Apple Soundtrack Pro 3 User Manual

Welcome to Soundtrack Pro

The Soundtrack Pro Interface

About Soundtrack Pro

About the Soundtrack Pro Documentation

Additional Resources

System Considerations

Connecting Equipment

Example Hardware Setups

Soundtrack Pro Window Organization

Processor Speed and RAM

Hard Disks

Setting the Audio Input and Output

Audio MIDI Setup

Adding Audio Units Plug-ins to Your Computer

Video and Audio Input and Output Devices

Video and Audio Interfaces

External Audio and Video Monitoring

Setup with Powered Speakers

Setup with a USB Audio Interface

Setup with a FireWire Interface and a Control Surface

Setup with a Video Output Device

Setup with a PCI Express Video Interface Card with Breakout Box

Setup for Stereo Mixing

Setup for Surround Mixing

Showing and Hiding the Panes

Video Device

Audio Device

External Audio Speakers and Monitors

Setting Up a Proper Audio Monitoring Environment

Amplifiers

Mixers

Control Surfaces

External Video Monitors

0 (0)

Soundtrack Pro 3

User Manual

Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The owner or authorized user of a valid copy of Final Cut Studio or Logic Studio software may reproduce this publication for the purpose of learning to use such software. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this publication or for providing paid for support services.

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Apple, the Apple logo, Apple Cinema Display, AppleScript, Apple TV, DVD Studio Pro, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro,

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Preface	11	Welcome to Soundtrack Pro
	11	About Soundtrack Pro
	12	About the Soundtrack Pro Documentation
	12	Additional Resources
Chapter 1	15	Setting Up Your System
	15	System Considerations
	17	Connecting Equipment
	21	Example Hardware Setups
Chapter 2	27	The Soundtrack Pro Interface
	28	Soundtrack Pro Window Organization
	35	Project Pane
	36	Toolbar
	36	Transport Controls
	37	Timeline
	41	File Editor
	43	Mixer
	45	Multitake Editor
	46	Conform
	46	Bin
	48	Meters Tab
	49	Recording Tab
	50	Browser
	51	Search Tab
	53	Favorites Tab
	54	Video Tab
	54	Project Tab
	58	Details Tab
	62	Effects Tab
	63	Tracks Tab
	64	Actions Tab
	65	Analysis Tab

	66	HUDs
Chapter 3	69	Basics of Working in Soundtrack Pro
	69	About Multitrack and Audio File Projects
	72	Setting Up Your Workspace
	76	Using Keyboard Shortcuts and Shortcut Menus
	77	Undoing and Redoing Changes
	78	About Changing Values and Timecode Entries
	81	Locating and Adding Audio Files
	89	About the Bin
	93	Previewing Audio Files
	95	Playing Projects
	99	Using Snapping
	101	Reconnecting Media Files
Chapter 4	103	Soundtrack Pro Preferences
	103	Setting Soundtrack Pro Preferences
	105	General Preferences
	107	Project Preferences
	108	Recording Preferences
	109	Synchronization Preferences
	110	Control Surfaces Preferences
	111	Video Out Preferences
Chapter 5	113	Working with Multitrack Projects
	113	Creating, Opening, and Closing Multitrack Projects
	114	Creating a Multitrack Project from Final Cut Pro Clips or Sequences
	114	Setting Project Properties
	118	Setting the Project Length
	119	Setting Default Locations for Saving Media Files
	120	Saving Multitrack Projects
	121	Adding Files to a Multitrack Project
	123	Clip Properties
	124	Tracks, Busses, Submixes, and the Master Bus
Chapter 6	129	Working in the Timeline
	130	About the Timeline
	130	Using the Timeline Editing Tools
	132	Timeline Editing Tools HUD
	133	Moving Around in the Timeline
	140	Working with Tracks, Busses, and Submixes in the Timeline
	152	Selecting Audio Clips in the Timeline
	153	Selecting the Entire Contents of a Track

