Soundtrack 1.1: Late-Breaking News
Products Affected
Soundtrack Pro, Final Cut Pro
This document contains late-breaking information about Soundtrack. For the latest information about product updates, tips and techniques, and qualified third-party devices, visit the Soundtrack website at http://www.apple.com/soundtrack.
Exporting Projects and Tracks
When exporting a project mix or a track, the length of the export file runs from the beginning of the playback region to the end of the playback region if a playback region exists. If no playback region exists, the export file runs from the beginning of the project to the end of the last audio clip in the project. If the project contains effects that produce sound beyond the end of the last audio clip, then the export file will extend beyond the last audio clip until the effects stop generating sound.
Duration of Exported QuickTime Files
When exporting a project to a QuickTime movie file, the export file runs from the beginning of the project to either the end of the video file or the end of the last audio clip in the project, whichever is later. The complete video is exported, even if it runs past the end-of-project marker. If the project contains effects that produce sound beyond the end of the last audio clip, then the export file will extend beyond the last audio clip until the effects stop generating sound.
Projects exported to QuickTime are exported at a bit depth of 16 bits, whether the Export Bit Depth setting in the Project pane of the Preferences window is set to a bit depth of 16 bits or 24 bits. QuickTime is limited to an export bit depth of 16 bits.
Some video files with a .mov extension, particularly video files created using some versions of iMovie 3, may not be in a standard QuickTime movie format. If you try to export a project with a video file, and see an alert that the video is not a standard QuickTime movie, export the video from another application such as Final Cut Pro or QuickTime Pro to create a standard QuickTime movie of the file before exporting to QuickTime in Soundtrack.
Long Audio Files May Cause Performance Problems
Adding audio files of more than several minutes' length, or recording audio continuously for several minutes or more, may cause performance problems or result in the application quitting unexpectedly. Previewing extremely long audio files may cause a delay while the file is read into memory. If you experience problems caused by either adding extremely long audio files or recording for long periods of time, installing additional RAM in your computer may help.
Deleting Files in a Project
When a media file has been added to the Timeline of a project, and you move the file to the Trash, and then close the project, the file cannot be deleted from the Trash. An alert appears, saying that the file is still in use. To delete the file, quit Soundtrack, and then empty the Trash.
Similarly, when an audio file has been opened in Soundtrack Loop Utility, and you move the file to the Trash and then close the Soundtrack Loop Utility window, the file cannot be deleted from the Trash. An alert appears, saying that the file is still in use. To delete the file, quit Soundtrack Loop Utility, and then empty the Trash.
Placing Beat, Time, and Scoring Markers
If a beat marker or a time marker is placed at the same position as a Final Cut Pro scoring marker, the beat or time marker cannot be moved or deleted. Video Files Located on a Server May Lose Synchronization During Recording When you record audio in a project that contains a video file, if the video file is located on a server, the video's audio may not be synchronized with the project while recording. You may also experience Write errors while recording. To eliminate the problem, download the video file to your computer's hard disk. Similarly, it is generally not a good idea to use a server as your Recording Sessions Location found in the Recording tab of Soundtrack Preferences.
Importing a Video File With Audio Tracks
When you import a video file into a Soundtrack project, and the video file contains multiple audio tracks, only the first audio track is imported into the project.
Using Small Screen Resolutions
Soundtrack is intended to be used at a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 pixels or higher. If your computer is set to a screen resolution smaller than 1024 X 768, layouts may not display correctly, and changing the layout may cause unpredictable screen behavior.
Using Ripple Delete, Ripple Cut, and Paste Insert Commands With Timeslices
In addition to cutting, copying, pasting, and deleting Timeslices, you can also perform a ripple delete, ripple cut, and paste insert of Timeslices. When you cut or delete a Timeslice, a gap is left in the project Timeline where the deleted content existed. When you ripple cut or ripple delete a Timeslice, the gap is closed; the content to the right of the Timeslice selection moves to close the gap.
When you paste a cut or copied Timeslice, the pasted content is inserted into the Timeline at the position of the playhead and replaces any content that already exists at the playhead location. When you use a paste insert on a cut or copied Timeslice, the pasted content is inserted into the Timeline at the position of the playhead; content to the right of the playhead moves over to make room for the Timeslice being paste inserted.
Changing the Levels of Multiple Tracks at the Same Time
Pressing the Command key while dragging a track's volume slider changes the volume for that track and any other selected track. Each track's volume is changed at the same time, by the same amount. For instance, if you Command-drag a track's volume slider, increasing the volume by 3 decibels (dB), the volume for all selected tracks increases by 3 dB. This allows you to make changes to multiple track volumes at the same time.
Making Volume Envelope Adjustments
If you select a volume envelope, you can adjust all envelope points of a track by a specific decibel value. Choose Edit > Adjust Volume Envelope, then enter a new value in the decibel field. Positive numbers raise the volume, and negative numbers lower it.
Note: Adjustments made to the entire volume envelope that place the audio above +6 dB or below -96 dB will cause the volume envelope to change shape. If you make a volume adjustment that changes the shape of the volume envelope, a warning appears, allowing you to cancel the action.
Mute Always Overrides Solo
When both the Mute and the Solo buttons are selected simultaneously, Mute will always override Solo. For instance, if you have multiple percussion tracks soloed, you can mute one track or multiple tracks to hear individual volume levels in relation to each other. As you unmute each track, those percussion tracks will still be soloed.
Solo Doesn't Affect Preview
If you solo a track, Preview will still play. This allows you to preview different drum loops with a soloed guitar, for example.
Viewing a File's Information Within a Track
Soundtrack allows you to view a file's information within a track. Control-click a selected audio region, then choose Show File Information from the shortcut menu. The same information can also be found in the Media Manager.
Playing a Project From the Beginning
If you want to play your project from the beginning, press Shift-Return. If you have set up a playback region and the playhead is within it, the playhead moves to the start of the playback region. Otherwise, it moves to the start of the project when the playhead is before the playback region, and to the start of the playback region when the playhead is after the playback region.
Changing the Speed of Audio Loops
You can quickly change the speed of multiple audio loops by Control-clicking an audio region, then choosing Clip Speed and the new speed from the shortcut menu. To return to the original loop's speed, choose Clip Speed > Normal from the shortcut menu.
Using Undo in Soundtrack Loop Utility
When you choose Edit > Undo in Soundtrack Loop Utility, the text is removed from the current and previously selected text fields.
Create Support Profile Has Been Added to the Help Menu
There are certain support situations in which AppleCare may require information about both your computer and how this particular application is configured. Choosing Help > Create Support Profile creates a file that contains the necessary information and can be emailed to AppleCare. You would not normally use this feature unless directed to by an AppleCare representative.
New Apple Applications Page for Pro Apps Developers
The Apple Developer Connection website has launched a new page, Apple Applications, that is a one-stop destination for developers creating content or extensions for Pro Applications. On this page, developers can find late-breaking news of interest and technical resources such as developer documentation, special articles, and SDKs. Developers can also sign up for a new Pro Apps Developer mailing list. The URL is http://developer.apple.com/appleapplications.
© 2003 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Final Cut, Final Cut Pro, and QuickTime are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. iMovie is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.