Subject:why use soundforge?

Posted by: Bluespoet

Date:9/10/2014 7:21:53 AM

I use cakewalk sonar and sony vegas pro for audio editing. Am seriously thinking about getting the Sony vegas pro suite which comes with soundforge. Getting the noise reduction plugin alone is likely worth it for me along with updating Vegas.
I have no experience with soundforge, I get that it doesn't have midi or synths and I get that already with cakewalk. Vegas is my primary editor since it is so damn easy to use and i am productive using it. I am sure I am missing alot of the why use soundforge information, not looking to be convinced since the suite is a sweet deal even without soundforge, but just looking from a user standpoint, what benefits it holds for me? I also use loops alot.

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:9/10/2014 9:04:48 AM

Whereas Vegas is sort of like painting with sound, Sound Forge is more like performing surgery. It's a much more delicate tool, but it's also destructive in that it alters the sound file you're working on (so you'll probably use Save As a lot).

Sound Forge probably makes working on parts of the file a little easier than in Vegas.

Even with the entire suite, i still find myself using Sound Forge for audio editing far more than any of the other programs.

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: rraud

Date:9/10/2014 9:49:04 AM

I concur with Kelly,. Sound Forge Pro is the most used program on my audio/video PC as well.... and integrates nicely w/ VP.
For example, when opening an audio clip (aka, Event ) in SF - (from within Vegas) as "Open copy", the original audio file remains intact and a new 'Take' is created, (which can also be quickly A-B toggled BTW) Otherwise one also has the option to work directly on the source audio file.
OTOH, files can also be worked on in the non-destructive 'Sound Forge Project File" mode. But personally, I find it easier, faster and more intuitive by just 'Saving as'. So there's many options to fit your preferred workflow.
The many included plug-ins are alone worth the price IMO.

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: musicvid10

Date:9/10/2014 5:42:12 PM

An oversimplified rule of thumb is to do envelopes and multichannel in Vegas, and almost everything else in Forge.

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: seanmccoy

Date:9/11/2014 7:11:28 PM

I use Pro Tools HD, SAWStudio, Logic Pro and Vegas, yet I still find myself constantly going back to Sound Forge for file editing. I haven't seen a DAW that can touch Sound Forge's level of precision and speed.

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: mudgel

Date:9/27/2014 4:57:41 AM

I'm also a Sonar user and a great feature is being able to have sonar open and pass selected audio, single or multiple tracks to sound forge for editing.

Another great feature of SF is that it has tremendous batch processing ability. Eg You can have one long audio file set markers where you want the file split and change them all to MP3, SF will spit out single files of your chosen type and named according to the convention you choose. You can create a simple script just by selecting menu items and bingo it goes and does it for you.

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: UKharrie

Date:9/30/2014 12:11:28 PM

Well, here's an alternative Question... Let me explain..I use Movie Studio v10 and 12 both "suites" and SF naturally.
I agree I use it a lot from SMS "Open Copy in Audio Editor"
However, what I cannot fathom is why in SMS I can have multiple AUDIO tracks running and create a stereo pair after Rendering ( although this is an overhead, it's quick being Audio-only.).
BUT
In SF, I can only work on two tracks.

It's as though the Teams that create these Works of Software are working from different buildings, - possibly in different Countries.
In SMS I use the Insert-Volume (AKA "Rubber Banding"), feature where I'm being "creative" - and this may involve six audio tracks, if we include the original attached to the Video ( sometimes I include this at a low-level (like -15dB), so some of the original "presence" comes through.

Is there a trick to make SF playback multiple tracks? - I understand ( have seen) Audacity doing this....and as I say you can use SMS as an Audio Editor. Of course when I Save-As, it becomes two tracks, but I want those extra inputs.

However, I will say that SF (studio) is a very clean workspace, it's just that it could do with some more Umph!

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: rraud

Date:9/30/2014 1:38:25 PM

I don't know about Sound Forge 'Audio Studio'.... but SF 'Pro' can create and contain many multi-track/channels and save them as a (.wav) poly file. It's still an audio editor, not a multi-track recording/mixing app if that's your line of thought.
AFAIK, all Sony Creative Software (SCS) development and administration is essentially in the same place. (Wisconsin, USA)

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: Geoff_Wood

Date:10/1/2014 6:01:59 AM

The "extra oomph" is SF Pro.

To play back more than two CHANNELS in an editor you would need to render to a multi-channel file. But why would you be doing this in an editor rather than multi-TRACK software ?

geoff

PS - Maybe a brain-fade on my part, but what is 'SMS' ?

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: rraud

Date:10/1/2014 9:10:21 AM

Yes, what is 'SMS'?
I'm not familiar with that abbreviation either.

Subject:RE: why use soundforge?

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:10/1/2014 9:18:33 PM

Perhaps "Sony Movie Studio"? That seems to fit the context.

Subject:RE: SMS

Reply by: UKharrie

Date:10/4/2014 5:21:47 PM

Yes, SMS is Sony Movie Studio - editor. This is a convenient shorthand when the World knows Vegas ( omitting the Pro often ).

What I'm not understanding is why I can export audio files from SMS to SFS ( Sound Forge Studio ),,,, yet I can only fiddle with the L&R files - I do use this software regularly, if not daily - but if I want to multi-track then it's better to leave the audio in SMS and I click Group--RemoveFrom, and then Render-Loop. Unfortunately this produces an (dot)m2ts file ( perhaps I need to select another* option, but I do prefer to leave "Options" where they are Working. ).
-to fix this I import it to SMS and then "Open Copy in Audio Editor" - by giving it some minor tweaks, I can the SaveAs in ( dot) wav, or (dot) mp3 .
Phew I have a multi-tracked, stereo audio file, with correct sound-balance and limits to preserve good levels.


*Er, maybe that's an Idea for the next SMS version...the ability to have some "named Render presets" - this would be something like Favourites - but where is the Tutorial that helps us give it a try?
BTW in SMSv12..... I found the "yellow star" feature for (dot) wav ( the Microsoft version!), and it appears as a Favourite - but if you "Cancel" ( as I didn't have anything to Render ), it loses the yellow star - it would be nice to know how this could be made easier.... . . . . . A "Save -Edit Favourites" maybe???

Moderator, I realise this was all about SF - but perhaps this has... drifted into SMS....
+ Oddly ( as I see it) Sony has renamed the Video-software: "Movie Studio" . . . . but these Forums still use the title " Vegas Movie Studio ".

Subject:RE: SMS

Reply by: rraud

Date:10/4/2014 5:43:00 PM

SMS = Sony Movie Studio. I understand this now.
When opening a file (or part of via open copy) in SF (Sound Forge), only the event's file from the media pool is opened, be it mono or stereo. I don't quite understand the need to open another multi-track instance. SF is just not a 'multi-track' application.