2010-11-06

Pro Tools 9 -released-


Pro Tools 9 redefines the world’s most popular, most advanced music and audio production platform with a completely re-architected, open version of Pro Tools software.

Work with an audio interface—or without. Create bigger, better-sounding mixes with more tracks, Automatic Delay Compensation, and other pro features included as standard. Open your workflow to projects created in other audio and video software—and to the entire Avid Artist Series and Pro Series (formerly Euphonix) console/controller line.

Features include:

* Work with your favorite Avid audio interface, third-party Core Audio/ASIO interface (up to 32 channels supported), or standalone
* Create bigger mixes with more simultaneous audio tracks—up to 96 or 192* voices
* Get coveted pro features such as multitrack Beat Detective, OMF/AAF/MXF interchange, DigiBase Pro, and full Import Session Data dialog as standard
* Create better-sounding, phase-accurate mixes with Automatic Delay Compensation
* Expand your hands-on control options with EUCON integration for Artist and Pro Series consoles/controllers
* Work with video more easily with the Time Code Ruler and variable stereo pan depths, and mix in surround with the updated 7.1 surround panner*
* Create complex mixes with 256 internal busses, 160 aux tracks, and 512* total audio tracks
* Share your music mixes with anyone with included MP3 Export

* Feature/spec only available in Pro Tools HD 9 software and Pro Tools 9 software with the added Complete Production Toolkit 2 option.

For more information: visit the Pro Tools 9 product page.

2010-10-26

No this is not a sound article. But it is still pretty cool...

Here is a cheap HD camera for all you adrenalin junkies... and for only $400 AUD!!!
The GoPro camera range is designed for and already used by many professional film and TV producers, athletes and enthusiasts.  GoPro have now developed the new High Definition HD HERO, a full blown professional-grade wearable camera, at consumer price. 

2010-10-07

...it was only a matter of time

Avid have released a new addition to their Pro Tools range - the new HD Native. Many people have been expecting this immanent addition to their range and now it is here. No pricing or upgrade paths are listed on the website yet.

2010-09-23

*** Rolling Stock*** coming soon

A series of art happenings on a vintage train moving through the landscapes of Junee (SW NSW)
Featuring artists: Chris Watson (UK), Renny Kodgers, PVI Collective, Kate Murphy, Alan Lamb, Dave Noyze, Public Assembly, Pip Shea, Shannon O’Neill and more…. website & further updates coming soon…

STEPHEN O’MALLEY (Sunn O))), Khanate, KTL) residency + DIY Wires Workshop & WIRED EARS Funding Opportunity for emerging artists…

Resounding through The WIRED Lab landscape will be the low frequency reverberations of Sunn O)))’s STEPHEN O’MALLEY….That’s right THE STEPHEN O’MALLEY will be rolling with us!!!

Spring time in these high hills is going to be oh soooo gloriously LOW + S  L  O  W

O’Malley tells us that Alan Lamb’s work has long been an inspiration, with tapes of Alan Lamb’s work being circulated amongst the Seattle music scene in the 80’s & 90’s. Meeting the “…crazy outback wire guy” has been a long term goal of O’Malleys and we @ WIRED Lab are very pleased to make this happen… 10 days of collaboration with long form reverb & bass reckoning may well produce sounds of hellfire imaginings but it is our idea of sonic heavenly blissfulness. More about O’Malley can be found here. <http://www.ideologic.org/>

You too will get an opportunity to meet O’Malley. Over Saturday 16th  & Sunday 17th October The WIRED Lab will be hosting its annual in situ DIY Wires: Construction & Recording Workshop, AND on Sunday dark lords O’Malley and Oren Ambarchi will provide a rare insight into their practice and techniques.  This workshop series is your chance to learn how to build your own æolian instrument, custom recording and LF music making techniques. The weekend will also include performances by Alan Lamb & WIRED Lab members, Ambarchi & O’Malley.

The WIRED Lab is located on a farm in regional NSW (between Gundagai and Cootamundra) and is the site of the latest ‘Wire’ instruments built by Alan Lamb, along with collaborators Sarah Last, Dave Burraston, Garry Bradbury and Robin Fox.

