Comments on: Why I (Still) Love Soundtrack Pro for Sound Design; Soundtrack for Intel

By: Create Digital Music » Adobe Soundbooth Beta First Look: Simplified Audio Editor for Quick Sound Editing (Windows, Mac)

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:21:01 +0000

[...] the standalone version in favor of a bundle with a video product. (CDM’s readers were extremely disappointed by those moves.) At best, Soundbooth could be a killer tool via integration with Flash and other [...]

By: Mercurius FM

Mercurius FM — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 01:28:59 +0000

I produce music with Soundtrack currently. From house music to electro, I sample and cut and compress beats with ease. I am very happy to have bought Soundtrack as a standalone app. Now I think it is time to upgrade to Pro. ;)

Cheers.

By: TJW

TJW — Mon, 08 May 2006 00:06:50 +0000

I agree with most of the comments here in that STP is an awesome wave editor, probably the best one to hit the Mac platform. I also agree that it’s a real shame that Apple doesn’t want musicians using it. They could have had a real “killer app” situation with STP, but many users who are planning to move forward with Apple’s hardware are being forced to cough up for the (80% useless for audio) Final Cut Studio package or look for another solution. I was on the fence for a while but I caved in and got the upgrade. I’ve gotten so into STP, especially its AppleScriptability, that I’m kind of married to it now from a workflow standpoint. Even still, I’m considering selling my FCP bundle and switching over to Wave Editor from Audiofile Engineering as that’s the only other scriptable editor I know of for the Mac.

By: S Carter

S Carter — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 22:39:30 +0000

So the Apple Store Soho took back my opened box Final Cut Express and refunded my money. I didn’t even have to get too steamed up.

The upgrade from Soundtrack Pro works this way:

print out form from site

mail in with original Soundtrack Pro Install DVD and $199

Final Cut Suite is then mailed to you via US Postal

So I’m happy and now I think I should get that Real World Digital Audio book because I would not have thought of this had I not read about it here last night.
Besides I have a lot more to learn.
So Thanks!

By: jbatcho

jbatcho — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 19:57:45 +0000

The funny thing about STP is that it’s great for the reasons mentioned here (sample editing, primarily) and it sucks for Apple’s intended purpose: video work. I recently tried posting a half-hour TV show using STP instead of PT and it was abysmally slow and the app has some real bugs to work out. I’m keeping my eye on it for the future, but it’s not ready yet. As an editor, though, it’s awesome.

You may want to consider adding my review to the list. It’s focus is the Studio bundle, but I the second half is devoted to STP, given that it was written for Remix.

http://remixmag.com/mag/remix_apple_final_cut/index.html

By: admin

admin — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 19:05:03 +0000

Why don’t we take to the streets with boxes of Soundtrack Pro raised high, a la the folks in Japan?

By: admin

admin — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 19:04:23 +0000

All I can think is *maybe* they’ll add some of the functionality of Soundtrack in a future Logic. They’re most of the way there: Logic has the same effects, Apple Loops support, etc. In fact, Logic supports surround better than Soundtrack. All Logic needs is the Soundtrack sample-accurate waveform editor, action layers, Automator automation, and audio repair features. But even then, it’ll leave out the users who would pair, say, DP or Live with Soundtrack. (Soundtrack makes a really nice external editor for Live; you just set it up in preferences.)

I can’t imagine they’re saying “go away, music users,” though. If they did this, it’s because they weren’t seeing standalone sales of Soundtrack and wanted to focus on the Final Cut suite. Unfortunately, the video people are spending more money on software than the music people, I’m afraid.

By: richardl

richardl — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 18:55:50 +0000

Apple doesn’t want non-video users of SoundTrack Pro. Apple’s message is clear, “Go away!”

From everything I’ve read and seen SoundTrack Pro is a great program. I was seriously considering using it. But I don’t need Final Cut, Motion, DVD Studio etc. I was thinking SoundTrack Pro along with Logic Express on a new Core Duo Intel Mac mini would be a great low cost DAW. But obtaining SoundTrack Pro for an Intel Mac costs $500.

And Apple’s only going to make it harder and harder for you in the future. Consider the next upgrade. Moving foreward you are going to have to pay to upgrade the entire Final Cut Studio. How much do you think the next upgrade to Final Cut Studio is going to cost? (I won’t be $99.)

By: admin

admin — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 01:19:45 +0000

It sounds like the person at the Apple Store Soho was ill-informed. Final Cut Studio is Universal, meaning it will indeed run on your G5. In fact, the only developer I’ve seen yet that is developing an Intel-specific build is Propellerhead with Reason (and you’ll still get both in the same box). ALL Apple software is getting Universal treatment, for compatibility with PowerPC- and Intel-based hardware from the same file.

Also, if you check the Pro Applications Crossgrade page, you’ll see there are TWO offers:

$49 cross-grades to Final Cut Studio Universal from an existing Final Cut Studio copy. (It’ll run on G5, but there’s no point in spending the $50 there if you already have a copy of Final Cut Studio and are running it on PowerPC)

$199 upgrades to the complete Final Cut Studio from previous *standalone* versions of Final Cut Pro (4-5), Motion 2, Soundtrack Pro, DVD Studio Pro 4, and the Production Suite.

In other words, Apple is rewarding its standalone customers by letting them upgrade to the full suite at a *radically* reduced price. It’s a great deal. Too bad the Apple Store staff aren’t up on this.

I see they’re also upgrading volume license customers, which is a big deal for educational customers. It means if you have a lab pack of Soundtrack Pro or Motion 2, for instance, but not the full suite, you can upgrade that, too. So this isn’t just about Intel Macs; it’s about getting everyone on the full suite.

By: S Carter

S Carter — Wed, 22 Mar 2006 00:52:38 +0000

So I got all excited about the upgrade since I do video too and wanted the Studio and went to the Apple Store in Soho to the the Studio for 199 since I have Soundtrack Pro.
But the guy working there told me that I the deal was only for the upgrade to the Intel software and that it wouldn’t work on my G5. So I ended up buying Final Cut Express HD to use in my upcoming video project.

So now that I just read this post I can see that the guy working in the store was wrong. I mean why would they call it UNIVERSAL if it doesn’t run on both? At the store I had the impression that Universal meant that it only ran on Intel machines, Mac or Windows. I’ll be at the store tomorrow morning to work this out, Thanks!