Apple Soundtrack Pro 2 User Manual
Soundtrack Pro 2
User Manual
K
Apple Inc.
Copyright © 2007 Apple Inc. All rights reserved.
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or authorized user of a valid copy of Soundtrack Pro
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Apple Inc.
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408-996-1010
www.apple.com
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AppleScript, DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro,
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1
Contents
Preface 11 An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro
11
Overview of Soundtrack Pro
13
Using Soundtrack Pro in Your Post-Production Workflow
15
Notable Features in Soundtrack Pro
18
Resources for Learning About Soundtrack Pro
18
About This Soundtrack Pro Onscreen User Manual
19
Apple Websites
Chapter 1 21 Setting Up Your System
21
System Considerations
23
Connecting Equipment
24
Video and Audio Input and Output Devices
25
Video and Audio Interfaces
25
External Audio and Video Monitoring
27
Example Hardware Setups
32
Setting Up a System for Stereo Mixing
32
Setting Up a System for Surround Mixing
Chapter 2 33 The Soundtrack Pro Interface
34
Soundtrack Pro Window Organization
37
Project Pane
38
Toolbar
38
Transport Controls
39
Timeline
43
File Editor
44
Mixer
46
Multitake Editor
47
Conform
Bin
48
49
Meters Tab
50
Recording Tab
51
Browser
52
Search Tab
3
54
Favorites Tab
55
Video Tab
55
Project Tab
57
Details Tab
60
Effects Tab
61
Tracks Tab
62
Actions Tab
63
Analysis Tab
64
HUDs
Chapter 3 65 Setting Up Soundtrack Pro
65
Two Kinds of Projects
67
Setting Up Your Workspace
71
Playing Projects
75
About Changing Values and Timecode Entries
78
Locating and Adding Audio Files
91
Previewing Audio Files
93
Using Undo and Redo
94
Using Snapping
96
Reconnecting Media Files
97
Setting Soundtrack Pro Preferences
Chapter 4 105 Working with Multitrack Projects
10 5
Creating and Opening Multitrack Projects
10 6
Creating a Multitrack Project from Final Cut Pro Clips or Sequences
10 6
Closing Multitrack Projects
10 6
Setting Project Properties
11 0
Setting the Project Length
111
Saving Multitrack Projects
112
Setting Default Locations for Saving Media Files
113
Adding Files to a Multitrack Project
11 4
Viewing and Editing Clip and Track Properties
12 4
Tracks, Busses, Submixes, and the Master Bus
Chapter 5 127 Working in the Timeline
12 7
Working in the Timeline
12 8
Moving Around in the Timeline
13 5
Working with Tracks, Busses, and Submixes in the Timeline
14 7
Selecting Audio Clips in the Timeline
14 9
Selecting the Entire Contents of a Track
15 0
Selecting Partial Contents of One or More Tracks
151
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting Audio Clips
15 3
Spotting Clips to the Timeline
4
Contents
15 4
Moving Clips
15 6
Snapping Clips to Clips on Adjacent Tracks
15 6
Resizing Audio Clips
157
Changing the Offset of an Audio Clip
15 8
Creating Fades and Crossfades in the Timeline
162
Truncating Overlapping Audio Clips
162
Editing Audio Clips in the Multitrack Timeline
164
Using the Timeline Editing Tools
165
Timeline Editing Tools HUD
166
Editing in Place
166
How Clips Are Affected by Media File Editing
166
How Source Audio File Editing Works in a Soundtrack Pro Multitrack Project
167
Modifying a Clip Without Affecting Its Source Media
168
Using the Multitrack Timeline and the File Editor Together
17 0
Spotting Sound Effects from the File Editor to the Timeline
17 0
Splitting and Joining Audio Clips
174
Editing with the Timeslice Tool
17 9
Using the Lift and Stamp Tools
183
Working with Markers
185
Using Markers with Video
18 8
Working with Tagged and Looping Clips
18 9
Replacing the Source Audio in a Clip
Chapter 6 191 Editing Audio Files
19 3
Audio File Projects
19 3
Editing Audio Files Directly in a Multitrack Project
Editing in Place
19 5
19 5
How Clips Are Affected by Media File Editing
19 6
How Media File Editing Works in a Multitrack Project
19 6
How Source Audio File Editing Works in an Audio File Project
19 7
Modifying a Clip Without Affecting Its Source Media
19 8
Editing Audio Files in the File Editor
19 8
Opening Audio Files in the File Editor Tab
19 9
Playing Audio Files in the File Editor
19 9
Soloing an Audio File in the File Editor
200
Linking the File Editor Selection and the Cycle Region
200
Scrubbing Audio Files
202
Selecting Part of an Audio File
206
Cutting, Copying, and Pasting in the File Editor
207
Zooming In and Out in the File Editor
208
Editing Audio Files Graphically with Waveform Editing Tools
212
Choosing the Sample Units in the File Editor
212
Editing Multichannel Files
Contents
5
214
Using Frequency Spectrum View
219
Processing Audio Files
230
Working with Actions
236
Analyzing an Audio File
240
Using the File Editor Project View
Chapter 7 251 Using the Multitake Editor
251
About the Multitake Editor
252
What Is ADR?