WIRED EARS (EMERGING ARTISTS RESIDENCY SCHEME)
The WIRED EAR Scheme will provide financial assistance for NSW based young and emerging artists to attend selected WIRED Lab workshops. For our annual DIY Wires workshop we will be offering $150 to assist 8 emerging artists with the costs to attend the workshop. Artists who consider themselves to be ‘young and emerging’ are invited to submit a brief (1 page maximum) expression of interest detailing their arts practice and how they feel they will benefit from being a WIRED EARS participant. Keep it brief and note we don’t follow standard industry definitions of ‘young and emerging’ we expect you to determine where you place your experience
WIRED EARS expressions of interest are due on FRIDAY 1ST OCTOBER.

WORKSHOP DETAILS
Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th October
The workshop is offered for free to 25 lucky participants and will give you the DIY skills to build your own wires and pickups, held over two days, the workshop will include:
* Alan Lamb, Dave Burraston & Sarah Last will teach people how to build their own wire system and demonstrate ways to interact with the wires (eg. bowing and singing into polystyrene boxes, which work as reverberant amplifiers!).
* Permanent WIRED Lab resident & electronics wizard Dave Burraston will discuss his observations of The Wires when recording and will demonstrate how to custom build and attach piezo pickups.
* Alan Lamb will demonstrate percussion, bowing and techniques with the wires.
* Opportunity to interact with and record the wires.
* O’Malley and Ambarchi will share some dark sound secrets.

NOTE: workshop places are strictly limited, with a maximum capacity of 25 people. Places will need to be reserved ASAP, with bookings on a 1st come 1st served basis.

2010-09-15

Avid release new MBox family

Avid have released a new family of Mbox's. This is not just a face lift with the Avid brand replacing the former digidesign brand, in fact some of the hardware has been upgraded.

2010-08-05

iTunes- Easiest way to get album art

Over the years I have been using various methods to acquire the album art for songs in my itunes collection. Now that I have permanent wifi access, getting album art for current CDs is not a problem, however I have copied many of my CDs to iTunes long before I had a permanent broadband connection. In getting album art for retrospective CD transfers I have tried various widgets and scripts. Most of which work, however most take quite some time to use as you can only go album by album through your collection. Well, here is a FAST method.
Firstly you will need to run an iTunes applescript called "tracks without artwork to playlist". This does as the name says, and creates a playlist based on tracks without artwork. Next you will need the iTunes applescript/application "Fetch Art". This allows the user to find and download the artwork to any selected tracks- despite the songs coming from one album or even various albums! This means that you can select all tracks in th e"non artwork" playlist and download their artwork in a matter of seconds.... much quicker than alternative methods. It is important to also note that all of this is free!

2010-07-30

NEW ONLINE SOUND ART RESOURCE

PRODUCED BY THE WIRED LAB

The WIRED Lab’s new wiredlab.org website documents the activities, history and research surrounding the 'The Wires', a unique and distinctly Australian invention that primarily exists in rural landscapes.

The WIRED Lab site provides unprecedented documentation and access to the remarkable work and legacy of Alan Lamb and ‘The Wires’ a distinctive large-scale æolian instrument he has been developing since the 1970’s. Sound designers from around the world have featured Lamb’s atmospheric and intense ‘Wire’ music in cult films such as Wolf Creek, Julian Donkey Boy, The Boys and Herzog’s Scream of Stone. Legend has it that Lamb shared his techniques with sound designers from the original Star Wars series.

Based in rural South West NSW The WIRED Lab is an Artist Run Initiative, established to ensure the legacy of 'The Wires' an inherently interdisciplinary instrument with foundations in sculpture, land art, sound, music, interactivity, bio resonance, physics and complex systems sciences.

The public can now share in the concerts and experiments conducted at The WIRED Lab’s residencies with artists such as Alan Lamb, Chris Watson, Robin Fox, Oren Ambarchi, Garry Bradbury, Sarah Last, and David Burraston.

The launch of the website was celebrated with the live performance by Wired Lab members David Burraston and Garry Bradbury performing a live set of compositions derived from the wire systems at SuperDeluxe@Artspace performance series at the Biennale of Sydney on July 24th.

