SlashCAM - Audio Design Desk: New real-time editing of sound effects in the timeline
09/04/2020
By Thomas Richter – This article originally appeared on slashCAM.com
The new sound tool Audio Design Desk (add.app) (including its own SFX library) was created by professionals in the industry especially for SFX dubbing of movies. It allows extremely fast real-time editing of sound effects (SFX) in your own timeline using a new intuitive operating concept. You never leave the Timeline to search for specific sounds: in a separate area you can search for specific sounds from the 20,000-sample library.
The highlight is the sync point defined for each sample, as well as a number of characteristics by which the sounds can be filtered. The selected sound effect is then assigned a key that can be used to insert it into the timeline while the video is playing.
While the video is playing (at full or slowed speed), different sounds can be inserted at exactly the right place in the timeline at the touch of a button. The individual SFX are equipped with metadata such as the Sync Point, which allows the program to recognize where exactly the sample should be placed for the immediate sound impression. For example, the sound of a clash of swords is inserted in such a way that the meeting of two swords sounds exactly when the blades cross in the picture (nice to see in the demo below of the SFX editing of a clip “Tiger and Dragon”). Audio Design Desk is used like an instrument. This saves the time normally needed to synchronize the sounds with the image in SFX editing – the beginning of a sample is seldom the place to be in sync.
Another unique feature is the ability to automatically replace sound effects with alternative (or completely different) ones. Using replacement criteria such as intensity, complexity, genre or mood, Audio Design Desk&s Sonic Intelligence algorithm can suggest a variety of alternatives for each SFX without losing synchronization with the image. A key new feature is the AI-supported sound selection: Audio Design Desk uses machine learning to learn over time which sounds a particular user prefers or dislikes and adjusts its suggestions accordingly.
add.app was developed by the Hollywood sound pros, film director, composer and film producer Gabriel Cowan and Sam Music, who designed the SFX for blockbuster trailers such as Spider-Man, World War Z, Rogue One, among others.
Audio Design Desk works with the most popular editing programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve, and Avid Media Composer. SFX compositions can be exported as XML or AAF📷 and then opened in NLE with all sounds placed correctly.
Users are not limited to the sound library of add.app, but can also import their own sounds. Users can add the metadata of their own SFX (for many sounds the program can automatically detect this) to allow the program to automatically synchronize them on the video timeline.
Price for program and license Audio Design Desk can be tested free of charge for 30 days – unfortunately it is (for the time being) only available on Macs. There are three pricing models that cover both sound licensing and use of the program: the first one costs around per month and includes all of the program&s features such as Sonic Intelligence as well as 20,000 AAC sounds, quarterly new sound packs, export of created sounds within a movie in stereo and a license for personal use.
The second offer costs around per month and also includes export to AAF📷 plus XML and cuesheets, access to Platinium Sound Paks and a license to use the sounds online. The third offer allows worldwide unlimited use – price on request.
deutsche Version dieser Seite: Audio Design Desk: Revolutionäres Echtzeit-Editing Tool für Sound-Effekte