252
Multitake Clips
252
Creating Multitake Clips
253
Overview of the Multitake Editor
254
Editing in the Multitake Editor
255
Slipping Take Regions
256
Adding and Deleting Takes
256
Renaming Takes
257 Reordering Takes
257 Example: A Multitake Editing Workflow
Chapter 8 261 Basic Mixing in Soundtrack Pro
262 Steps in Mixing
263 Structuring an Audio Post-Production Project
263 What Is a Submix and How Do You Use It?
263 Basic Signal Routing in Soundtrack Pro
266 Example: Mixing a Project with Dialogue, Music, and Effects Submixes
270 Using Sends and Busses
273 Using the Mixer
273 Working with Channel Strips in the Mixer
284 Working with Effects in the Mixer
286 Working with Sends and Busses in the Mixer
288 Setting the Overall Project Volume Level
290 Using the Master Bus
290 Listening to a Temporary Mono Mix
291 Recording Audio in the Mixer
291 Recording Automation in the Mixer
292 Creating Multiple Mixes
292 Things to Keep in Mind While Mixing
Chapter 9 293 Mixing Surround Sound
What Is 5.1 Surround?
293
294 Creating a Surround Project
294 Setting Up for Surround
294 Setting Up Soundtrack Pro for Surround
6
Contents
298 Surround Speaker Placement
299 Using Surround Panners to Create a Surround Mix
299 The Mini Surround Panner
300 The Surround Panner HUD
303 Surround Panner Automation
303 Modifier Keys for Moving the Puck
304 Surround Metering
306 Surround Mixing Strategies
306 Mixing Surround Files
307 Converting a Stereo Mix to 5.1 Surround
309 Placing Dialogue and Voiceover in a Surround Mix
310 Placing Stereo Music in a Surround Mix
310 Using the Center Channel
310 Using Surround Channels
311 Using Surround Effect Plug-ins
311 Limitations of the LFE Channel
312 Accommodating Stereo Playback
312 Exporting and Delivering 5.1 Surround Projects
312 Mixdowns
313 Project Files
Chapter 10 315 Working with Video in Soundtrack Pro
315 Supported Video File Formats
316 Adding a Video to a Project
317 Playing the Video
320 Viewing Video Details
321 Working with a Video’s Audio
321 Using the Time Display and Time Ruler with Video
322 Scrubbing and Spotting with the Multipoint Video HUD
325 Removing a Video from a Project
Chapter 11 327 Working with Audio Effects
327 Processing Effects and Realtime Effects
330 Working with Effect Presets
331 Audio Effects Included with Soundtrack Pro
343 Working with Realtime Effects
353 Working with Processing Effects
Chapter 12 355 Working with Automation
355 Working with Envelopes
365 Recording Automation Data
Chapter 13 367 Recording Audio in Soundtrack Pro
367 Getting Ready to Record
Contents 7
368 Recording Audio in the Timeline
374 Recording Audio in the Mixer
375 Recording Audio in the File Editor Project View
Chapter 14 377 Creating Podcasts in Soundtrack Pro
378 Podcasting Media Production
379 Using the Podcast Track and Podcast Markers
379 Displaying the Podcast Track and the Details Tab
380 Podcast Marker Information in the Details Tab
381 Adding Markers to a Podcast
384 Adding Images to a Podcast
387 Exporting Podcasts
387 Exporting Audio Podcasts
388 Exporting Video Podcasts
390 Using Post-Export Actions for Podcast Production
Chapter 15 391 Using Control Surfaces with Soundtrack Pro
391 Connecting Control Surfaces
392 Adding and Deleting Control Surfaces
393 Premapped Controls
393 Mapping Commands to Control Surface Buttons
394 Recording Control Surface Automation
Chapter 16 395 Exporting Multitrack Projects
396 About the Export Dialog
397 Exporting and the Cycle Region
397 Exporting a Master Mix
414 Exporting Tracks, Busses, and Submixes Separately
415 Exporting Multiple Mono Files
416 Using Post-Export Actions
418 Using Export Presets
419 Exporting to AAF
419 Saving Multitrack Projects
419 Distributing a Multitrack Project and Its Media Files Together
Chapter 17 421 Using Soundtrack Pro with Other Applications
421 Using Soundtrack Pro with Final Cut Pro
421 About Soundtrack Pro Audio File Projects
422 Methods for Sending Audio from Final Cut Pro to Soundtrack Pro
422 Sending Individual Audio Clips from Final Cut Pro to Soundtrack Pro
428 About Soundtrack Pro Multitrack Projects
428 Creating Soundtrack Pro Multitrack Projects from Final Cut Pro Clips or Sequences
432 Using Soundtrack Pro with DVD Studio Pro
434 Using Soundtrack Pro with Motion
8 Contents
435 Using Soundtrack Pro with Third-Party Applications
435 Exchanging OMF and AAF Files with Other Applications
437 Exporting Audio Files
Chapter 18 439 Using Conform with Final Cut Pro
439 About Conforming Manually
439 Using Soundtrack Pro Conform
444 Reviewing and Approving the Changes in the Conform Result Project
Appendix A 449 Soundtrack Pro Keyboard Shortcuts
449 General and File
450 Layouts, Tabs, and HUDs
