Apple announces Soundtrack Pro

Apple has announced Soundtrack Pro, a new application that gives audio and video professionals an easy and flexible way to create, control and fix audio. Soundtrack Pro features a waveform editor with flexible Action Layers that allow users to instantly re-order, bypass or change any edit, effect or process. Intelligent Find-and-Fix features quickly identify and repair common audio problems such as background noise, pops, clicks and hum. With full multitrack editing and mixing, over 50 effect plug-ins from Logic Pro 7, and more than 1,000 top quality sound effects, Soundtrack Pro provides an intuitive, yet precise way to create stunning audio.

Action Layers in Soundtrack Pro's waveform editor let audio and video professionals quickly re-order, bypass or change any edit, effect or process. Integrated Action Lists deliver a complete history of edits and audio processing tasks, enabling users to revise decisions at any time while experimenting with sound design. Effect parameters can be tweaked spontaneously long after an effect has been applied to the audio waveform. Intelligent Find-and-Fix features quickly identify and repair common audio problems such as background noise, pops, clicks and hum and can be set automatically or manually for complete control.

With over 50 professional plug-ins including Space Designer, Match EQ and Linear Phase EQ from Logic Pro 7, Soundtrack Pro provides a powerful set of tools for audio and video professionals to sculpt the perfect sound for their productions. Soundtrack Pro comes with over 5,000 Apple Loops that add depth to the action and emotion of pictures with musical elements and sound effects ranging from earthshaking explosions and whooshes, to subtle ambient effects.

An integrated mixer with control surface support enables audio pros to interact with audio tracks using a familiar interface. Audio pros can apply common effects to multiple tracks and group common tracks using busses. Support for Mackie Control surface protocol allows sound editors to use hardware faders and knobs for tactile control over mix parameters to delve deeper into creating the perfect mix.

Soundtrack Pro offers integration within Apple's Final Cut Studio, the HD video production suite which allows professional editors to work in any format from DV, SD, HD to film, and elevate production values with powerful editing tools, sound design, real-time motion graphics and next generation DVD authoring. Users can seamlessly move between other Final Cut Studio applications and Soundtrack Pro for quick audio touch-up and creation. Entire sequences from Final Cut Pro 5 can be taken to the Soundtrack Pro multitrack editor for larger scale, audio post production.

AppleScript capabilities built into Soundtrack Pro simplify and accelerate the video production process by automating common and repetitive audio tasks. Audio and video professionals can execute complete Soundtrack Pro scripts directly from within Final Cut Pro 5 any time they need them. Automator, an application integrated in Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger", helps streamline more complex tasks without any programming.

Soundtrack Pro will be available in May through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of US$299. Soundtrack Pro is available as part of Final Cut Studio, Apple's HD video production suite which includes Final Cut Pro 5, Motion 2, DVD Studio Pro 4 and Soundtrack Pro for a suggested retail price of US$1,299.