Contents

	154	Selecting Partial Contents of One or More Tracks
	155	Cutting, Copying, Pasting, and Removing Audio Clips
	157	Splitting and Joining Audio Clips
	160	Spotting Clips to the Timeline
	161	Moving Clips
	163	Snapping Clips to Clips on Other Tracks
	163	Resizing Audio Clips
	166	Changing the Offset of an Audio Clip
	167	Creating Fades and Crossfades in the Timeline
	173	Truncating Overlapping Audio Clips
	174	Working with Markers
	179	Transposing Tagged Audio Clips
	179	Replacing the Source Audio in a Clip
	181	Replacing Audio with Related Files
	181	Making Clip Channel Selections
	184	Combining Separate Clips to Create Multichannel Clips
	184	Editing Clip and Track Properties
Chapter 7	189	Editing Audio in the Multitrack Timeline
	189	How Selection Type Affects Actions
	191	Editing in Place
	192	How Clips Are Affected by Media File Editing
	192	How Source Audio File Editing Works in a Multitrack Project
	193	Making an Independent Copy of a Clip
	193	Using the Multitrack Timeline and the File Editor Together
	196	Editing with the Timeslice Tool
	201	Processing Audio Clips
	201	The Lift and Stamp Tools and the Sound Palette
Chapter 8	207	Working in the File Editor
	207	About the File Editor
	209	Opening Audio Files in the File Editor Tab
	210	Playing Audio Files in the File Editor
	210	Soloing an Audio File in the File Editor
	211	Linking the File Editor Selection and the Cycle Region
	211	Scrubbing Audio Files
	212	Selecting All or Parts of an Audio File
	216	Cutting, Copying, and Pasting in the File Editor
	218	Zooming In and Out in the File Editor
	219	Editing Audio Files Graphically with Waveform Editing Tools
	223	Choosing the Sample Units in the File Editor
	224	Editing Multichannel Files
	226	Using Frequency Spectrum View

Contents

231 Working with Actions

237Overview of Analyzing and Fixing Problems in an Audio File

238Analyzing and Fixing Problems in an Audio File

242 Using the File Editor Project View

Chapter 9	251	Processing Audio Files
	252	Choosing Processing Effects
	253	Fade In
	253	Fade Out
	253	Normalize
	254	Adjust Amplitude
	254	Silence
	254	Invert
	255	Reverse
	255	Insert
	257	Time Stretch
	258	Noise Reduction
	262	Adding Ambient Noise
	263	Equalization Matching
	263	Convert to Mono
	264	Resample
	264	Swap Channels
	264	Edit Channels
	266	Render to Action
Chapter 10	267	Working with Audio Effects
	267	Processing Effects and Realtime Effects
	269	Working with Effect Presets
	270	Audio Effects Included with Soundtrack Pro
	283	Working with Realtime Effects
	293	Working with Processing Effects
Chapter 11	295	Using the Multitake Editor
	296	What Is Automatic Dialogue Replacement?
	296	Multitake Clips
	296	Creating Multitake Clips
	297	Overview of the Multitake Editor
	298	Editing in the Multitake Editor
	300	Slipping Take Regions
	300	Adding and Deleting Takes
	301	Renaming Takes
	301	Reordering Takes
	302	Example: A Multitake Editing Workflow

Contents

Chapter 12	305	Basic Mixing in Soundtrack Pro
	306	Steps in Mixing
	306	Structuring an Audio Post-Production Project
	316	Using the Mixer
Chapter 13	335	Mixing Surround Sound
	335	What Is 5.1 Surround?
	336	Creating a Surround Project
	336	Setting Up Soundtrack Pro for Surround
	341	Using Surround Panners to Create a Surround Mix
	347	Surround Mixing Strategies
	353	Exporting and Delivering 5.1 Surround Projects
Chapter 14	355	Working with Video in Soundtrack Pro
	356	Supported Video File Formats
	356	Adding a Video to a Project
	357	Playing the Video
	360	Viewing Video Details
	361	Working with a Video’s Audio
	361	Using the Time Display and Time Ruler with Video
	362	Scrubbing and Spotting with the Multipoint Video HUD
	365	Removing a Video from a Project
Chapter 15	367	Working with Automation
	367	Working with Envelopes
	376	Recording Automation Data
Chapter 16	379	Recording Audio in Soundtrack Pro
	379	Getting Ready to Record
	380	Recording Audio in the Timeline
	387	Recording Audio in the Mixer
	387	Recording Audio in the File Editor Project View
Chapter 17	389	Creating Podcasts in Soundtrack Pro
	389	About Podcasts
	390	Podcasting Media Production
	391	Displaying the Podcast Track and the Details Tab
	392	Podcast Marker Information in the Details Tab
	393	Adding Markers to a Podcast
	396	Adding Images to a Podcast
	399	Exporting Podcasts

