Avid Community Blogs

Sibelius 7 Music Notation Essentials book now available

Daniel Spreadbury — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:30:55 GMT

Sibelius 7 Music Notation Essentials is the first Avid-certified book to be written about Sibelius. Part of the Avid Learning Series published by Cengage Learning, this new 350-page book forms the basis of a new curriculum for learning Sibelius 7 through a series of projects that you can complete in the comfort of your own home, [...] Read More......(read more)

Behind the scenes of Venom: Sink your teeth in (Part 5)

Taiho Yamada — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Sound Design Tips and Tricks – Venom Comes Alive in the Matrix

In my previous posts we discussed how to get more out of Venom’s oscillators, filter, LFOs, and envelopes. Now, we’ll take a look at how all those pieces connect together. At Venom’s core is a powerful 16-route matrix that allows you to patch physical controllers and other modulation sources to destinations all over the synth engine. Making good use of these patch points is what really brings a Venom sound to life.

Tip 11 – Max it out

Unless your goal is to make a very stable sound with a decidedly digital feel (hey, sometimes those are great too), it’s a good idea to visit the modulation matrix and do some creative routing to animate various elements of your patch. You can use LFOs and envelopes to make ear-catching wide modulations, but oftentimes the most useful modulations are quite subtle, like the analog drift modulation we discussed in Part 3 of this series.

But you don’t have to stop with the frequency and phase of the oscillators—you can send analog emulating modulations to the Filter and Amplitude destinations as well. When setting out to maximize a sound, it’s good to think about all the dimensions available to you beyond the basic parameters. Start with pitch, timbre and volume, but then expand your reach to cover such aspects as how the sound varies over time and its perceived placement in space. Venom provides useful tools for sculpting all of these elements.

Listen to the sound file below to hear how multiple subtle animations can combine to create a lively synth bass tone.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Actually, this sound is useful for illustrating many different maximization techniques. If you download it from Venomsynth.com, you can explore a variety of modulation applications, including:

· LFO routes crossing destinations in order to create multiple layers of movement

· Using all three envelopes with varying stage values

· Utilizing stereo panning and effects to create space

· Engaging FM and Ring Mod to add texture

· Combining waveforms from different manufacturers to increase timbral variance

· Using all mod matrix routes at once (it’s maxed out!)

Tip 12 – Bipolarity at Its Best

In Venom the modulation routes are bipolar, which allows you to set up modulations in both positive and negative amounts. Some really interesting effects tend to occur when the polarity of a mod route is flipped. For example, you can invert the envelopes to produce negative shapes, have pitches track the keyboard in reverse, or even dynamically change the direction of a saw wave LFO. When you flip its polarity, an “up-saw” LFO becomes a “down-saw” and vice versa. You can get some wild effects if you then put the polarity of the saw LFO under the control of another source, like a sample and hold.

Listen to the sound file below to hear how a bipolar Linear Sample & Hold modulation affects a saw LFO routed to oscillator pitch.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 13 – Modulating Mod Routes

Venom allows you to modulate a modulation route with another modulation route. That’s what lets you set up the basics, like having the Mod Wheel control vibrato (LFO to Pitch). But it also allows you to do the more esoteric stuff like the bipolar sound example above. The rule with modulating mod routes is that you can go two levels deep, but not three. You can’t have a mod route modulate another mod that’s already modulating a mod. (Got that? Right—the whole thing can get pretty complex...) Fortunately, the Vyzex Venom software editor keeps track of how the modulation routes interweave, and will remove any invalid mods from the destination list so you don’t have to worry about them.

This example shows how Vyzex lets you know at a glance that route 6 is modulating route 5. Other modulation routes are free to target route 5, but they won’t be able to modulate route 6.

Tip 14 – Scaled vs. Additive

In the modulation matrix you’ll notice that plus “+” and minus “-” signs appear in front of some modulation sources. What does this mean?

The plus sign is really straightforward. Those denote an additive modulation source, where the modulation value is added to the destination value. (In deference to high school algebra, negative numbers can be added here as well.)

The minus sign however doesn’t necessarily indicate subtraction. Instead, it can mean that the source is multiplicative and will scale downward from the parameter value set in the target, or it could be a negative or reverse modulation. It depends on whether the source with the minus sign is paired with a source with a plus sign or not. If it’s paired, then it’s scaling. If not, then it’s subtraction.

Look at the “Velocity” sources at the top of the pictured source list. Those are a pair that provides scaling, while the “Mod Wheel” entries farther down the list are only additive sources.

Tip 15 – Need Some Assignable Knobs?

There are two top panel Performance Controls that actually require routes in the mod matrix in order to function. The “Filter Envelope Amount” and “Filter Keytrack” knobs utilize routes 1 and 2 respectively. However, they don’t necessarily need to be assigned that way. You can set up any engine modulation you want in these slots, and the amount of modulation will be controlled by the corresponding top panel knob. Obviously, the top panel labels won’t match what’s happening in the patch anymore if you do this, but in return you’ll be able to create custom performance controls for your sound.

In either modulation route, the top panel knob directly controls the modulation amount through its full bipolar range. If you want a static source, i.e. the knob directly affects the parameter; use a free envelope with no Attack, Sustain set to full, and the Release set to “Hold”. Or, you can set it up to use the knob like a mod wheel, where it might bring in the effect of an LFO.

