closing Projects

Setting Project Properties

Setting the Project Length

Saving Projects

Adding Audio Files to a Project

Viewing and Editing Clip Properties

Tracks, Busses, and Outputs

Chapter 6 89 Working in the Timeline

Moving Around in the Timeline

Working with Tracks, Busses, and Outputs

101

Editing Audio Clips

111

Working with Markers

Chapter 7 115 Working with Video in Soundtrack

11 5

Supported Video File Formats

11 6

Adding a Video to a Project

117

Playing the Video

11 9

Viewing Video Details

12 0

Working with a Video’s Audio

12 0

Using the Time Display and Time Ruler with Video

121

Using Markers with Video

12 4

Removing a Video from a Project

Chapter 8 125 Working with Audio Effects

12 6

Audio Effects Included with Soundtrack

13 4

Working with Effects

141

Working with Effect Presets

Chapter 9 143 Working with Automation

14 3

Working with Envelopes

151

Recording Automation Data

15 3

Working with Timeslices

Chapter 10 159 Recording Audio in Soundtrack

15 9

Getting Ready to Record

15 9

Recording Audio in the Timeline

163

Saving Recorded Clips

Contents

Chapter 11 165 Distributing Soundtrack Projects

166

Exporting a Project Mix

167

Exporting Selected Tracks, Busses, and Outputs

168

Exporting to QuickTime

168

Roundtrips Between Final Cut Express and Soundtrack

17 0

Exporting Audio to Final Cut Express

17 0

Distributing a Project and Its Media Files Together

Appendix A 173 Using Apple Loops Utility

17 3

What Is Apple Loops Utility?

174

The Apple Loops Utility Interface

17 9

Opening Files in Apple Loops Utility

18 0

Tagging Files in Apple Loops Utility

181

Working with Transients

183

Saving Changes to Files

18 4

Removing Files from the Assets Drawer

18 4

Apple Loops Utility Preferences

185

Apple Loops Utility Keyboard Shortcuts

Appendix B 189 Soundtrack Keyboard Shortcuts

18 9

General and File

18 9

Windows, Tabs, and Layouts

19 0

Project Playback and Setting the Playhead

191

General Editing

191

Editing Audio Clips in the Timeline

19 2

Adjusting Audio Clips in the Timeline

19 2

Navigating in the Timeline

19 3

Tracks and Markers Recording

19 4

Appendix C 195 Solutions to Common Problems and Customer Support

19 5

Solutions to Common Problems

19 7

Calling AppleCare Support

Index 19 9

Contents

An Introduction to Soundtrack

Soundtrack gives you the tools you need to create high-quality soundtracks for your video productions.

Music projects that until recently would have required an array of professional studio equipment can now be completed in a home or project studio, using a personal computer and readily available resources. A computer with a fast processor and enough RAM can serve as a workstation for recording, arranging, mixing, and producing complete music projects that can be played back on the computer, burned on a CD or DVD, or distributed over the Internet.

For digital video editors, this development allows unprecedented opportunities for increasing creative control over the music for video projects. Currently, most video projects either use stock music clips from music libraries or rely on outside music production houses to create original scores. Now, using digital music tools and applications, video editors, including those with no musical training or experience, can create high-quality soundtracks for their video projects with the same computer they used to assemble and edit their video.

Preface

What Is Soundtrack?

Soundtrack is a music application built specifically for Mac OS X. Using Soundtrack, even non-musicians can create professional-sounding, royalty-free soundtracks for Final Cut Express video projects.

Soundtrack lets you build musical arrangements using prerecorded audio files called

loops.

Loops contain rhythmic patterns that you can extend to fill any amount of time. In a Soundtrack project, you can combine and arrange loops and non-looping audio files, add professional-quality effects, mix your music in stereo, and export the final mix to a standard audio file that can be played on any multimedia-equipped computer or imported into Final Cut Express.

Soundtrack includes the following features:

Work in real time:

You can work on Soundtrack projects in real time, adding and editing

audio while the project is playing, and hear the results of your changes immediately.

Use existing loop libraries:

Soundtrack includes a large collection of Apple Loops and is compatible with a wide variety of existing loop libraries, including those created for use with Sonic Foundry’s ACID.

Mix loops recorded at different tempos and keys:

Soundtrack automatically matches loops to the project tempo and key, allowing you to freely combine loops from different sources in a single project.

