SoundTrack Pro review, Article Options

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SoundTrack Pro review

[Jibreel]

Yeah

Shame on Apple for been like Microsoft by going after the money like Microsoft does over cheesy Office Products, And worse of Apple does this with creative products.

Sound Track Pro A/K/A "STP" should be called "STD" (Sexually Transmitted Disease) and air born.

This post has been edited by Jibreel: Sat 1 Oct 2005, 04:55

[lepetitmartien]

I have personally a strong feeling against any app that need to be named "Pro" to mark its professionalism… Either they are up the trade, or not, Pro is just a stupid marketing gimmick.

Logic was a professional class software before Apple added the Pro and inserted into it some GB elements to make the place friendlier. I'm still not sure it's the way to do things.

To get back on STP, the lack of some of the features expected in a reasonable app this type is rather disturbing. Please, the Apple guys, get your act together, it could be a really great program if… because not far are still AVID/Digidesign and Yamaha/Steinberg (not counting others dedicated systems like Pyramix etc.) and they are dead serious at the job even if not everything is perfect. There are de facto standards STP is compared to and you must be at least good as InDesign if you want to annoy Xpress

[Jibreel]

Apple has been selling itself out since 9/11 from the fears of loosing market to the far east Developers like every other U.S. company.
A bit understandable, but 9/11 was back in 2001 and it is 2005 now.

My point is that they have over 4 Audio Applications,
1-GarageBand,
2-Logic Express,
3-Logic Pro
4-Soundtrack Pro.

Logic Alone should handle Soundtracks, but "Soundtrack Pro" was what Apple promised would answer Logic's problem's with audio editing in the arrange page, which i think would be a revolutionary move if they can get anything close to Pro Tools,

Also, it would be nice to see a new sampler from Apple Magic, but with a new interface to catch up with the"software generation", since all software samplers have gone beyond the car radio looks the esx24 has now.

But when will they invest in this rather then marketing is beyond me?

This post has been edited by Jibreel: Sat 1 Oct 2005, 08:52

[MacAudioGuy]

I finally have a dual 2GHz G5 on order and I'll update this review if STP's perfomance is greatly enhanced by the more powerful machine.
Overall I agree with everyone's comments, we are salivating for a good post-production audio program, it's up to Apple to play down the hype and up the features.

[lepetitmartien]

And stop listening only to the marketing sweet songs. There are users out there and they ask for specific things.

if you want the pros: ask the pros!

[edfenner]

I think it will be interesting to see what the review is after your new machine. It runs great on my G5 and is a good tool in the mix - especially when used as intended - to create soundtracks for video.

I use logic pro 7 for most of my work, but it is often overkill for adding a few sound effects, a music bed etc. STP allows this and a lot more quickly and easily with great integration wil FCP 5.

I agree sometimes putting "Pro" on an apps name is strange, but in this case where apple has a line of pro apps, Final Cut, SoundTrack, Logic - makes sense to me. Also let's not forgetthis review wondered if it was a PROtools killer.

I also wonder when people without enough horsepower complain about products (this happens with motion - another part of the Final Cut Pro suite) so yeah, it doesn't run great on your old G3.... well, that is part of being a pro, keeping your gear up to date. And that is not just in the computer world - if you haven't bought HD gear, guess what, HD isn't going to fly in your video workflow either.

If you really want apples all around pro audio solution - then pony up and buy logic - if your looking for a tool to give you a LOT more than the built in audio of FCP at a good price - then STP does pretty much as advertised.

So if you keep trying to make garageband or STP into something it's not - your going to end up spending a lot of time complaining. I don't know of much out there that gives you this much for that price.

[Jibreel]

many PC products can for that price, but we really like apple but feel bad about apple taking advantage by focusing on iPods all the time.

Apple has a good position in the merket, but you can not go so far been this greedy, apple should start listening to its Pro users a bit more, there are loyal apple fans and not all have the money to spend on apple screwing them for so long as well.

Apple could be a truly great company if they just dropped the greed and invested there time in R&D instead of hyped out marketing.

[MacAudioGuy]

I think it will be interesting to see what the review is after your new machine. It runs great on my G5 and is a good tool in the mix - especially when used as intended - to create soundtracks for video.

I use logic pro 7 for most of my work, but it is often overkill for adding a few sound effects, a music bed etc. STP allows this and a lot more quickly and easily with great integration wil FCP 5.

I agree sometimes putting "Pro" on an apps name is strange, but in this case where apple has a line of pro apps, Final Cut, SoundTrack, Logic - makes sense to me. Also let's not forgetthis review wondered if it was a PROtools killer.

I also wonder when people without enough horsepower complain about products (this happens with motion - another part of the Final Cut Pro suite) so yeah, it doesn't run great on your old G3.... well, that is part of being a pro, keeping your gear up to date. And that is not just in the computer world - if you haven't bought HD gear, guess what, HD isn't going to fly in your video workflow either.

If you really want apples all around pro audio solution - then pony up and buy logic - if your looking for a tool to give you a LOT more than the built in audio of FCP at a good price - then STP does pretty much as advertised.

So if you keep trying to make garageband or STP into something it's not - your going to end up spending a lot of time complaining. I don't know of much out there that gives you this much for that price.

I do hope that a new G5 will fix my major gripes with STP. Of course now I'm going to hold off until we see what OCT. 16th brings from Apple (wink wink). java script:emoticon(';)')
I do have to say that my machine is well within the published system requirements for STP. (G4 1.25 GHz- super-computer in it's day.).
I do upgrade as often as client income justifies the expediture. but I don't know about you, but $3K every two years (not even counting a couple thousand in software and audio hardware) is a major line item in my budget.
If that makes me less of a "pro" so be it.

[tubbsj713]

My big complaint is the lack of keyboard shortcuts for editing narration/dialog. There's nothing I can find in the manual. Again this is where Protools is the leader. Between the EDIT MODES, the super tool (or whatever it's called when all tools are available with the mouse) and the keyboard commands/focus the editor can move fast. I'm not going to grab the mouse to place IN/OUT's and delete stuff. I do hundreds of edits per hour and STP just isn't making it.

If there's a hidden keyboard shortcut guide please let me know!
tubbsj713@mac.com