451 Navigating the Timeline
451 Project Playback
452 Cycle Region
453 General Editing
453 Editing Audio Clips in the Timeline
454 Moving Audio Clips and Envelope Points
455 Viewing the Timeline
456 Timeline Tools
456 File Editor Project View Tools and Commands
457 Processing and Editing Audio Files
458 Tracks, Busses, and Submixes
459 Markers
459 Selecting Audio Clips in the Timeline
460 Video Out
460 Recording
461 Using Arrow Keys to Move the Playhead
461 Working with Timeslices
Appendix B 463 Audio Fundamentals
463 What Is Sound?
463 Fundamentals of a Sound Wave
465 Frequency Spectrum of Sounds
467 Measuring Sound Intensity
469 Signal-to-Noise Ratio
470 Headroom and Distortion
470 Dynamic Range and Compression
471 Stereo Audio
473 Digital Audio
474 Sample Rate
474 Bit Depth
Appendix C 477 Working with Professional Video and Audio Equipment
Contents 9
477 About Video Interfaces, Signals, and Connectors
477 Video Interfaces
480 Video Signals and Connectors
485 About Audio Interfaces, Signals, and Connectors
485 Setting Up an Audio Interface
490 Audio Connectors, Cables, and Signal Formats
494 About Balanced Audio Signals
496 Tips for Choosing Speakers and an Amplifier
497 Frequency Response and Dynamic Range
497 Self-Powered Versus Passive Speakers
498 Amplifiers and Signal Levels for Unpowered Speakers
498 Connecting Professional Video Devices
498 Connecting Professional SD Video Devices
501 Connecting Professional Component Analog Video Devices
501 Connecting Consumer Analog Video Devices
501 Connecting Non-DV Devices to a DV Converter
503 Connecting Professional Audio Devices
503 Connecting Professional Digital Audio Devices
503 Connecting Consumer Digital Audio Devices
503 Connecting Professional Analog Audio
504 Synchronizing Equipment with a Blackburst Generator
506 Synchronizing Soundtrack Pro to External Timecode
Appendix D 509 Working with Apogee Hardware in Soundtrack Pro
510 Global Parameters
511 Units Parameters
514 Setup Buttons
Appendix E 515 Solutions to Common Problems and Customer Support
516 Solutions to Common Problems
517 Calling AppleCare Support
Appendix F 519 Using Apple Loops Utility
519 What Is Apple Loops Utility?
520 The Apple Loops Utility Interface
526 Opening Files in Apple Loops Utility
527 Tagging Files in Apple Loops Utility
528 Working With Transients
530 Saving Changes to Files
530 Removing Files From the Assets Drawer
531 Apple Loops Utility Preferences
532 Apple Loops Utility Keyboard Shortcuts
Index 537
10 Contents
An Introduction
to Soundtrack Pro
Soundtrack Pro gives you the tools you need to create
high-quality soundtracks for your film and video productions.
Most experienced film and television producers know that “audio is more than half the
picture.” The art and techniques of sound recording, dialogue editing, sound effect
recording and placement, mixing, and sound design play a substantial role in how
audiences perceive the (visual) quality of a film or video.
Soundtrack Pro is designed to serve the art of motion picture sound post-production.
Like the other applications in Final Cut Studio, Soundtrack Pro was created for the film
and video industry. Soundtrack Pro gives you many specialized tools and powerful
features that you can use to create high-quality audio.
Overview of Soundtrack Pro
Soundtrack Pro provides film and video professionals streamlined workflows for editing
everything from individual audio files to large multitrack sound projects, including
synchronizing audio and video, editing sound in place, working with automatic
dialogue replacement (ADR), analyzing and fixing common audio problems like clicks
and pops, and creating stereo and surround sound design. Add interoperability with
the other applications in Final Cut Studio to this list of features, and you have a
professional-quality audio application designed to meet the needs of the most
discerning audio editors and mixers.
Preface
Soundtrack Pro features two types of projects: audio file projects and multitrack projects.
You use audio file projects to edit individual audio files. This is sometimes known as
waveform editing. However, unlike most waveform editing applications, Soundtrack Pro
allows you to edit your audio files nondestructively by keeping track of the actions you
have performed on your audio file. You can edit down to the file’s individual sample level
and perform tasks ranging from audio repair to sound design. You can perform edits
nondestructively using actions, which include processing effects and other operations.
You can analyze audio files for a range of common audio problems, including clicks and
pops, hum, and phase issues, and automatically fix problems that are found.