The WIRED Lab: http://www.wiredlab.org

2010-07-28

Could this better sound editing?

How many of us are always trying to find the perfect way to work? When editing sound, the traditional mouse is the first peripheral to go due to bad ergonomics. Most editors work with trackballs, however even this tends to have slight problems depending on your desk/ chair height combination. Apple today released the Magic Trackpad. Could this be our next favorite editing tool? With only a quick look at it and no actual physical testing, I am unsure of how accurate cursor movements will be. If they are acurate, than this may  be a handy device to have.

2010-05-28

Effective remote working

cineSync + iChat video conferencing

Working remotely is becoming ever more increasing within our industry. Having a fast internet connection now allows crew members to literally work together from all corners of the globe. 2 application which allows this process to be easier are cinesync and Apple's iChat.
cineSync was developed to address the issue of remote reviews and approvals, allowing directors, producers and supervisors to perform live run-throughs of work being carried out in another country, another city, or even the building next door, without needing to leave their office. It’s a simple, effective and inexpensive tool for assisting the management of distributed post production projects with a minimum of fuss.

Based on Apple ® QuickTime technology cineSync allows you to annotate directly onto the frame – you can point or circle objects in the frame, draw new elements into the frame and write text notes – all synchronised in real-time with everyone else in your review. You can transfer media for review quickly and easily from within the cineSync interface and export all your saved session information to your project management system, so you can easily keep records of every review.

iChat allows for conference video chats of up to 4 members. What has happened in the past is that video chatting has only been 2 way. Yesterday we screened some scenes of a film whilst running cinesync and iChat simultaneously on the same computer at all ends. 3 users were connected, and we suffered zero drop outs for the entirety of the screening of about 2 hours. Another user was on Skype, and they had about 3 dropouts during the screening. The bandwidth for iChat is more than Skype, however the quality and stability are worth it.


If you are using iChat and having problems connecting using video, make sure that you have the appropriate ports opened through your firewall. My previous iChat post lists the ports.

2010-05-18

Home made stereo Hydrophone for less than $10

Last weekend I decided to build my first hydrophone. I live on a lake and there are always interesting things going on around and in the water. Having been invited to also work on several art installations themed towards water, rivers and nature, I figured that something missing from my kit was an underwater microphone.

Not wishing to part with too much cash I decided to build my own. This was also because I wanted a stereo mic, and one built to my own specs. One built cheaply would also allow me the luxury of experimenting with several differing versions.
The microphone I decided to build was based on some Panasonic capsules hosted inside a set of stereo headphones, and then smothered in silicone. I also tied a fishing sinker to the mic so that it would submerge and be steadier in the water. I have to say I am extremely happy with my 1 hour build! The sound is so clear... and for only a few $$$.

I also used cable ties to keep both sides locked together so as not to have them hit each other in the water. The sinker is behind, and also held tight so as not to hit the microphones. The advantage of using the cable ties also allows flexibility in adjusting the angle on the microphones.

2010-05-14

Guitar rig on your iPhone



AmpliTube for iPhone

With AmpliTube for iPhone, you’ll have an entire guitar/bass rig at your fingertips, comprised of 3 recombinable simultaneous stompbox effects, an amp-head plus cabinet and a microphone.

With AmpliTube for iPhone fully loaded, you will be able to choose between 5 amps (clean, crunch, lead, metal, bass) with full controls, 11 stompbox effects (delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive, distortion, filter, wah, fuzz, octaver, chorus), 5 cabinets and 2 microphones (dynamic and condenser).


* Real time guitar and bass mobile multiFX app
* Full rig made by 3 simultaneous stompboxes + amp + cabinet + mic
* 11 Stomps, 5 Amps, 5 Cabinets, 2 Mics available
* Import and play with songs or backing tracks with real time effects
* 36 presets can be saved/recalled on the fly
* Includes tuner/metronome
* Free, LE and Full versions available
* Free and LE versions expandable with a-la-carte downloadable gear
* Same low-latency as Mac/PC systems

AmpliTube for iPhone will be available in 3 versions: FREE, LE and FULL.