Locate and preview files easily:

The Media and Effects Manager, a part of the Soundtrack interface, provides powerful file browsing and search features, making it easy to locate loops and one-shots by instrument, genre, mood, or other search criteria.

Add professional-quality effects:

Soundtrack includes high-quality effects plug-ins that you can use in your projects. You can also install third-party effects in the Audio Units plug-in format.

Use Final Cut Express scoring markers:

When using Soundtrack to score a video that includes Final Cut Express scoring markers, Soundtrack recognizes and displays the scoring markers in the Timeline. You can also add time markers and use them as cue points to precisely synchronize the music to the action.

Edit nondestructively:

All of the edits you make in Soundtrack are nondestructive, allowing you to freely try out changes to audio files without altering the original file and to use the same file in multiple projects.

Record and edit automation:

You can record movements to sliders and other

onscreen controls, play back the automation, and edit it in the Timeline.

Audio recording capability:

You can record audio directly in tracks in the Soundtrack

Timeline, including recording multiple takes.

8 Preface

An Introduction to Soundtrack

Creating Music with Soundtrack

Making use of the advanced digital audio capabilities of Macintosh computers and Mac OS X, Soundtrack gives you a simple way to create music: After preparing the video in Final Cut Express, you add media (audio and video files) to tracks in the Soundtrack Timeline, edit and adjust your audio, and then add effects and automation to create a final mix that you can export and distribute.

To create your Soundtrack projects, you use prerecorded loops and other audio files. You can choose the style, tempo, and instrumentation of your music, and arrange musical events in time, even with no musical experience or training. In short, Soundtrack gives you greater creative control over the sound of your music than you would get using stock music libraries or relying on an outside music production facility.

The following steps outline a typical Soundtrack work session. You won’t always proceed in a strict linear order, and you may choose to overlap some steps. For example, you may add more audio after starting to build your arrangement in the Timeline, or you may make changes to the arrangement after you begin mixing.

Prepare

media

Locate and

preview media

Media Manager Project workspace

Creating Music with Soundtrack

Add

media

Build

arrangement

Mix Export

Import to

Final Cut Express

Step 1: Prepare the video

If you’re scoring a video, you’ll want to determine the length of the scenes to be scored, what mood and style of music are appropriate for the video, and how the music will be synchronized with the action at specific points. You can prepare the video in Final Cut Express by adding scoring markers, which appear when you import the video into Soundtrack.

Step 2: Add media

Once you’re ready, you begin by selecting the audio files you want to use in your project. You can preview audio files in the Media and Effects Manager, and then add them to the project Timeline. If you’re scoring a video, you import the video file into the project so that you can view it as you create your score, and synchronize the music with the video.

Preface

An Introduction to Soundtrack

Step 3: Build the arrangement

You build the arrangement by continuing to add audio clips to the Timeline, moving and resizing them to create rhythmic patterns and define sections, and editing them in a variety of ways. You can build drum and rhythm tracks to lay out the form and set the basic mood, and then layer additional parts over the rhythm tracks to fill out the arrangement. You can alter the mood and add interest to your music by changing the instrumentation, changing tempo and key, and adding lead parts or sound effects to create moments of tension and release.

Step 4: Mix

Once the arrangement is complete, you mix the project. Mixing involves shaping the overall sound, balancing different parts of the music, and bringing focus to the key moments in your project. You can further shape the sound of the project by adding effects (such as EQ, reverb, delay, chorus, and distortion) and using automation to create dynamic changes. When you finish mixing, you have one or more final mixes that you can export and distribute.

Step 5: Export and distribute

When your project is complete, you export the final mix as a stereo audio file, which can be played back on any multimedia-equipped computer. You can also export individual tracks as audio files. Your exported audio files can be imported into Final Cut Express or into another audio application such as Logic, burned on a CD or DVD, and distributed in a variety of ways. You can also export a project containing a video file as a QuickTime movie file.

Resources for Learning About Soundtrack

This manual describes the Soundtrack interface, commands, and menus, and gives stepby-step instructions for creating Soundtrack projects and for accomplishing specific tasks. It also includes information on setting up your system and on audio basics. It is designed to provide the information you need to get up to speed quickly so you can take full advantage of the intuitive interface and powerful features of Soundtrack.