Contents

Chapter 18	403	Using Control Surfaces with Soundtrack Pro
	403	Connecting Control Surfaces
	404	Adding and Deleting Control Surfaces
	406	Premapped Controls
	407	Mapping Commands to Control Surface Buttons
	408	Recording Control Surface Automation
Chapter 19	409	Using Soundtrack Pro with Other Applications
	409	Using Soundtrack Pro with Final Cut Pro
	421	Using Soundtrack Pro with DVD Studio Pro
	423	Using Soundtrack Pro with Motion
	424	Using Soundtrack Pro with Logic Pro
	425	Using Soundtrack Pro with Third-Party Applications
Chapter 20	429	Exporting Multitrack Projects
	430	About Exporting
	430	Export File Formats Available in Soundtrack Pro
	430	About Export Options
	432	General Export Options
	434	About Export Options for AIFF, WAVE, and Other Formats
	435	About MP3 Export Options
	436	About AAC/Podcast Export Options
	439	About Dolby Digital Professional (AC-3) Export Options
	444	About Export Options Using Compressor
	445	Exporting Part of a Multitrack Project
	446	Exporting a Master Mix
	454	Exporting Tracks, Busses, and Submixes Separately
	455	About Exporting Multiple Mono Files
	456	Exporting to AAF
	457	Using Post-Export Actions
	458	Using Export Presets
	460	Distributing a Multitrack Project and Its Media Files Together
Chapter 21	463	Using Conform with Final Cut Pro
	463	About Conforming Manually
	463	About Soundtrack Pro Conform
	464	Conforming a Soundtrack Pro Multitrack Project
	468	Reviewing and Approving Changes in a Conform Result Project
Appendix A	473	Soundtrack Pro Keyboard Shortcuts
	474	General and File
	474	Layouts, Tabs, and HUDs
	475	Navigating the Timeline

Contents

	476	Project Playback
	476	Cycle Region
	477	General Editing
	477	Editing Audio Clips in the Timeline
	478	Moving Audio Clips and Envelope Points
	479	Viewing the Timeline
	480	Timeline Tools
	480	File Editor Project View Tools and Commands
	481	Processing and Editing Audio Files
	482	Tracks, Busses, and Submixes
	482	Markers
	483	Selecting Audio Clips in the Timeline
	484	Video Out
	484	Recording
	484	Using Arrow Keys to Move the Playhead
	485	Working with Timeslices
Appendix B	487	Audio Fundamentals
	487	What Is Sound?
	497	Digital Audio
Appendix C	501	Working with Professional Video and Audio Equipment
	501	Video Interfaces
	504	Video Signals and Connectors
	508	Setting Up an Audio Interface
	514	Audio Connectors, Cables, and Signal Formats
	518	About Balanced Audio Signals
	519	Tips for Choosing Speakers and an Amplifier
	521	Connecting Professional Video Devices
	525	Connecting Professional Audio Devices

Appendix D 531 Working with Apogee Hardware in Soundtrack Pro

531Using Apogee Hardware with Soundtrack Pro

531Creating and Saving a New Apogee Configuration

532Specifying Global Parameters in the Apogee Setup Dialog

533Specifying Units Parameters in the Apogee Setup Dialog

537Using a Previously Saved Configuration

538Choosing a Configuration Saved with a Project

Appendix E	539	Solving Problems
	539	Resources for Solving Problems
	539	Solutions to Common Problems
	541	Contacting AppleCare Support

Contents

Preface

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 FinalCutStudio, SoundtrackPro was created for the film and video industry. SoundtrackPro gives you many specialized tools and powerful features that you can use to create high-quality audio.

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.

This preface covers the following:

•About Soundtrack Pro (p. 11)

•About the Soundtrack Pro Documentation (p. 12)

•Additional Resources (p. 12)

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.

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.

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.

Soundtrack Pro comes with various documentation that will help you get started as well as provide detailed information about the application.

