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Avid Announces Pro Tools 9

dawsoftware — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 23:17:07 +0000

Avid Unleashes Pro Tools 9 — Breaks New Ground With More Creative, Flexible Options for Music and Sound Production

Company Delivers Unprecedented Creative Freedom by Redefining World’s Most Popular DAW With New Software-Only Toolset and Broad Third-Party Hardware Integration

SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Marketwire – November 4, 2010) – AES (Booth #1018) — Avid® (NASDAQ: AVID) today announced Pro Tools® version 9 — a groundbreaking evolution of the industry’s most popular music creation and audio production solution. Leveraging a next-generation architecture, version 9 of Pro Tools offers customers the unprecedented choice to work with Avid audio interfaces, third-party audio interfaces, or no hardware at all when using the built-in audio capabilities of a Mac or PC. This first-ever software-only option for Pro Tools delivers customers the most open, flexible and feature rich version in history, while also providing top professional features customers have requested. Also, new support for the Avid EUCON™ open Ethernet protocol now enables customers to expand control surface options to include Avid’s Artist Series and Pro Series audio consoles and controllers (formerly known as Euphonix® consoles and controllers).

Pro Tools customers — from the aspiring enthusiast to the professional — can now create sophisticated, great sounding mixes, whether they’re at home, on the road, or working in a large facility using an open, flexible workflow for enhanced collaboration and creativity.

Open, flexible workflows to work the way you want
Customers can design their workflow of choice using the new Pro Tools software-only configuration with their favorite Avid or third-party audio interface — or standalone — and with Avid Artist and Pro Series controllers. The benefits to users include:

* Versatile workflow design options — Enables customers to work the way they want using Pro Tools as a software only tool, or with hardware options that include either a variety of Avid audio interfaces for an Avid-advantaged workflow, or third-party audio interfaces as a result of new Core Audio and ASIO driver support.
* EUCON support — Delivers more hands-on mixing options to customers using the new Pro Tools software offering or Pro Tools|HD systems with the ability to deeply control Pro Tools through EUCON integration using any Artist Series or Pro Series audio controller or console, in addition to Avid and third-party audio control surfaces.

More creative options with coveted, professional features now included as standard
As a result of customer requests, many high value features formerly available as add-ons are now available right out-of-the-box, including:

* Automatic Delay Compensation — Equips customers using version 9 of Pro Tools with the ability to create better sounding mixes faster. Users can now mix and record with increased alignment and phase accuracy, without the need to manually compensate for latencies from hardware I/Os, internal and external routing, and plug-in algorithm processing — the number one request on the Pro Tools IdeaScale User Forum.
* More audio tracks and busses — Allows customers to create more elaborate music and audio productions, with support for 96 mono or stereo voices in the new software-only version of Pro Tools (192 voices with Pro Tools HD systems), 256 internal busses, and 160 aux tracks.
* Advanced production toolset — Gives customers access to standard professional tools in version 9 of Pro Tools to create more polished mixes out-of-the-box. Users can analyze and adjust timing across multiple tracks for tighter rhythm with the built-in multi-track Beat Detective™ module, improve organization and asset sharing with the DigiBase™ Pro file management tool, and save time with full Import Session Data dialog.

Collaborate with other audio and video software users more easily than ever
A series of audio for picture enhancements provides customers with the ability to easily collaborate with other audio and video software users, including:

* OMF/AAF/MXF interchange and MP3 export — Provides customers with simplified session and file exchange between applications.
* Built-in Time Code Ruler — Enables customers to achieve greater accuracy when syncing audio to video in post production (software only configuration of Pro Tools).
* Updated 7.1 surround panner — Allows customers to more easily mix multichannel surround for full film sound production.
* New variable stereo pan depths — Equips customers with authentic and precise track panning capabilities to achieve analog-console feel.

What customers are saying
Ulrich Wilde, producer and engineer for bands including Dethklok, Pantera and the Deftones, said: “One big thing about Pro Tools being an open platform is that I won’t have to run two systems anymore. Right now I have a dedicated Pro Tools system and a dedicated Apogee system and I have to reboot with one or the other — now I can save space and time toggling between them. EUCON support is also huge for me as I’ll be able to integrate Pro Tools into my studio workflow, which is based on Logic using an Artist Series controller.”

According to Lyle Workman, composer for films such as The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up, and guitarist for performers including Sting, Beck and Shakira: “I can’t think of a reason why someone wouldn’t want to work in Pro Tools — it’s for the person who’s getting started, yet it’s for the person in my world. It provides all of the advantages of smaller systems, yet works from my studio to the music editor’s room to the stage. It’s incredibly convenient that there are no cross-platform issues. It’s just Pro Tools from soup to nuts!”