If you want to start by learning how to set up audio hardware to use with Soundtrack, read Chapter 2, “Setting Up Your System,” on page 21. If you want to learn about the features and controls in the Soundtrack interface, read Chapter 3, “The Soundtrack

Interface,” on page 31. If you want to jump right in and start using the application, skip

ahead to Chapter 4, “Getting Started with Soundtrack,” on page 47.

In addition to this manual, Soundtrack provides other sources of support.

10 Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack

Soundtrack Onscreen User Manual

The Soundtrack onscreen user manual allows you to access information directly onscreen while you’re working in Soundtrack. To view this information, choose Help > Soundtrack User Manual. The Soundtrack onscreen user manual is a fully hyperlinked version of the Soundtrack User Manual, enhanced with many features that make locating information quick and easy.

Â The homepage provides quick access to various features, including Late-Breaking

News, the index, and the Soundtrack website.

Â A comprehensive bookmark list allows you to quickly choose what you want to see

and takes you there as soon as you click the link.

In addition to these navigational tools, the Soundtrack onscreen user manual gives you other means to locate information quickly:

Â All cross-references in the text are linked. You can click any cross-reference and jump

immediately to that location. Then, you can use the Preview Back button to return to where you were before you clicked the cross-reference.

Â The table of contents and index are also linked. If you click an entry in either of these

sections, you jump directly to that section of the user manual.

Â You can also use the Find dialog to search the text for specific words or a phrase.

Apple Websites

There are a variety of Apple websites that you can visit to find additional information.

Soundtrack Website

For general information and updates, as well as the latest news on Soundtrack, go to:

Â http://www.apple.com/finalcutexpress/soundtrack.html

Apple Service and Support Website

For software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all Apple products, including Soundtrack, go to:

Â http://www.apple.com/support/soundtrack

You’ll also have access to product specifications, reference documentation, and Apple and third-party product technical articles.

Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack 11

Other Apple Websites

Start at the Apple homepage to find the latest and greatest information about Apple products:

http://www.apple.com

QuickTime is industry-standard technology for handling video, sound, animation, graphics, text, music, and 360-degree virtual reality (VR) scenes. QuickTime provides a high level of performance, compatibility, and quality for delivering digital video. Go to the QuickTime website for information on the types of media supported, a tour of the QuickTime interface, specifications, and more:

http://www.apple.com/quicktime

FireWire is one of the fastest peripheral standards ever developed, which makes it great for use with multimedia peripherals, such as video camcorders and the latest highspeed hard disk drives. Visit this website for information about FireWire technology and available third-party FireWire products:

http://www.apple.com/firewire

For information about seminars, events, and third-party tools used in web publishing, design and print, music and audio, desktop movies, digital imaging, and the media arts, go to:

http://www.apple.com/pro

For resources, stories, and information about projects developed by users in education using Apple software, including Soundtrack, go to:

http://www.apple.com/education

Go to the Apple Store to buy software, hardware, and accessories direct from Apple and to find special promotions and deals that include third-party hardware and software products:

http://www.apple.com/store

12 Preface

An Introduction to Soundtrack

Audio and Music Basics

You can create professional-sounding music projects in Soundtrack without any background or training in music. This chapter describes the basic audio and music concepts you need to know to get started.

Basic Audio Concepts

In order to understand how you can work with audio files and use the controls, effects, and envelopes included in Soundtrack, it’s helpful to know some basic terms and concepts about audio.

Sound Waves

What we hear as sounds are vibrations traveling through the air as waves move through the air like ripples in a pond, radiating outward from the sound’s source in a regular pattern of compression and rarefaction.

sound waves.

Sound

Amplitude

Frequency and Amplitude

The rate at which a sound wave repeats (the time between two peaks of the wave) is called its a sound’s frequency as being relatively high (like a flute, a child’s voice, or a train whistle) or low (like a bass guitar, a man’s voice, or the rumble of a train on the tracks). The range of frequencies audible to human beings is roughly 20 Hz–20 kilohertz (kHz).

frequency.

Frequency

Frequency is expressed in cycles per second, or Hertz (Hz). We hear

Time

The depth or intensity of a sound is called its amplitude, and is expressed in decibels (dB). We hear amplitude as the volume or loudness of a sound. The range of audible loudness is roughly 0–130 dB. Higher decibel levels are painful to human hearing.

