Sound Track Pro Alternative

Hi everyone,

As much as I love SoundTrack Pro, especially it's ability to be automated, since moving to HD it crashes and fails to finish saving more than not. I'm looking for alternatives. Apps on my list are

ProTools (don't like real time bounces though)
Peak
Logic
Nuendo
Cubase
T-Racks

My one big issue is that SoundTrack Pro seams to be the only app that lets me import a .mov file, process the audio as I like, and then export a .mov file. All the other apps make you export and audio only file (aiff or Wav or something like that). Then I have to manually attach the audio to my video and re-export. I'm looking to avoid that step.

Has anyone else found a good solution?

Audacity is a free audio editing program, cross platform and pretty good at that. Can't do that last thing you ask though, exporting a .mov. Add it to your list of things to try out.

I don't think Logic can do that trick either. But I like how it can bounce a multiple of file versions all in the same pass.

Here's more than you probably care to know about me...
I recently was on a 1 day gig away from my own system and had to do a "mix/fix" in Soundtrack. Seemed cool at first, especially that noise print reduction tool. What wasn't cool was how it kept on forgetting what had been processed and the exported file for re-import back into FCP was randomly louder or softer than it should be and some noise-fixed tracks had become unfixed. I scrambled a mix together but wasn't happy about the end result and the arm wrestling/re-exporting it took to get it done. On a whim and with a spare 16gig USB key and some wait time at the end of the day I dumped out the clean unfixed OMF from FCP, took it home to my Logic system and had a lovely mix that the producer loved in about 3 hours. Fixed mic pops and got rid of an acceptable amount of noise and most importantly, the export matched playback.

I don't use Logic all that often and mostly to mess around with my noise toys and early Roxy/Eno delusions when I am not editing. I still use Logic with the PDF manual open and I did the same with Soundtrack.

I've done amateur mixes for projects I've worked on when the budget had no room for a pro audio op. Logic, an RME multiface, Event Studio6 monitors, headphones and repeated burns of CD's and iPod tests on all the speakers in the house and anywhere else I could playback are all I have used.

When I first got Logic,(v4?) before Apple bought them out, I found it puzzling and daunting and too much of a switch from AVID/FCP mindsets. In the years since it's crawled towards a more Apple like interface and I get better each time I use it even if that is 3 months apart. The stuff you get with Logic is pretty impressive (Space Designer is awesome when used lightly) and I think the price has come down a lot. You do get some duplication between Logic Studio and FCS (compressor) but I like Logic a lot and since I bought NI's Komplete I have to avoid getting lost in synthy-whooshy-whooshy-land if I have lots of work to do.

ak
Sleeplings, AWAKE!

I haven't touched Logic since the ol' Emagic days. Then it was called Logic Audio Platinum and you needed a dongle then, I preferred the console, open reel recorders and hardware effects modules.



www.strypesinpost.com

might look at reaper, too. i think it will import/export movs.

I use Digital Performer. First off it does what you want, exporting audio back into a movie. It also does a load of other cool things that are video oriented. I've been mixing TV series for the last seven years with it. Here's a short list.
1. Imports FCS omf files perfectly.
2. Sends a dv signal out through a deck or converter. Amazingly if you bring in an HD movie it can down res and output on the fly.
3. Works with all frame rates correctly.
4. Can interface with FCP and list changes in versions, like soundtrack pro.
5. can do surround mixing easily.
6. Comes with a bunch of high quality plugins.

I own pro tools and logic too, but couldn't imagine anything better than DP.

Pro Tools with DV Toolkit.
Toolkit is not cheap however...
Exports OMF with embedded timecode. Timecode matches in PTools. Export mix in PT as a bounce or look at you tube videos regarding bounce vs record to track. Drop mix back in FC. I've done this for a couple of years now with very good results. There are however, more steps and time involved. With regard to audio capabilities, Final Cut is probably the worst NLE I've ever used.