11
Multitrack projects look and function similarly to Final Cut Pro projects. You arrange a
multitrack project’s audio clips on the tracks in the Timeline. Multitrack projects contain
the features you expect from a high-performance and professional-quality audio editor,
including features to synchronize audio and video, work with ADR and multitake
editing, and automate volume, pan, and other changes over time using envelopes. You
can record over multiple channels to the Timeline or the File Editor or to multiple tracks
in the Timeline.
Most audio applications focus on multitrack editing or waveform editing, but not both.
Furthermore, most waveform editing applications handle media destructively—making
permanent changes to your media files. Soundtrack Pro provides the best of both
worlds: nondestructive waveform editing while working in a multitrack project.
You can edit audio clips in a variety of ways in the Timeline. You can select, cut, copy,
and paste clips; move, resize, transpose, split, and join them; and edit them in other
ways. You can also apply any actions to and process menu operations for any clip
directly in the Timeline.
You can organize your multitrack project for the final mix by creating busses and
submixes, adding realtime effects and actions, and adding surround panning. When
you’re ready to mix, you can mix in the Timeline or in the Soundtrack Pro Mixer. The
Mixer models a traditional hardware mixing board and includes a channel strip for each
track, bus, and submix in the project.
Soundtrack Pro includes a large library of stereo and surround sound effects and music
beds that you can use for Foley effects, background ambience, sound effects, and
music transitions in your audio and multitrack projects. Soundtrack Pro also includes a
generous selection of professional-quality effects plug-ins, like Space Designer and
Channel EQ that you can add to tracks, busses, and submixes.
You have numerous options for exporting your project. You can export your mix (or
selected tracks, busses, or submixes) in a variety of audio file types including WAVE,
AIFF, MP3, AAC, Dolby Digital Professional, and as a QuickTime movie. You can export
your mix with Compressor, Apple’s high-performance encoding application. You can
also pick from a variety of post-export actions that automatically open the mix in a
Final Cut Pro sequence, or export it to Motion, Logic, or Waveburner.
12 Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro
Using Soundtrack Pro in Your Post-Production Workflow
On its own, Soundtrack Pro is a powerful audio editing application. As part of
Final Cut Studio, Soundtrack Pro becomes an integral part of your post-production
workflow.
You can easily share media projects between Final Cut Pro and Soundtrack Pro. When
you send a sequence from Final Cut Pro, your audio files and a compiled video file
arrive in a Soundtrack Pro multitrack project, ready for you to edit. After editing and
creating your final mix, you can automatically send a mixdown back to the original
Final Cut Pro sequence. The Soundtrack Pro Conform feature allows you to quickly sync
up the picture editor’s cut with the sound editor’s version of the same sequence.
Unlike many audio editing applications, Soundtrack Pro was created specifically to
produce sound for motion picture audio projects. This means it has many specialized
tools and features that simplify and enhance the sound-for-picture editing process.
Here are some examples of how you can use Soundtrack Pro to enhance your motion
picture sound editing and mixing experience:
 To quickly synchronize a sound effect with the picture using the Multipoint Video HUD
For more information, see “Scrubbing and Spotting with the Multipoint Video HUD”
on page 322.
 To edit audio dialogue replacement (ADR) recordings, combine them with
production sound files, and create perfect voiceover narration
For more information, see Chapter 7, “Using the Multitake Editor,” on page 251.
 With the Soundtrack Pro Conform feature, to quickly merge two versions of the same
sequence: the picture edit (from Final Cut Pro) and the sound edit/mix (from
Soundtrack Pro)
For more information, see Chapter 18, “Using Conform with Final Cut Pro,” on
page 439.
 To perfect and clean up individual audio files. You can go straight into a clip’s
waveform to correct a click or pop or add an effect. Soundtrack Pro makes it easy for
you to move between editing individual clips and arranging your overall multitrack
project for a quick back-and-forth workflow.
To learn more about editing individual audio files, see “Editing Audio Clips in the
Multitrack Timeline” on page 162 and Chapter 6, “Editing Audio Files,” on page 191.
 To lift effects from one clip and apply them to other clips using lift-and-stamp tools
and the Sound Palette, and to create palettes of sound processing for future use
For more information, see “Using the Lift and Stamp Tools” on page 179.
 To organize your multitrack project for professional sound effect editing and mixing
For more information, see “Basic Signal Routing in Soundtrack Pro” on page 263 and
“Using Sends and Busses” on page 270.
Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro 13
 To prepare your multitrack project for distribution and final delivery, such as foreign
language versions (for example, to create separate submixes for dialogue, sound
effects, and music)
For more information, see “What Is a Submix and How Do You Use It?” on page 263
and “Example: Mixing a Project with Dialogue, Music, and Effects Submixes” on
page 266.
 To use advanced editing techniques and tools in the multitrack Timeline for
streamlined sound editing
For more information, see “Using the Timeline Editing Tools” on page 164, “Moving
Around in the Timeline” on page 128, “Selecting Audio Clips in the Timeline” on
page 147, and “Editing with the Timeslice Tool” on page 174.