Musical Sounds

Musical sounds typically have a regular frequency, which we hear as the sound’s pitch. Pitch is expressed using musical notes, such as C, Eb, and F#. What we hear as the pitch is only the lowest, strongest part of the sound wave, called the fundamental. Every musical sound also has higher, softer parts called overtones or harmonics, which occur at regular multiples of the fundamental frequency. We don’t hear the harmonics as distinct pitches, but rather as the tone color (also called the timbre) of the sound, which lets us distinguish one instrument or voice from another, even when both are playing the same pitch. When you turn up the treble on your stereo, or adjust an EQ effect, you raise the volume of some of the harmonics in the music, but don’t change the fundamental frequencies.

Time

Fundamental

First harmonic

Second harmonic

Time

14 Chapter 1 Audio and Music Basics

Envelopes

Another aspect of sound that helps us to distinguish between instruments and voices playing the same pitch is a sound’s envelope. Every note played on a musical instrument has a distinct curve of rising and falling volume over time. Sounds produced by some instruments, particularly drums and other percussion, start at a high volume level but quickly decrease to a much lower level, and die away to silence quickly. Sounds produced by other instruments, for example, a violin or a trumpet, can be sustained at the same volume level, and can be raised or lowered in volume while being sustained. This volume curve is called the sound’s envelope, and acts like a signature to help our ears recognize what instrument is producing the sound.

Sustained envelopePercussive envelope

Phase Relationships

When two instruments or voices are playing the same pitch, the sound waves may have the exact same frequency and amplitude, but the peaks and troughs of the wave reach our ears, or a microphone recording the sound, at slightly different times. This is referred to as a difference in the phase of the sound waves. When two sound waves are completely in phase, the volume of the sound is doubled. When two sound waves are completely out of phase, they cancel each other out and we hear silence. Certain effects, such as phase shifters, make use of these properties of phase relationships to alter the sound of an audio signal.

Time

Recording Sound

When a sound is recorded, the sound waves traveling through the air are converted to an electrical signal, using a device called a transducer. Sound can be recorded using either analog or digital recording technology.

Chapter 1 Audio and Music Basics 15

Analog Recording

When a sound is recorded using analog technology, the sound waves are recorded as a continuous electrical signal. Typically, the vibrations in the air contact the diaphragm of a microphone, setting the diaphragm in motion. A transducer in the microphone converts the diaphragm’s motion into an electric signal. The compressed parts of the sound wave are recorded as positive electrical voltages, and the rarefied parts of the wave are recorded as negative voltages. The voltage of the recorded signal is an analog of the wave’s frequencies and their relative amplitudes at any point in time.

Time

Analog recording technology was originally developed using mechanical means to etch the sound signal directly onto wax cylinders or lacquer disks. Its simplicity, and the rapid development of electronics during the twentieth century, led to its widespread use for recording music and for adding sound to motion pictures.

However, analog audio recording is subject to several problems in achieving high-fidelity reproduction of sound. These include noise, distortion, and loss of quality each time the audio signal is copied or reproduced.

Digital Recording

When a sound is digitally recorded, the sound waves are recorded as a series of samples onto a hard disk or other digital storage medium. A sample stores the voltages corresponding to the wave’s frequencies and their relative amplitudes as a series of binary numbers, or bits. Each sample is like a snapshot of the sound at a particular instant in time.

Time

16 Chapter 1 Audio and Music Basics

Digital recording technology offers several advantages over analog technology for recording sound, including lower noise, wider frequency response, and less distortion (if the sound is recorded at the proper level). In addition, digital recordings can be reproduced any number of times without any loss of audio quality. These advantages, combined with the popularity of personal computers, have led to the rapid development of digital audio as a leading technology for music production.

Sample Rate and Bit Depth

The audio quality of any digital recording depends on two factors: the sample rate and the bit depth used to record the signal. The sample rate is the number of samples recorded per second. The bit depth is the number of digital bits each sample contains. Together, these two factors determine the amount of information contained in a digital audio recording. The higher the sample rate and bit depth of a recording, the more accurately the recording reproduces the original sound.

Time

Low sample rate

Time

High sample rate

Recording music digitally requires a very high sample rate and bit depth to reproduce the nuances in the music satisfactorily. The Nyquist theorem states that sounds must be recorded at no less than double the rate of the highest frequency being sampled to accurately reproduce the original sound. Audio CDs are recorded at a sample rate of

44.1 kHz and a bit depth of 16 bits (some CDs use a higher 20- or 24-bit depth). Audio for DVDs is often recorded using a slightly higher sample rate of 48 kHz. Soundtrack lets you record and play back digital audio files at sample rates of up to 96 kHz, and at bit depths of up to 24 bits.

