Subject:Why Oh Why?

Posted by: krrpt

Date:6/2/2003 4:32:46 PM

I've been using SF for quite some time now - since version 4 I believe. I remember looking at other editing apps and never being happy with their filthy UIs. SF's UI is clean, simple, and easy to use. Just for fun I thought I'd look at the latest and greatest competitors out there.

WaveLab 4.0. MY GOD! This tool has some nice features! The meters, analysis windows and ability to scrub audio and change playback speed in real-time really blew me away. The UI is HORRID however, and there doesn't seem to be support for AVIs and WDM files in the demo version. I'm starting to feel torn!

Why oh why doesn't SF have some of these nifty handy dandy features!?!? SF's features feels primitive in comparison, but the UI is superb. I hate the idea of having
to work with multiple tools, but I can feel it coming.

:(

Subject:RE: Why Oh Why?

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:6/2/2003 5:48:34 PM

I've been complaining here since SF v4.5 on the metering and analysis tools. Peak meters are good, but a VU meter is an eccential for mastering needs. The spectral analysis tool within Sound Forge is a joke. Nothing useful to get out of the scattered bunch of dots that polute the screen. After 2 versions later, the last I heard is that they're looking into other metering options to add in SF v7.0, but no promises. There are some useful DX VU meters that can help you out for the time being. PSP audio, has a free DX VU meter, that I have found useful. This doesn't help me out much, because I do most of my mastering through hardware processors and then record that into sound forge. So having a DX VU meter doesn't do me much good if I can't have the meter monitoring the input signal. Wavelab has peak, RMS and a phase meter in their record window that monitors the input signal. Very handy, and exactly the type of thing I'm looking for, but if Sonic Foundry adds this, I expect it will be done a little better. For the time being, I've been using Sound Technologies "spectra pro", which has an RMS meter and a very useful spectral analysis tool that run together simultaneously. I use that, then when I'm happy with the processing, I close it out and record into sound forge.

Subject:RE: Why Oh Why?

Reply by: Geoff_Wood

Date:6/3/2003 6:22:06 AM

I think it has been inferred that SF7 will likely address our metering requirements ...


geoff

Subject:RE: Why Oh Why?

Reply by: rraud

Date:6/3/2003 6:36:09 PM

I certenly hope so Geoff.
And I hope they are monitoring this forum. All our sqawking about CDA may have had some influence on their choise to bring CDA back. (Then again, maybe not) though it still should have been incorpoated in Sound Forge anyway, like every other pro 2-trk apps.

Subject:RE: Why Oh Why?

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:6/4/2003 2:37:46 PM

"though it still should have been incorpoated in Sound Forge anyway, like every other pro 2-trk apps."

rraud,
Them are fighting words to say to Geoff, I've been saying that since day one and Geoff's been defending his position to the death. According to Geoff, you don't need sound forge to do any mastering, it can all be done in CDA.....uhhh..that is if you don't need to record from any external hardware processing....or use DC offset removal...or reverse any cuss words...or etc., etc., etc.

Wow, what a concept, Sound Forge with CDA features!!!!.....That's a great idea rraud, I'm glad you mentioned it along with about 20 other users who can't burn a Disc-at-once CD within Sound Forge or do simple slip editing functions like you can in CDA.

Subject:RE: Why Oh Why?

Reply by: Geoff_Wood

Date:6/4/2003 7:26:54 PM

Weren't my words Red....

I guess my definitions of what is 'mastering' and what is 'editing' are different to yours.

My compartmentalised brain-type prefers discrete separate apps , each specialising in their own thing, and linking where appropriate. Other types may not.....

g.

Subject:RE: Why Oh Why?

Reply by: Rednroll

Date:6/5/2003 4:12:35 PM

Well I actually agree with you, that I do prefer seperate but equal apps.
And our "mastering" definitions are definately different.

To me mastering tasks have included external hardware processing, internal software processing and analysis, editing if needed, frequency analysis, assembly of tracks which sometimes means creating skits between songs for a themed CD, and then when I'm all done with that, burn a disk-at-once redbook compliant master and be able to print a cue sheet. Sound Forge or CDA alone don't meet those needs. You therefore need 2 seperate programs to finish one task..."Mastering". How would you feel if you had done all your editing and recording of a song in Vegas, and then had to export all that editing just so you could mix it in another application because Vegas didn't have Mix features? That's what I have to do in Mastering.