 To create a podcast from a video edited in Final Cut Pro
For more information, see Chapter 14, “Creating Podcasts in Soundtrack Pro,” on
page 377 and “Exporting Video Podcasts” on page 388.
 To create stereo and surround mixes for the same project
For more information, see “Mixing Surround Sound” on page 293 and “Converting a
Stereo Mix to 5.1 Surround” on page 307.
 To set up your sound-for-picture editing system to display video on an external video
monitor or use Digital Cinema Desktop on the Apple Studio and Apple Cinema Displays
For more information, see “Setting Up a System Using a Video Output Device” on
page 30 and “Video Out Preferences” on page 103.
 To adjust the selection for an action. For example, you may have applied an effect to a
portion of a file, and you might like to move that effect to a different portion of the file.
For more information, see “Selecting Part of an Audio File” on page 202, “Editing with
the Timeslice Tool” on page 174, and “Working with Actions” on page 230.
 To use the resizable Timecode HUD to display the current project timecode (for a
client sitting across the room)
For more information, see “Timecode HUD” on page 64.
 With the Frequency Spectrum view and the Frequency Selection tool, to make
selections of frequency ranges as well as copy, paste, delete, and adjust the
amplitude of frequency selections
These tools help you visually pinpoint specific frequencies, for example, some noise
that you want to remove. For more information, see “Using Frequency Spectrum
View” on page 214.
 To send a mixdown back to Final Cut Pro automatically
Soundtrack Pro can send a new copy of the Final Cut Pro sequence that looks just
like the original sequence but has additional audio tracks that contain your mixdown.
For more information, see “Sending a Mixdown Back to Final Cut Pro Automatically”
on page 430.
14 Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro
 As you drag clips to the Timeline, to separate the channels of stereo and
multichannel clips into individual clips, or combine separate clips into single stereo
or multichannel clips
For more information, see “Separating Channels by Option-Dragging” on page 122
and “Combining Separate Clips to Create Multichannel Clips” on page 123.
 To arrange background music or add FX and Foley in stereo or surround sound
For more information, see Chapter 18, “Using Conform with Final Cut Pro,” on
page 439.
Combining these Soundtrack Pro features creates your sound-for-picture project, a
balanced sound design that enhances your video or film project using tools that look
like and function similarly to the tools you know from using Final Cut Pro.
Notable Features in Soundtrack Pro
Soundtrack Pro provides a powerful set of tools for your motion picture sound editing
and mixing projects, including the following features.
Audio editing features:
 Powerful audio editing: You can edit audio files nondestructively in Soundtrack Pro.
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.
 Analysis and repair of common audio problems: You can choose which problems to
analyze the file for, then fix the problems detected by analysis either individually or
in a single operation. Selected problems are highlighted in the waveform display for
easy viewing.
 Multitake Editor: Use the Multitake Editor to edit multitake and synced audio that is
created by performing multitake recording (such as in automatic dialogue
replacement, or ADR).
 Edit in place: Edit and process a file’s waveform directly in the Timeline and hear the
changes in the context of your whole multitrack project. Simply select a clip in the
Timeline and it appears in the File Editor tab below. Any changes you make to the
media file are updated in the Timeline immediately.
 Ability to add professional-quality effects: Soundtrack Pro includes high-quality effects
plug-ins from the Logic Pro effects library that you can use in your projects, including
the Space Designer convolution reverb. You can also install third-party effects in the
Audio Units plug-in format.
 Frequency Selection tool and Spectrum View HUD: Use the Frequency Selection tool in
the Frequency Spectrum view to make selections of frequency ranges as well as
copy, paste, delete, and adjust the amplitude of frequency selections. The new
Spectrum View HUD provides extensive controls.
Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro 15
 Tape-style scrubbing: The Scrub tool provides detailed scrubbing that realistically
approximates the “rock-the-reels” scrubbing on analog tape decks to help you
quickly find a particular sound or event in a long audio file.
 Multichannel support: You can edit up to 24 channels in a single audio file, and play
back and record up to six channels in a single audio file in the Timeline.
Soundtrack Pro 2 supports the following types of multichannel files: AIFF, WAVE,
Broadcast Wave, QuickTime, CAF, and single folder/multi-mono file AIFF.
Multitrack project features:
 Advanced multitrack editing features: Soundtrack Pro includes the ability to lock/unlock,
enable/disable, and color-label clips and tracks in the Timeline; an advanced Timeslice
tool for marquee time selections; enhanced marquee clip selection; Final Cut Pro–style
J-K-L transport controls; the ability to spot clips from various media tabs to the
Timeline; the ability to move clips numerically; blade tools for splitting clips; region
markers; and a mode for selecting and moving envelope points with clips.
 Record and edit automation tools: You can record movements to sliders and other
onscreen controls, play back the automation, and edit it in the Timeline.
 OMF and AAF support: Soundtrack Pro can use these industry-standard project
interchange formats to import the editing decisions from other video and audio
editing applications. You can also export a multitrack project from Soundtrack Pro
as an AAF file.