Chapter 1 Audio and Music Basics 17

Digital Distortion

To record sound with the widest possible dynamic range, the input level must be set high enough to capture the complete audio signal. When the input level of the signal is set too high, however, the signal exceeds the maximum level that can be sampled or reproduced accurately, resulting in digital distortion. Digital distortion is defined for most digital audio applications, including Soundtrack, as any time the signal rises above 0 dB. Even a single sample above 0 dB can produce noticeable distortion, which you hear as a sharp crackling sound in the audio output. Digital distortion is nearly always undesirable, and Soundtrack includes audio meters and other controls so that you can identify and remove distortion from your projects.

Time

Basic Music Concepts

You can create professional-sounding music projects in Soundtrack without any background or training in music. In order to understand how the different elements in a piece of music work together, and how you can use them to plan and create projects in Soundtrack, it’s helpful to know some basic concepts about music.

Rhythm and Tempo

Rhythm is the most essential of all elements of music. People respond to rhythm unconsciously by tapping their feet or moving their bodies in time to the rhythm. When the rhythm in a piece of music changes, most people feel a difference in the character or mood of the music right away.

Rhythm defines the sense of time in music by creating a recurring pulse. The feeling of rhythmic pulse in music can be subtle (for example, in classical music and some electronic music), or it can dominate all other elements of the music (as in tribal drumming or in dance music).

There are usually several layers of rhythm occurring simultaneously in a piece of music. The strongest rhythmic layer occurs in regular units called measures. Falling within each measure are a number of softer pulses called beats. The beat that coincides with the beginning of the measure is called the downbeat. There can also be more subtle pulses between beats. In the Soundtrack interface, the Beat ruler and Beat display show the division of musical time into measures, beats, and beat divisions.

18 Chapter 1 Audio and Music Basics

Musicians use the concept of time signature to express the relationship between measures and beats. The first, or upper, number of the time signature indicates the number of beats in each measure, and the second, or lower, number indicates the basic beat value.

The rate at which beats occur in a piece of music is called its tempo. Tempo is measured in beats per minute (bpm). Music with an active or upbeat feeling tends to use a faster tempo, while music with a more relaxed or inward feeling tends to use a slower tempo. You can control the tempo of a Soundtrack project, and change the tempo during the course of a project.

Melody

Melody is often the most recognizable or memorable part of a piece of music. It’s the part of the music you walk away singing, whistling, or humming, and the part you usually think of when trying to identify the music or tell someone about it.

A melody is an arrangement of musical notes in a specific rhythmic pattern. Melodies establish the character of a piece of music, and immediately evoke a feeling or mood.

In Soundtrack projects, you work with prerecorded loops, some of which contain melodies or melodic phrases. If you sing or play an instrument, you can also record original melodies in Soundtrack. Whether you use existing loops or your own recordings, the most important thing to consider is whether a melody you want to use is appropriate for the style and feeling of a particular project.

Harmony and Key

Harmony occurs when several musical notes are played simultaneously, typically in groups of three or more notes called chords. The harmony of a piece of music is often played by rhythm or accompanying instruments, and works with the rhythm and melody to help establish the feeling of the music. As a piece of music progresses, the harmony changes, often at the beginning of a measure or on a strong beat, creating chord progressions that help give the music a sense of forward motion.

Most music makes use of groups of related notes called musical scales as the basis for both melody and harmony. The most common scales are the major scale and the minor scale. A scale centered around a particular musical pitch is called the key of a piece, and the central note is called the root note or tonic of that key. You can set the key of a Soundtrack project, and add key changes over the course of a project.

Some loops and one-shots you’ll use in your projects contain recordings with harmonies and chords. Soundtrack automatically matches the key of each audio file you add to a project to the project’s key. You can also transpose individual loops to create chord progressions and achieve other harmonic effects.

Chapter 1 Audio and Music Basics 19

Instrumentation

The instruments used in any piece of music help define the style and the character of the music. Because each instrument adds its own particular range of musical expression to the piece, the choice of instrumentation is a crucial one in creating your projects. If you’re working in a particular style, you should always consider whether an instrument fits the sound of that style. If you’re going for something original, you can try combining instruments in a unique or unusual way.