For more info click here

2010-05-08

iZotope OS X 10.6

Attention Mac OS X Users:

Under rare circumstances, installing an iZotope product or demo and then applying any Mac OS X 10.6 update can cause some computers to experience problems booting. We have identified the cause of this issue and have provided a simple fix below.

Please download and install this patch immediately, even if you have not experienced any issues at this time. Also, make sure you delete and re-download the latest iZotope installers for Mac OS X. Please note that as of today (May 7, 2010), all of the Mac OS X installers on the iZotope website have been updated so that they no longer cause this issue to occur.

iZotope Mac OS X 10.6 Patch
If you suspect your computer has already been affected by this issue and you are unable to boot your computer, please follow the steps to fix in the iZotope Knowledge Base.

2010-04-22

PTHD1 vs PTLE + Complete Production Toolkit

Are you deciding if you should buy a PT LE system with complete production toolkit or if to buy a PT HD1 system?

After upgrading my DV Toolkit2 to Complete Production toolkit I have had the chance to work on both systems side by side with the exact same sessions. I have to say that I have been blown away by how easily the sessions can be exchanged between the two systems.

My HD rig is a HD1 running a 96io on a Mac Pro 2 x 2.8 Quad Core (4gig Ram), with my LE system running a 003R from an iMac Intel 2.16Ghz Core 2 duo (2gig Ram).

For my testing I ran two different sessions (1 with pics + 1 with no pics) across both systems for a comparison.

Test 1:
A session using 96 voices of 5.1 tracks with no video.

Result-
PT HD system did play it back well, although had a few "pci" bus errors. I also had to use 3 DSP chips to fix this problem.

PTLE played back with no errors and only with system usage meters only showing 2% usage across all parameters.


Test 2:
A session with 81 voices using mono tracks with 5.1 outputs and running video

Result-
PTHD - All worked well
PTLE- All worked well

Conclusion
Despite being deficient in a few of the features of PTHD, I have to say that the Complete Production Toolkit has blow me away. I do use trim automation and VCA's, and unfortunately these do not come across to an LE session- however knowing this allows the user to factor this into their initial session setups. At a fraction of the price, and with performance as good as (if not better) than PTHD, I would have to say that from now on I will be using an LE system for all of my work. If I was going to be doing large 5.1 mix sessions (greater than 96voice) than I would use a HD2 or HD3, but for the work that I do on a HD1 system, the LE system is a perfect cheaper alternative.

2010-04-19

New ProTools website - wtf?

After recently receiving an advanced email about the unification of all Avid products on one central website, I sighed with relief. My sigh was due to the fact that the (previous) digidesign website was not what you would call, the best as far as it's navigation was concerned. The email, as far as interpreted, explained that the new"Avid" website would fix some of these problems, and thus present the public with a new, easy to navigate site under the avid banner.

Well... today I was trying to install my "Complete Production Toolkit" software, and was greeted by window after window of countless links - and in fact the pages just kept me going around and around in circles... to no avail and still not to a link of the software. It all started when I inserted my PTLE 8 disk to do an install from disk. When I found the folder with the "additional installers" I was greeted by a text document which mentioned that the installation is a link found in my digi account.

The first mission was to go to my digi account. I found the link which said "my Account" and my login and password were accepted. Good start. I was then taken to a new "Avid" login page which wanted a new email login and password. After placing my details in again I was directed to a page - my new "my account".

The problem now is, I have NO software backlog of my previous "my account" digi downloads and thus there is No record of any of my purchases, meaning I have no link to download the "Digi Complete Toolkit". What there is however is a link saying Avid downloads. Clicking on this brings up a list with all the Avid downloads. This enables me to then search the entire Avid website for "Digi Complete Toolkit". The problem is.... the search function doesn't find it. Actually, it doesn't find any thing for "complete" - and the only software it finds for "toolkit" is PT7.4.

OK, so I spent about another half an hour digging around the website. This proved to be slightly fruitful. I did manage to find the new Complete Toolkit product description page. I even found (under More resources) a download like to the file. Unfortunately though, the link seems to be broken...