 Sophisticated export options: You can export an entire project, or selected portions of
it, to a mono, stereo, or multichannel audio file using the following audio file types:
AIFF, WAVE, NeXT, Sound Designer II, MP3, AAC/Podcast, and Dolby Digital Professional
(AC-3). Soundtrack Pro has a direct link to Compressor, the Final Cut Studio
transcoding application, for exporting to numerous other audio and video formats.
Other options include a variety of post-export actions, the ability to add your own
custom AppleScript actions using the Export dialog, as well as custom export presets.
 Lift and Stamp tools and the Sound Palette: Soundtrack Pro includes time-saving tools
for applying work you have done on one clip to one or more other clips. Use the Lift
tool to copy properties from selected clips. Create a processing template in the
Sound Palette that can be applied to other clips with the Stamp tool.
Final Cut Studio workflow features:
 Send clips: You can send clips from the Final Cut Pro Timeline to Soundtrack Pro and
edit the clips in the File Editor. When you save the clip, it is automatically updated in
your Final Cut Pro project. Soundtrack Pro includes similar support for Motion and
DVD Studio Pro.
 Send sequences: You can also send clips or entire sequences to a Soundtrack Pro
multitrack project to complete your final mix, adding additional tracks of sound
effects, voiceover, and music. Both stereo and surround sound mixing are supported.
16 Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro
 Conform: You can use the Conform feature in Soundtrack Pro to quickly merge two
versions of the same sequence: the picture edit (from Final Cut Pro) and the sound
edit/mix (from Soundtrack Pro).
 Automatic mixdown return: When you export a mixdown of the multitrack project
originally sent from Final Cut Pro, you can choose to open a new copy of the
Final Cut Pro sequence that looks just like the original sequence but has additional
audio tracks that contain your mixdown.
Mixing features:
 Advanced mixing capabilities: You can mix multitrack projects in the Mixer, which
displays a virtual mixing console for a project. Using the channel strips in the Mixer,
you can adjust levels, mute and solo tracks, and add realtime effects. You can create
submixes using busses, and send audio to multiple physical outputs using submixes.
 Surround editing and mixing: Soundtrack Pro provides an elegant and easy-to-use
toolset for creating and adjusting projects in 5.1 discrete surround audio including
surround panning, mixing, and automation; unparalleled flexibility with surround
sources; and the ability to easily switch between stereo and surround mixes.
 Support for control surfaces: In addition to recording movements of onscreen
controls, you can connect a supported control surface and record automation of
control surface movements.
 Synchronized video display: You can add a video to a project and view it in the Video
tab or display the video on an external video monitor. Audio/video synchronization is
accurate both onscreen and on the external monitor, up to HD resolutions. You can
accurately place audio clips to sync with specific frames or points in time in the video.
Other features:
 Audio recording capability: You can record audio directly into multiple tracks in the
Soundtrack Pro Timeline, including recording multiple takes.
 Powerful Inspector tabs: These include the Tracks tab for easily viewing, selecting, and
grouping tracks, busses, and submixes, and the Bin, a hierarchical display of
information about all open projects.
 HUDs: Heads-up displays (HUDs) are semi-transparent floating windows with
controls and displays that you can use to accomplish specific tasks. The HUDs include
the Fade Selector HUD for quickly applying and adjusting fades and crossfades, the
Multipoint Video HUD for providing visual context when you are positioning audio
clips in a video-based project, and the Timecode HUD, which displays the current
project timecode.
 Podcasting: With Soundtrack Pro, audio creators can quickly and easily produce extremely
high-quality audio and video podcasts directly from their Soundtrack Pro projects.
Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro 17
Resources for Learning About Soundtrack Pro
This manual describes the Soundtrack Pro interface, commands, and menus, and gives
step-by-step instructions for creating Soundtrack Pro 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 Pro.
If you want to start by learning how to set up audio hardware to use with
Soundtrack Pro, read Chapter 1, “Setting Up Your System,” on page 21. If you want to
learn about the features and controls in the Soundtrack Pro interface, read Chapter 2,
“The Soundtrack Pro Interface,” on page 33. If you want to jump right in and start using
the application, skip ahead to Chapter 3, “Setting Up Soundtrack Pro,” on page 65. If
you want to read about editing audio files, turn to Chapter 6, “Editing Audio Files,” on
page 191. If you want to start using the multitrack Timeline, read Chapter 5, “Working in
the Timeline,” on page 127.
Soundtrack Pro provides several different sources of support.
About This Soundtrack Pro Onscreen User Manual
The Soundtrack Pro onscreen user manual allows you to access information directly
onscreen while you’re working in Soundtrack Pro. To view this information, choose
Help > Soundtrack Pro User Manual. The Soundtrack Pro onscreen user manual is a fully
hyperlinked version of the Soundtrack Pro User Manual, enhanced with many features
that make locating information quick and easy.
 The homepage provides quick access to various features, including Release Notes,
the index, and the Soundtrack Pro website.
 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 Pro onscreen user manual gives
you other means to locate information quickly:
 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.
 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.
 You can also use the Find dialog to search the text for specific words or a phrase.