The art of arranging involves choosing the right instrumentation, and using changes in the instrumentation over the course of the piece to create musical interest and drama. The arrangement becomes an integral part of the character and expression of the music.

Musical Patterns and Form

Most styles of music engage their audience by building up repeating patterns, then breaking or changing them after a number of repetitions. Larger musical compositions are created out of a series of related patterns.

Musical patterns typically occur in groups of two or four, and changes from one pattern to another typically occur at multiples of four. The form of a popular song provides a simple example: Many pop songs consist of a short introduction followed by two main sections, the verse and the chorus. The verse and chorus alternate several times, with the melody either sung or played by the lead instruments.

The introduction typically lasts 8 or 16 measures; each verse lasts 16 or 32 measures, and the chorus lasts for another 16 or 32 measures. In both the verse and chorus, the harmony may change at the beginning of every measure, or every two or four measures. Often the last chorus is repeated several times for a coda or “outro.”

Most styles of contemporary music are based to some degree on song form. You can easily create projects based on this form, using loops with drum beats and rhythmic patterns to define each section of the form. Each repetition of the verse and chorus sections can be set off using loops with vocals, or with varying lead or solo parts. You can scale the length of the piece to fill a specific amount of time, such as the length of a movie you want to score, by either adjusting the tempo or changing the number of times the final section repeats.

Another typical feature of song-based music is that there is often a signal at the end of each pattern that tells the audience that the pattern is about to change. Often this occurs in the drums or rhythm section parts. For example, the drums may repeat the same pattern for seven measures, but introduce slight changes in the eighth measure that energize the music and signal that a new pattern is about to start. Musicians call these signals fills, and loop libraries often contain several fills meant to be used with a looped drum pattern.

20 Chapter 1 Audio and Music Basics

2 Setting Up Your System

The way you set up your system depends on the audio equipment you plan to use.

You can use your computer’s speaker or headphone jack to monitor the audio output from Soundtrack. For better results, you may want to connect external monitors or speakers to your system, so that you can monitor the audio output at a higher level of quality. You may want to connect other external audio equipment such as an audio interface or a mixer, particularly if you plan to record your own audio in Soundtrack.

Â For information on system and hardware requirements, see the Read Before You

Install document on the installation DVD.

Â For information on installing the software, see the Installing Your Software booklet.

System Considerations

To achieve the most effective results, you should consider the following issues when setting up your system.

Processor Speed and RAM

Digital audio files require intensive processing by your computer. If you plan to work on longer or more complex projects, or use multiple effects plug-ins in your projects, a computer with a faster processor can facilitate your productivity.

Soundtrack is optimized for use with computers that have a multiprocessor architecture. Working with Soundtrack projects on a multiprocessor-equipped computer can make your workflow more efficient, especially when creating longer or more complex projects.

If you plan to work on large projects, it’s useful to have extra random-access memory, or RAM, installed in your computer. Additional RAM allows you to play back more files simultaneously, use a greater number of effects plug-ins, and keep several multimedia applications open at the same time.

Hard Disk Space

It’s also a good idea to have a large hard disk with plenty of available space to store the media (audio and video) files you use with Soundtrack. As you work with the application, you’ll likely want to acquire a large collection of sounds to use in your Soundtrack projects. You can use audio files stored on a CD-ROM disc or other external media, but playback performance may not be as good as when the audio files are installed on a local hard disk, especially when using a large number of files.

If you store media files on an external hard disk, make sure the disk has a fast enough seek time and a high enough sustained data transfer rate for use with multimedia files. Consult the manufacturer’s specifications.

Dedicated Hard Disk

If you plan to record your own audio in Soundtrack, remember that every minute of stereo digital audio (recorded using a 44.1 kHz sample rate and 16-bit depth) requires roughly 10 MB of hard disk space. If you plan to record large amounts of audio, you may want to record to a dedicated hard disk.

Setting the Audio Input and Output

By default, Soundtrack uses the input and output devices set in your computer’s System Preferences for audio input and output. You can set the default input and output (for monitoring) devices for Soundtrack in the Recording pane of the Soundtrack Preferences window, and change them for individual recording sessions in the Recording tab. For information on changing the default input and output devices Soundtrack uses, see “Setting Soundtrack Preferences” on page 73.