•Soundtrack Pro User Manual: This is a comprehensive document that 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 is written for users of all levels of experience.

•Soundtrack Pro Effects Reference: Soundtrack Pro includes a comprehensive collection of powerful effect plug-ins. This document introduces you to the individual effects and their parameters.

Along with the documentation that comes with Soundtrack Pro, there are a variety of other resources you can use to find out more about Soundtrack Pro.

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

12	Preface Welcome to Soundtrack Pro

Apple Service and Support Websites

For software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all Apple products, go to the general Apple Support web page. You’ll also have access to product specifications, reference documentation, and Apple and third-party product technical articles.

• http://www.apple.com/support

For software updates, documentation, discussion forums, and answers to the most frequently asked questions for Soundtrack Pro, go to:

• http://www.apple.com/support/soundtrackpro

For discussions forums for all Apple products from around the world, where you can search for an answer, post your question, or answer other users’ questions, go to:

• http://discussions.apple.com

Preface Welcome to Soundtrack Pro

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 SoundtrackPro. 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.

This chapter covers the following:

•System Considerations (p. 15)

•Connecting Equipment (p. 17)

•Example Hardware Setups (p. 21)

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

•Editing and managing digital audio files can require intensive processing by your computer. For more information, see Processor Speed and RAM.

•Storing digital audio files can require a large amount of hard disk space. For more information, see Hard Disks.

•To make the most of Soundtrack Pro, you may wish to use a variety of audio input and output devices. For more information, see Setting the Audio Input and Output and Audio MIDI Setup.

•Audio units plug-ins from other manufacturers can extend the capabilities of Soundtrack Pro. For more information, see Adding Audio Units Plug-ins to Your Computer.

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.

In addition to having a computer with a fast processor and a lot of extra RAM, 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.

Important: 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.

You can set the default input and output devices for Soundtrack Pro with the Audio MIDI Setup utility.

To select a default output device

Do one of the following:

µDouble-click Audio MIDI Setup in the Utilities folder, then choose the device from the Default Output pop-up menu.

µChoose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Sound, then click Output. Select the audio interface in the list that appears.

16	Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

To select a default input device

Do one of the following:

µDouble-click Audio MIDI Setup in the Utilities folder, then choose the device from the Default Input pop-up menu.

µChoose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Sound, then click Input. Select the audio interface in the list that appears.

The Audio MIDI Setup utility is a program that comes with 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://developer.apple.com/audio/overview.html.

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.

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. For general information about connecting a control surface to your computer, see Connecting Control Surfaces.

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 Working with Professional Video and Audio Equipment.)

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

•Externalvideoandaudiomonitors: 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

•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)

•Controlsurfaces: Hardware controls that let you mix and edit your projects with greater flexibility and precision than using a mouse to move onscreen controls

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. Although 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 Video Interfaces.

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.

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.

18	Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

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

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 Express 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.

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.

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

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.

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.

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.

20	Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

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 preamplification for microphones, making the use of a separate amplifier unnecessary.

Soundtrack Pro supports control surfaces that use the Mackie Control, Logic Control, and Euphonix EuCon protocols. For information on connecting and using control surfaces, see Using Control Surfaces with Soundtrack Pro.

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.)

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.

The following sections provide several examples of different hardware setups:

•Setup with Powered Speakers

•Setup with a USB Audio Interface

•Setup with a FireWire Interface and a Control Surface

•Setup with a Video Output Device

•Setup with a PCI Express Video Interface Card with Breakout Box

•Setup for Stereo Mixing

•Setup for Surround Mixing

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

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

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
	Speaker
	cables
	USB
	cable
	Audio interface
Computer	Instrument

22	Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

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

FireWire	Speaker cables
cable

Midi interface

Computer

Control surface

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, and switch between the two setups.

This setup uses the following equipment:

•Your computer and display

•Video output device (FireWire device or PCI Express card)

•High-quality video monitor

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

• Audio monitors

Video monitor		Audio monitors

Speaker

cables

FireWire

cable

Video output device

Computer

Mixer

Many PCI Express cards aren’t big enough to fit all of the necessary video and audio connectors. In these situations, a breakout box is connected to the PCI Express card via a multipin connector on a long cable, and the connectors are accessible on the breakout box instead of on the back of the PCI Express card. A breakout box is also useful because it allows you to place the connectors somewhere more convenient than the back of your computer, such as on an equipment rack or a desktop.