18 Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro
Apple Websites
There are a variety of Apple websites that you can visit to find additional information.
Soundtrack Pro Website
For general information and updates, as well as the latest news on Soundtrack Pro, go to:
 http://www.apple.com/finalcutstudio/soundtrackpro
Apple Service and Support Website
Go here for software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all
Apple products, including Soundtrack Pro. You’ll also have access to product specifications,
reference documentation, and Apple and third-party product technical articles.
To access the Apple Service and Support webpage, go to:
 http://www.apple.com/support
To access the Soundtrack Pro support webpage, go to:
 http://www.apple.com/support/soundtrackpro
To access the Soundtrack Pro discussion webpage, go to:
 http://discussions.info.apple.com
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 high-speed
hard disk drives. Visit this website for information about FireWire technology and
available third-party FireWire products:
 http://www.apple.com/firewire
Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro 19
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 Pro, 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
20 Preface An Introduction to Soundtrack Pro
1 Setting Up Your System
1
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 Pro. 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 Pro.
 For information on system and hardware requirements, see the Read Before You
Install document on the installation DVD.
 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 Pro is optimized for use with computers that have a multiprocessor
architecture. Working with Soundtrack Pro 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.
21
Hard Disks
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 Pro. As you work with the
application, you’ll likely want to acquire a large collection of sounds to use in your
Soundtrack Pro projects. Hard disk performance is a critical aspect of your editing
system: the storage capacity and data rate of your disks must match or exceed the
requirements of the audio (and video) formats you are using.
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 video and audio
files. Consult the manufacturer’s specifications.
Dedicated Hard Disk
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 in Soundtrack Pro, you may want to record to a hard disk dedicated to storage
for your Soundtrack Pro projects.
Setting the Audio Input and Output
You can set the default input and output devices for Soundtrack Pro with the Audio
MIDI Setup utility.
To select a default output device:
1 Double-click Audio MIDI Setup in the Utilities folder.
2 Choose the device from the Default Output pop-up menu.
Note: Optionally, you can choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Sound, then
click Output. Select the audio interface in the list that appears.
To select a default input device:
1 Double-click Audio MIDI Setup in the Utilities folder.
2 Choose the device from the Default Input pop-up menu.
Note: Optionally, you can choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Sound, then
click Input. Select the audio interface in the list that appears.
22 Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System
Audio MIDI Setup
The Audio MIDI Setup utility is a program that comes with the Mac OS X for adjusting a
computer’s audio input and output settings and managing MIDI devices. You can select
audio channel input and output devices, configure output speakers, set clock rates, and
control levels. You may also be able to open a configuration utility provided by your
audio device.
For more information, go to:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/coreaudio
Adding Audio Units Plug-ins to Your Computer
Soundtrack Pro includes an extensive set of professional-quality effects plug-ins.
Soundtrack Pro 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 Pro does not support VST, ASIO, MAS, or RTAS effects plug-ins.
Connecting Equipment
You can use a variety of audio equipment with Soundtrack Pro 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.
Final Cut Studio editing systems can be configured to meet the most demanding
professional requirements. An advanced editing system can be built by expanding the
basic system described in the Final Cut Pro User Manual. The following list includes
equipment commonly used in Final Cut Studio editing systems:
 Macintosh computer with Final Cut Studio installed: The core of your editing system
 Professional video and audio devices: For capturing footage and outputting finished
projects. (For more information about video and audio devices, see Appendix C,
“Working with Professional Video and Audio Equipment,” on page 477.)
 External video and audio monitors: For viewing and listening to your program in its
final image and audio quality
 Video and audio interfaces: For connecting professional and non-FireWire devices to
your editing system
 RS-422 serial device control interfaces: For remote device control during capture
and output
Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System 23
 Video, audio, and remote device control cables: For separate video, audio, and remote
device control connections. Unlike a basic DV editing system that uses a solitary
FireWire cable to transfer video, audio, and remote control signals, many professional
configurations require separate cables for each of these signals.
 Additional scratch disks: One or more internal or external hard disks, a RAID, or a
connection to a storage area network (SAN)
 Control surfaces: Hardware controls that let you mix and edit your projects with
greater flexibility and precision than using a mouse to move onscreen controls
Video and Audio Input and Output Devices
An input device is used to transfer footage into your computer. For output, you record
your finished movie to an output device. Basic editing systems use a DV camcorder or
deck as both an input and output device. Professional editing systems may use
multiple video decks to capture and output to different video formats. While
Soundtrack Pro does not support video capture from devices such as camcorders or
VTRs, it does support recording from a variety of digital audio devices.
To connect non-FireWire devices to your computer, you also need a third-party video or
audio interface. For more information, see “About Video Interfaces, Signals, and
Connectors” on page 477.
Video Device
This is a VTR or camcorder you connect to your computer to capture and output media.
The connectors and signal format on your video device determine what kind of video
interface your computer needs to connect to your device.
Audio Device
This is a device, such as a digital audio tape (DAT) recorder or multitrack audio recorder,
that lets you capture or output audio independently from video.