Adding Audio Units Plug-Ins to Your Computer

Soundtrack includes an extensive set of professional-quality effects plug-ins. Soundtrack uses effects in the Audio Units plug-in format, the native plug-in format of Mac OS X.

Audio Units plug-ins are also available from third-party manufacturers. When adding third-party effects to your computer, be sure to read the documentation, including any Read Me and installation files, that came with the plug-in. Supported Audio Units effects plug-ins appear in the Effects window under the manufacturer’s name.

Soundtrack does not support VST, ASIO, MAS, or RTAS effects plug-ins.

22 Chapter 2 Setting Up Your System

Connecting Audio Equipment

You can use a variety of audio equipment with Soundtrack for both recording and playback. For information on connecting a specific piece of equipment to your computer, read the documentation that came with the equipment.

When using external audio devices, it’s a good idea to connect them before opening Soundtrack.

Soundtrack does not support video input from devices such as camcorders or videocassette decks.

Audio Interfaces

You can connect an audio interface to your computer, and then connect microphones and musical instruments to the audio interface for recording. You can also connect output devices, such as monitors or speakers, a mixer, or an amplifier to the audio interface.

When choosing an audio interface, check the manufacturer’s specifications to make sure the interface is compatible with Mac OS X v10.4 (Tiger). Some audio interfaces require driver software, while others are supported without the need for a driver. If the device requires a driver, make sure an up-to-date driver is included with the device, or is available from the manufacturer.

All digital audio interfaces can be susceptible to latency, a noticeable delay between the time the audio signal is produced and the time you hear it. When connecting an audio interface, you should connect the interface directly to the computer, rather than connecting it through a hub or daisy-chaining it through another device. Connecting an audio interface through a hub or an intermediary device can cause an unacceptable amount of latency, particularly with slower protocols such as USB.

Soundtrack supports input from digital audio interfaces up to a maximum sample rate of 96 kHz and a maximum bit depth of 24 bits. If you connect an interface that uses sample rates or bit depths outside the range supported by Soundtrack, an alert message appears, telling you that data from the audio interface is not compatible with the application.

Chapter 2 Setting Up Your System 23

FireWire (IEEE 1394)

FireWire is a professional and consumer standard for both audio and video equipment. The combination of fast data-transfer rates, high storage capacities, and plug-and-play connection makes FireWire an attractive choice for working with digital audio files. FireWire is included on all current Macintosh computers, and a number of FireWire audio interfaces are available.

There are two kinds of FireWire connectors: a 4-pin connector (typically found on video equipment) and a 6-pin connector (used for computer and audio equipment).

FireWire 400 (6-pin) (Sometimes labeled iLINK)

FireWire 400 (4-pin)

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

USB is a consumer standard used on computer peripherals and other devices. USB offers a lower data-transfer rate than FireWire, but supports plug-and-play operation and the ability to connect several devices in sequence (daisy-chaining). Some USB devices draw their power over the USB cable, while others require a separate power connection. USB is included on all current Macintosh computers.

There are two kinds of USB connectors: an A connector, typically used to connect a device to a USB hub, and a B connector, typically used to connect devices together, and also to connect a device to a computer. USB audio interfaces should always be directly connected to your computer, not connected via a hub or to the computer’s display, keyboard, or another peripheral.

USB (Universal Serial Bus)

PCI (Peripheral Connect Interface)

PCI interfaces, unlike FireWire and USB interfaces, require that you install a dedicated sound card in your computer. PCI provides high bandwidth and fast data-transfer rates, allowing you to record and play back large numbers of files at the highest possible sample rates and bit depths.

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PCMCIA

PCMCIA is a consumer standard for connecting devices to a laptop computer. PCMCIA provides a lower data-transfer rate than FireWire or USB, but provides a compact, affordable solution for connecting an audio interface to your computer, while keeping your USB and FireWire ports available for other devices. Most current Macintosh laptop computers support PCMCIA connections via a built-in card slot.

Audio Cabling

There are several types of audio cables and connectors used on professional and consumer audio equipment, at a range of prices and levels of quality. When connecting microphones and musical instruments to an audio interface or a mixer, make sure the interface has the proper input jacks for the type of connectors and cables you plan to use.

XLR

XLR cables and connectors are used on professional-quality microphones, monitors, and other musical equipment. They provide a high-quality, balanced signal at +4 dB level.