WOW I am so blown away by this new easy to navigate website. NOT!

2010-04-16

Got some zombies to kill? Aliens to autopsy? Vampires to disembowell?

Tim Prebble from New Zealand releases "Vegetable Violence" - a sound effects library for horror, gore and all things violent.

Check out the trailer!


A promo for a new sound FX library available from
http://hissandaroar.com
please visit to get yourself a free copy of the sound library

2010-04-06

2010-03-28

iPod/ iPhone remote

Ever since getting my first ipod touch I have been interested in it's use as a remote control. This includes controlling the TV, DVD player, Amp etc, but more importantly I have been interested in it's use to control my computer. One example is that I currently use my ipod touch to remote control my mac when I record in the studio. I do this by setting up a local wireless network and using the ipod as a remote mouse/ keyboard. This is very cool as I can control my cpu in the control room with it's noisy fans from the studio floor.

This guy however has taken the use of the ipod/iphone to a whole new level...


2010-03-02

are these cool ???

I saw these on Ebay and couldn't work out if they are cool or not... I don't think I could buy a pair but I am sure there is a market out there...

    2GB MP3 Player Bluetooth Sunglasses Headset:

  • Works for Non-Bluetooth mobile phones from Samsung, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, iPod.Wireless hands-free talk with your Bluetooth Cell phones,Listen to your iPod, PDA, MP3 Player, MP4, TV, Radiow/o tangled wires with a bluetooth adapter,Listen to MP3 music if your cell phone has MP3 function,Non-Bluetooth cell phones can be used with a bluetooth adapter,Designed for all outdoors activists: drivers, cyclists, skaters, hikers, golfers, sunbathers

... And the results are in

Well the results have come in from our survey, with some interesting statistics. Just click the images to be taken to a size which is readable!

Thanks to all of you for filling this out- we had 37 people in total!





There are some interesting statistics in regards to how long people have been working in the industry for, the difference in pay rates, and how people feel they are valued by both producers and colleagues. It is encouraging that as a sound team, people feel supported by their colleagues.

Having a "creative" job also is beneficial as often this adds to other rewards within the job, not obtained by money or working long hours.... There is a saying, that if you love your job - you never have to work.

If anyone is after a good read to do with work/ life balance I can recommend James O'Loghlin's "How to Balance your Life". and no I don't have an invested interest in this book...

2010-02-03

Australian Sound Post Production Survey

After reading many blogs and discussions on the Yahoo Australian Post Production Industry digest I decided to create an online survey so that we can all get a better understanding of what is happening in our industry, in the way of pays and working weeks. Many of us do not like discussing the ins and outs of these areas in person, so this is a good way to do it whilst remaining anonymous. This survey is set up to be completely autonomous - and as such I will be able to post the results here on this blog or through the Yahoo Australian Post Production Industry digest.

Can I please get all Australian Audio post production people to fill this out. You will need to make sure that you do not have pop-ups blocked.

Click here to take survey

This survey ends February 28th 2010.


Disclaimer: This survey is for the intention of gauging work conditions for those working in Audio Post Production in Australia. The survey results do not represent the opinion of the author, with the author not being held responsible for the result outcomes. As the author also works in academia, the survey results may be used as data in print publications, journals, magazines and online. As the survey is completely anonymous, no user data is collected or stored on surveymonkey.

2010-01-28

The iPad has landed...



Finally after much speculation Apple has released it's much anticipated tablet- the iPad.
Apart from looking like a giant iPod Touch/ iPhone - already I can see where this device will find it's market. To be honest, I was dubious at first about the similarities to the iPod touch, however after some more thinking I can see where this device will be an awesome addition to a musicians arsenal.

Apart from being able to what you would expect: email, web, itunes, iphoto etc.... I think the iPad will be able to be unleashed as a multi faceted virtual instrument/ interface. Depending on what apps are created, I predict that the iPad will be able to be used for virtual keyboards/ synths, virtual drum kits, virtual tactile response interface and even a virtual mixer (maybe in conjunction with being connected to a PowerMac/ Macbook etc)... it will also be intersting to see if some of the big music software companies embrace this product as a control surface for their proprietry software.