Jesse Keeler (aka JFK), artist and producer for MSTRKRFT, said: “The one barrier to total productivity for me while traveling has always been the lack of Pro Tools session portability. But now that Pro Tools is available as a software only package, Avid has made it so the same session can be worked on anywhere. For me, this feature alone is priceless.”

Pricing and availability
Version 9 of the new Pro Tools and Pro Tools HD software will be available worldwide on November 12, 2010 starting at $599 USD. For regions outside of the U.S., please see your local retailer for pricing. For more information on features and availability, visit: www.avid.com.

About Avid
Avid creates the digital audio and video technology used to make the most listened to, most watched and most loved media in the world — from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, television shows, live concert tours and news broadcasts, to music and movies made at home. Some of Avid’s most influential and pioneering solutions include Media Composer®, Pro Tools, Interplay®, ISIS®, VENUE, Oxygen 8, Sibelius®, System 5, and Pinnacle Studio™. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit www.avid.com, del.icio.us, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube; connect with Avid on Facebook; or subscribe to Avid Industry Buzz.

MOTU Snow Leopard Compatibility

dawsoftware — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:29:40 +0000

According to MOTU, they have “worked closely with Apple to ensure a smooth transition for your MOTU products when you make the move to Snow Leopard.” In most cases, current versions of MOTU software have already been made forward-compatible with Snow Leopard – and, of course, that includes the forthcoming Digital Performer 7. MOTU promises that the now-available and soon-to-be-available software and driver updates include support for Mac OS X’s latest advances in multi-threading and multi-processor operation.

The software specifics:
All currently shipping versions of MOTU software products are compatible with Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard, except for Ethno Instrument (with a promise that it will be compatible soon). Here’s a complete list of the minimum versions required for Mac OS X v10.6.

MOTU reminds you to update your Pace extensions, if you own an iLok, before upgrading.

Hardware drivers:
Device drivers are now available for Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard for all MOTU FireWire/USB2 audio interfaces, FireWire video interfaces, PCI-424 audio interfaces, and USB MIDI interfaces. You need to be using one or more of the following driver updates:

FireWire/USB2 Audio 1.4.23
FireWire Video 1.1.2 (Final Cut Pro testing reveals no problems, but the software itself has not yet been approved)
PCI-424 Audio 1.2.2
USB MIDI 1.4.23

Update all Mac hardware and software updates here.

Steinberg Snow Leopard Compatibility

dawsoftware — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:18:16 +0000

Steinberg has announced their Snow Leopard/Windows 7 compatibility plan, but it would seem to leave Cubase and Nuendo users dangling for some time after other DAW apps have moved on. Here’s their September 1 statement: “Steinberg has outlined its plans to ensure compatibility for its current product and technology palette to Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and Windows 7. A three-phase development and testing plan has been implemented to ensure compatibility with the new operating system versions.

“In Phase One, the current development phase, Steinberg is testing all current products on both Windows 7 and OS X 10.6. Phase Two will see any development work resulting from compatibility testing during Phase One. This stage will also see the certification of some products straight away, should all stringent testing be passed satisfactorily. Phase Three will see testing and release of any compatibility updates developed during Phase Two, and certification of the rest of the product range not already certified in Phase Two.

“The ongoing process is slated to span several months; further information on the progress of individual products is to be made available on the forums at cubase.net and nuendo.com as the implementation plan progresses.”

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Support for Pro Tools

dawsoftware — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:26:55 +0000

Many DAW software and hardware makers seem to have taken on a Stepford-like tone in their Snow Leopard announcements. They’re “pleased” that OS X 10.6. has been released, and they’re “working closely with Apple” to get up to speed. Read on:

“Avid/Digidesign is pleased to hear that Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. At this time, we’re working closely with Apple to bring Snow Leopard support to the entire Pro Tools line and extended product families, and ask that all Mac users please wait to upgrade until we officially announce Snow Leopard support. Stay tuned…”

Don’t Miss this SOS

admin — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:54:06 +0000

If you haven’t already noticed, most of the recording/electronic music/keyboard/etc. magazines have withered away during the economic, uh, drought. Advertisers are abandoning, or cutting back on, print media, which leaves publishers with a starvation budget that’s reflected in a noticeable dropoff in editorial content. So we see recycled articles, content that’s traded back and forth between sister publications, and attempts to steer readers to websites.

But Sound on Sound has stuck to its guns, offering loads of practical information, how-to guides, dissections of classic tracks, and more, all wrapped up in a good-natured Brit-speak package. The current issue includes technique-rich articles on Cubase, Digital Performer, Logic, Pro Tools, and SONAR – which by themselves are worth the hefty $60 USD subscription – plus regular features like Studio SOS (the editors actually visit readers’ home studios and help whip them into shape!), Mix Rescue (equally informative treatment of readers’ tracks), and a pile of other good stuff. In my day job I see all the trade publications; SOS is the one I take home to read and re-read.