This setup uses the following equipment:

•Your computer and display

•Video interface (PCI Express card with breakout box)

•High-quality video monitor

•Audio speakers

BNC connector

Computer

Breakout box

Analog or digital VTR

(with PCI Express card)

24	Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

By default, Soundtrack Pro is set up for stereo mixing. Most video editing suites use nearfield monitors, which are speakers designed to be listened to at fairly close range. Speakers should be at least a foot or two away from any walls to prevent early reflections of sound that combine with and muddy the original sound.

Position the speakers as far from your listening position as they are from each other (forming an equilateral triangle). For example, if the distance between the speakers is six feet, you should place yourself six feet from each speaker. The apparent width of the sound stage, or stereo image, increases as the distance between the speakers increases. However, if the two speakers get too far apart, sound information appearing in the center (between both speakers) starts to disappear.

For complete instructions on setting up the surround mixing tools in Soundtrack Pro, see Setting Up Soundtrack Pro for Surround.

Chapter 1 Setting Up Your System

Soundtrack Pro is designed to handle every aspect of creating audio for a video or film project, from multitrack recording to advanced audio processing and mixing. You can use Soundtrack Pro together with Final Cut Pro as a complete audio post-production solution that is powerful, yet also elegant and flexible.

This chapter covers the following:

•Soundtrack Pro Window Organization (p. 28)

•Project Pane (p. 35)

•Toolbar (p. 36)

•Transport Controls (p. 36)

•Timeline (p. 37)

•File Editor (p. 41)

•Mixer (p. 43)

•Multitake Editor (p. 45)

•Conform (p. 46)

•Bin (p. 46)

•Meters Tab (p. 48)

•Recording Tab (p. 49)

•Browser (p. 50)

•Search Tab (p. 51)

•Favorites Tab (p. 53)

•Video Tab (p. 54)

•Project Tab (p. 54)

•Details Tab (p. 58)

•Effects Tab (p. 62)

•Tracks Tab (p. 63)

•Actions Tab (p. 64)

•Analysis Tab (p. 65)

•HUDs (p. 66)

There are several panes that comprise the Soundtrack Pro window that you’ll use while you are creating audio projects. You may want to open Soundtrack Pro so you can view these panes and familiarize yourself with the interface.

To open Soundtrack Pro

µIn the Finder, double-click the Soundtrack Pro icon in the Applications folder.

You may also choose to add the Soundtrack Pro icon to the Dock for easier access. For more information, see Mac Help.

The Soundtrack Pro window is arranged into several areas.

Project pane

Left pane

Right pane

Lower pane

Transport controls (project pane)

•Project pane: This is reserved as the central “canvas” for the multitrack Timeline and for individual audio file projects.

•Left, lower, right panes: Task-specific tabs are docked in the left, lower, and right panes. By default, the tabs are grouped by function and are laid out for a streamlined audio post-production workflow.

•Transportcontrols: Use these controls at the bottom of the window to play back projects that you open in the project pane.

28	Chapter 2 The Soundtrack Pro Interface

Below is the standard, default layout of the Soundtrack Pro window. You can easily rearrange the tabs and resize the panes to suit your needs and then save the custom layouts for future use.

Video tab		Standard layout
Video tab		Standard layout

Toolbar

Meters tab

Browser tab

Note: At any time, you can revert to the default layout by choosing Window > Layouts > Standard, or pressing F1. Also, you can save any custom layouts you create. For more information on managing layouts, see Using Project Layouts.

Chapter 2 The Soundtrack Pro Interface

Details tab

Transport controls

Details tab

Transport controls

Tabs are grouped by function to optimize your workflow. For example, the media tabs related to input and output functions (Meters, Recording, Search, Browser, and Favorites) are located in the right pane by default. When you are finished with media input, you can close the entire right pane by choosing Window > Toggle Right Pane, and thereby allow more horizontal space for the project pane and the lower pane. If you hide a pane, then later choose to show a tab that is in the hidden pane, the pane reappears and shows all tabs in that pane.

30	Chapter 2 The Soundtrack Pro Interface

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