Note: When using external audio devices, it’s a good idea to connect them before
opening Soundtrack Pro.
24 Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System
Video and Audio Interfaces
An interface is a device that adds physical video or audio connectors to your computer
so that you can connect your Final Cut Studio system to other professional equipment
(such as video or audio decks and monitors).
Interfaces provide input and output connectors that aren’t included with your
computer. For example, if you want to output multiple audio channels to an analog
audio mixer or digital multitrack, you need an audio interface that has XLR, 1/4”
tip-ring-sleeve (TRS), AES/EBU, or ADAT Lightpipe output connectors.
You may also want to consider adding a third-party interface to your system if:
 You need to capture or output many audio channels at once
 You are integrating Final Cut Studio into a professional broadcast environment that
requires SDI, HD-SDI, or other non-FireWire video and audio connections
 You need to capture, edit, and output full-resolution, uncompressed video signals
instead of DV video (which is compressed)
 You are digitizing video from an older analog VTR (such as a Betacam SP deck) that
does not have digital video outputs or remote control via FireWire
Third-party video and audio interfaces can be installed in one of your computer’s PCI
slots, connected to the USB port, or connected via FireWire.
For more information about selecting and connecting an audio interface for use with
Soundtrack Pro, see “Setting Up an Audio Interface” on page 485.
External Audio and Video Monitoring
In the final stages of post-production, external video and audio monitors are essential
to ensure the quality of your movie. Editing systems focused on these final phases of
post-production are often called finishing systems.
External Audio 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. During the final
mix, it is important to monitor your audio so that it matches the listening environment
where the final project will be shown. For detailed information on connecting external
speakers to your audio interface, see the documentation that came with the speakers.
Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System 25
Setting Up a Proper Audio Monitoring Environment
Room shape and material are just as important as the quality of the speakers
themselves. Every surface in a room potentially reflects sound, and these reflections
mix together with the sound originating from the speakers. Rooms with parallel walls
can create standing waves, which are mostly low-frequency sound waves that reinforce
and cancel each other as they bounce back and forth.
Standing waves cause some frequencies to be emphasized or attenuated more than
others, depending on your listening position. When you mix in a room that creates
standing waves, you may adjust certain frequencies more than necessary. However, you
may not notice until you play back your audio in a different listening environment, in
which those frequencies may sound overbearing or nonexistent.
∏ Tip: A much cheaper alternative to building new walls is to mount angled pieces of
material to the existing walls to eliminate parallel surfaces.
If the material in a room is very reflective, the room sounds “brighter” because high
frequencies are easily reflected. Mounting absorbing material (such as acoustic foam)
on the walls can reduce the brightness of a room. A “dead room” is one that has very
little reflection (or reverberation). Try to cover any reflective surfaces in your
monitoring environment.
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.
Control Surfaces
Soundtrack Pro supports control surfaces that use the Mackie Control and Logic
Control protocols. For information on connecting and using control surfaces, see
Chapter 15, “Using Control Surfaces with Soundtrack Pro,” on page 391.
26 Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System
External Video Monitors
When you design and edit a video soundtrack, it’s ideal to watch the video on a
monitor similar to the one you will use for the final screening. An external video
monitor can display color, frame rate, and interlaced scanning more accurately than
your computer display. (For information on connecting professional video devices, see
“Connecting Professional Video Devices” on page 498.)
If you are working on an NTSC or a PAL project, you should watch it on an external
video monitor that shows the video interlaced. For more information about external
video monitoring, see the Final Cut Pro User Manual.
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:
 Your computer and display
 A set of powered speakers, including speaker wire and a power adaptor
Speakers
Power cables
Speaker cables
Computer
Chapter 1 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:
 Your computer and display
 USB audio interface (from 2 to 8 channels) with USB cable to connect to your computer
 Microphone
 Musical instruments (guitar, bass, and keyboard)
 Cables to connect microphones and instruments to the audio interface
 Set of monitors or speakers
Monitors
Microphone
Power cables
USB
cable
Speaker
cables
Computer
Audio interface
Instrument
28 Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System
Setting Up a System Using a FireWire Interface and a Control Surface
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:
 Your computer and display
 FireWire audio interface with FireWire cable to connect to your computer
 Control surface and MIDI interface with USB cable to connect MIDI interface to
your computer
 MIDI cables to connect control surface to MIDI interface
 Set of powered monitors or speakers
 Speaker cables
Monitors
Power cables
Audio interface
Computer
FireWire
cable
Speaker cables
Midi interface
Control surface
Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System 29
Setting Up a System Using a Video Output Device
With this setup, you can play video and audio through an external video output device.
Because using a video output device can result in increased latency, you may want to
combine this setup with an audio-only setup (as shown in the preceding pages), and
switch between the two setups.
This setup uses the following equipment:
 Your computer and display
 Video output device (FireWire device or PCI card)
 High-quality video monitor
 Audio monitors
Computer
FireWire
cable
Video monitor
Video output device
Audio monitors
Speaker
cables
Mixer
30 Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System
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