editing in FCP but what do u use to mix down audio?

Jay Rodriguez

Jay Rodriguez

Coffee Member
I'd like to work in FCP to do all of the audio mix down, but wasn't sure if there was some type of audio console in it. What programs do you guys use for audio?
 
I often use Soundtrack Pro (which comes with Final Cut Studio). I don't know it all too well, and use it mainly for voice over clean up. The rest I tend to do in FCP itself.
 
I use "peak" by bias, and "soundsoap". They both work great... but to be honest, I don't do a lot of serious audio work.I know there's a lot of others around here that also use the same programs, too.

I've heard a lot can be accomplished in FCP, but I haven't really scratched the surface of FCP's audio capabilities.
 
Soundtrack Pro. But that would take an upgrade for you as it came with Final Cut Studio 5.0
 
Cubase & soundtrack here. All editing/finishing in Cubase, though.

Editing audio in FCP is a Pain. Soundtrack is fine for scoring, but then I export all the tracks separately to Cubase for mix.

Simple! eh? eh? eh? -;)

G
 
Geez, this is more complicated then I hoped, lol......

Is there any way that I can do some audio work without having to buy another program? My levels in FCP are very low and has alot of bass so I need to boost the sound and thin the bass.

ugh
 
Editing audio in FCP/STP is really simple, very easy, very flexible, very powerful. FCP can do on the fly mixing with keyframing, STP is a full powered professional sound app for video and film work. I'm a professional composer, I don't use anything else. I even trashed Logic 7 as it was overkill. I'm not running a full blown recording studio anymore.

I strongly suggest taking the time to LEARN the sound capabilities of FCP and STP. The two APTS books on FCP5 and STP are great.
 
hey Ben,
Is there a way in FCP to tune down the bass in a voice?

Also, if you double click on an audio clip the window for that clip opens up. In that window I see two meter bars, one for the Pan and one for Level. I'm assuming that the pan is for left/right pan and Level is for overall volume levels, is that right?

Ok, so if I bring the Level all the way up then the audio for that clip should be maxed out correct? If needed, how can I boost that volume even more? Is there a normalize option somewhere in FCP?
 
For that level of sweetening, right click the clip in the Timeline, select Send To, then SoundTrack Pro Audio File. It'll make a copy to your hard drive (you have to give it a name), as it is non-destructive editing. STP has tons of filters and stuff, very easy to use. Then in STP when you're done, you save, quit, back in FCP (still open in the background while you were in STP) you'll see a new AIFF file (the one you just edited in STP) in your Browser, and your original sound clip will be replaced with the new one you just edited. Very nice workflow.

There's a tiny speaker icon in the very lower left of the Timeline window. Click it to show/hide the sound controls in the Timeline (mute/solo).

Also, in FCP if you go to Window > Arrange > Audio Mixing, you'll get a nice window layout for mixing sound in your Timeline. The APTS book, "Final Cut Pro 5" has a nice section on how to configure and use this mixer with keyframing and such.

In your Browser, go to the Effects tab, then to the Audio Filtes bin, you'll find a lot of useful, professional level filters. Although there's no Normalizing filter, the one in STP is awesome. I do most of my work in STP.

I also have tutorials on using FCP and STP in the November and December issues of Event DV magazine (eventdv.net). Their also both on EDV's web site, do a search there for "Cut Lines". The December issue (just now shipping) shows how to do Multiclip edits along with Multitrack sound editing. Subscriptions are free...

Bad news, due to my work load, I've had to cut the Cut Lines FCP column back to every other month, rather than every month.

FCP and STP, part 1
http://www.eventdv.net/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=11988
 
I've used ProTools, because that's what my school has as far as sound editing software. It can take a while to get used to, but in the end it's better than FCP. I find it's easier to manage all of the tracks and sounds files in ProTools.

I have no idea how expensive the software is though.
 
Ok thanks everyone!

BenB I can't wait to get back home to try it out. Thanks a million, I'll let you know how it works out for me.

Jay
 
coffee said:
hey Ben,
Is there a way in FCP to tune down the bass in a voice?

Also, if you double click on an audio clip the window for that clip opens up. In that window I see two meter bars, one for the Pan and one for Level. I'm assuming that the pan is for left/right pan and Level is for overall volume levels, is that right?

Ok, so if I bring the Level all the way up then the audio for that clip should be maxed out correct? If needed, how can I boost that volume even more? Is there a normalize option somewhere in FCP?
Click to expand...
You can use the 3 Band Equilizer in FCP, but I'd use STP, as it has a larger selection of filters to help out.

If you bring the level of a clip's audio all the way up to 12 (the max), and need more volume really quick and easy, duplicate that audio clip onto another set of audio tracks and start boosting it's volume, too.

But, STP is a much better way to do this. It is the most overlooked app in the Suite. Folks tend to associate it with the original SoundTrack, before it went Pro, and was not much more than a loop composer/editor. Now that it's a Pro app, it's very powerful. I don't see any need to use any other software. Not to mention it uses Audio Unit plug-ins, so you can get a ton of additional third party filters and effects. If you ever installed Logic, and you uninstall Logic, make sure you keep Logic's plug-ins, they're all recognized by STP! I have a bunch of really nice plug-ins I got for free when I purchased Amadeus II that now run in STP. Very, very nice sound app, that you ALREADY own! Why use anything else?

I've thrown out Amadeus II, which was my sound editor of choice for video/film work. I've stopped useing Logic as it's way more than I actually use these days (there was a time I did nothing but music composition, I needed it then, not now). I've tossed Sound Soap and a ton of other audio software since SoundTrack Pro was introduced. It does everything you need in film/video sound work, has TONS of folley sounds, and integrates with FCP so smoothly. It's nice to clean up bad sound without having to jump through hoops to do it, AND have your cleaned up sound automatically placed in your Sequence when you're done. Non-destructive editing of sound files is a must, STP makes it easy. No more OMF files, etc. You can even do multitrack mixing/editing directly from you Sequence.

Very cool app, very unknown app, very overlooked app. Shame so many users spend money on sound apps when they already have all that capability in the Final Cut Suite they pay so much for.
 
thanks for all that info ben. i've been looking in to this too. you seem to be the one answering almost all of my final cut questions. many thanks!

by the way, out of curiosity have you used the oktava mk012? i'm also looking at the motu traveler. have you ever used it or the included audio desk software? since you're doing some posting on audio related issues, thought i'd ask.
 
Depends on what you're going to be recording, and for what purpose? If it's just simple voice over work, get the Samson CO1U USB mic and use it with STP. Avoid the Snowball USB mic, as it has major gain problems. I used one, I hated it, sent it back and pulled my CO1U out to use again. Great sound quality.

If you're doing more than just VO work, things change.
 
i have a shotgun (rode ntg-2), and i'm looking for a high quality, do-it-all mic, for cheap. yes, three things that can't fit together. let's just say the best quality, do it all mic for as little as i can spend. VO work, field recording, foley work, you name it. again, i realize i'm asking a lot, but people have really been raving about the oktava.

long ago i used to do some audio engineering, but it's been a while and i've forgotten way too much. i feel like we had a pair that we used for overhead mics, but again, a lot of people on dvxuser have said they use them for everything.
 
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