XLR connector (balanced)

1/4-Inch Audio

1/4-inch connectors (sometimes called “phone plugs”) are used on a wide variety of professional and consumer musical equipment, including musical instruments and amplifiers, speakers, and external effects devices. They can be either balanced (+4 dB) or unbalanced (–10 dB). Some devices require Tip-Ring-Sleeve (TRS) connectors to transfer the audio signal.

1/4-inch Tip-Ring Sleeve (TRS) connector

1/4-inch Tip-Ring (TR) connector

RCA

RCA connectors are used on consumer audio equipment such as home stereo systems and videocassette recorders.

RCA connector (unbalanced)

Chapter 2 Setting Up Your System 25

Optical Digital (AES-EBU and S/PDIF)

AES-EBU and S/PDIF are both used to provide an optical digital connection to professional and consumer audio equipment, including audio interfaces, DAT (digital audio tape) machines, and hardware samplers. Both carry a stereo digital signal. AESEBU is balanced, and has an operating level of 5 volts, while S/PDIF is unbalanced and has an operating level of roughly 1/2 volt. There are adapter cables available to convert between the two protocols. S/PDIF carries additional information with the audio signal, including SCMS copy-protection information.

S/PIDF optical digital connector

1/8-Inch Miniplug

Miniplug connectors are used for audio input and output to computers and on some consumer electronic devices, particularly portable ones.

Stereo miniplug connector (unbalanced)

Audio Output

Being able to monitor the audio output of your projects at a high level of quality is crucial to achieving professional results. In general, you should use the best output equipment your budget allows.

Speakers and Monitors

You can play back audio through your computer’s speakers or headphone jack, but the audio output may not be high enough for you to evaluate your music at a professional level of quality. Connecting external speakers or monitors to your system allows you to hear the audio output with greater fidelity and a wider dynamic range. In general, you should use the highest-quality speakers or monitors you can afford in order to hear your projects at the highest level of audio quality.

For detailed information about connecting external speakers to your audio interface, see the documentation that came with the speakers.

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Amplifiers

If you are recording audio from microphones, and are not running the microphone’s signal through a mixer with a microphone pre-amplifier, you need to connect an amplifier to boost the microphone’s signal before sending it to the computer. If you are connecting monitors or speakers that are not self-powered, you also need to connect them through an amplifier.

Mixers

Connecting a mixer to your system allows you to record audio from multiple microphones or instruments simultaneously, to play back the output from your computer through connected monitors or speakers, and to control the volume levels of both the audio input and output. Professional-quality mixers have a number of additional features, including equalization (EQ) controls, auxiliary sends and returns for adding external effects, and separate monitor and mix level controls. Mixers may also include inboard pre-amplification for microphones, making the use of a separate amplifier unnecessary.

Example Hardware Setups

The following sections provide several examples of different hardware setups.

Setting Up a System Using Powered Speakers

With this setup, you can monitor the audio output through a set of connected powered speakers.

This setup uses the following equipment:

Â Your computer and display

Â A set of powered speakers, including speaker wire and a power adaptor

Speakers

Power cables

Speaker cables

Computer

Chapter 2 Setting Up Your System 27

Setting Up a System Using a USB Audio Interface

With this setup, you can record audio input from microphones and musical instruments, and monitor audio output, through a USB audio interface.

This setup uses the following equipment:

Â Your computer and display

Â USB audio interface (from 2 to 8 channels) with USB cable to connect to your computer

Â Microphone

Â Musical instruments (guitar, bass, and keyboard)

Â Cables to connect microphones and instruments to the audio interface

Â Set of monitors or speakers

Monitors

Microphone

Speaker

Computer

USB

cable

cables

Computer

Audio interface

Instrument

28 Chapter 2 Setting Up Your System

Setting Up a System Using a FireWire Audio Interface

With this setup, you can record audio input from several sources simultaneously, and monitor audio output channels independently, through a mixer connected to a FireWire audio interface.

This setup uses the following equipment:

Â Your computer and display

Â FireWire audio interface with FireWire cable to connect to your computer

Â Mixer (8 channels) with built-in pre-amplifier

Â Microphones

Â Musical instruments (guitars, bass, keyboards, and outboard effects units)

Â Set of powered monitors or speakers

Â Cables to connect microphones and instruments to the mixer and audio interface

Â Speaker cables

Monitors

Microphone

Audio interface

FireWire

cable

Computer

Speaker

cables

Mixer

Chapter 2 Setting Up Your System 29

Instrument

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