Listen to the sound file below to hear Performance Control knobs changing the levels of oscillators 1 and 2, which are otherwise unavailable for tweaking from Venom’s top panel.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Venom’s extensive modulation matrix provides much of the versatility found in modular synthesizers for patching synthesis sources and destinations into each other. From the sheer number of routing options available, to the useful mathematical transformations applied to the modulation amounts, Venom provides ample opportunities to shape your sound just the way you want it.

As always, I look forward to hearing your creations!

If you’d like to take a closer look at the Single Programs used in the sound examples, they’re available for download at VenomSynth.com:

http://www.venomsynth.com/content/maxoutsgl

http://www.venomsynth.com/content/bipolarsgl

http://www.venomsynth.com/content/knobssgl

To learn more about the Venom synth watch the intro video, listen to audio samples, and check out the buzz.

Taiho

blog comments powered by Disqus

Pat Metheny: “Now is the greatest possible time to be a musician–for Sibelius alone!”

Daniel Spreadbury — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:25:17 GMT

The February 2012 issue of International Musician, the magazine of the American Federation of Musicians, features guitarist-composer Pat Metheny on its cover, and an interview in its pages. In the interview, Pat discusses growing up in Kansas, the formative influence of jazz on his music, and how Canadian luthier Linda Manzer, who has built many unique [...] Read More......(read more)

Sibelius helps Scarsdale students score hits for elementary orchestra

Daniel Spreadbury — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:11:37 GMT

The Scarsdale Daily ran a story over the weekend about a joint effort between Quaker Ridge Elementary School and Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale, New York to provide the elementary students who play in the school’s orchestra with some exciting new arrangements of songs by Bruno Mars, Adele and OneRepublic. Andy Sherman, a junior at [...] Read More......(read more)

Sibelius 7 scores Software Line of the Year award for 2011

Daniel Spreadbury — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:47:41 GMT

This past weekend at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, the winners of the 19th annual Music Merchandise Retailer Dealers’ Choice Awards were handed out, and I’m delighted to report that Sibelius 7 won the Software Line of the Year award for 2011. These awards were voted for by more than 650 retailers, so it’s [...] Read More......(read more)

That Post Show — A Little Squirt of Dopamine

Steve Cohen — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:07 GMT

Last week, I participated in another episode of Kanen Flowers’ “That Post Show” — this time covering the skill-set you’ll need in order to succeed in the real world of the professional editing room. The episode is entitled “Squirt of Dopamine” and also features Mike J. Nichols, Paul Zadie and, of course, Kanen. I think [...] Read More......(read more)

Avid garners six awards at NAMM 2012

Mark Williams — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:37:00 GMT

Avid took home six awards at the 2012 NAMM Show, with "Best Of" designations being awarded to a range of Avid's recording, composing, and live sound solutions. Pro Tools 9, Pro Tools HD Native, Sibelius 7 and VENUE 2.9 all took home industry honors, and were recognized by a cross section of industry professionals representing manufacturers, customers, editors, and channel partners.

On Wednesday January 18, the evening before NAMM 2012 kicked off, Avid received the prestigious Electronic Musician 2011 Editor's Choice Award for Pro Tools 9. Dubbed the "Plays Well With Others" award, we can't argue with the fact that the open hardware architecture introduced by Pro Tools 9 was a huge hit with our users, both old and new.

On Friday morning, January 20, we were proud to receive the coveted 2012 Sound on Sound Award for Pro Tools 9. Voted "Best DAW" in their reader's choice poll, the power and performance of Pro Tools 9 again proved to resonate, this time with the discerning professional audience Sound on Sound has cultivated over the years.

That evening, Avid was honored with three 2012 TEC Awards from the TEC Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the premier music industry trade association. Pro Tools HD Native won in the Computer Audio Hardware Category, Pro Tools 9 in Workstation Technology, and VENUE 2.9 in Sound Reinforcement Technology. Avid's solutions again were found to deliver best in class performance and power were recognized as the leaders in their very competitive market categories.

And on Saturday, January 21, Avid Sibelius 7 was awarded the Software Line of the Year Award from Music Merchandise Retailer (MMR). Avid's premier composition software has always been the top choice of professionals and educators, and knowing that the line is a top choice amongst our channel partners mean's we're definitely doing something right.

We are honored to be on the receiving end of so much recognition. We thank the editors, business partners, and most of all our customers for all the honors. Your success is what drives us everyday.

Come and see Sibelius at The NAMM Show 2012

Daniel Spreadbury — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:35:43 GMT

Today marks the start of the winter NAMM Show at the convention centre in Anaheim, California. Naturally, Avid is there with its usual impressive stand in Hall A, Booth 6700, which is found right inside the main doors to the hall. You can check out Sibelius 7 and Avid’s other music and audio solutions both [...] Read More......(read more)

Mix Magazine: "40" takes Pro Tools HD Native mobile with Drake's "Take Care"

Mark Williams — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:18:00 GMT

Executive producer Noah “40” Shebib has worked with Drake since the artist’s debut. Photo: Future the Prince

Everyone has heard of Drake’s latest album Take Care by now – it rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 when it debuted and took front stage at the MTV Awards. Not many people, however, have heard how producer Noah “40” Shebib made it all happen. Lucky for us, Mix Magazine got a chance to sit down with 40 and they just published an incredible interview in their January issue detailing just how far Pro Tools HD Native has enabled him to push the limits of professional HD recording.

Relying on a custom Pro Tools HD Native rig, 40 moved seamlessly from hotel room to recording studio while on tour with Drake, recording tracks in the moment and turning them into chart-topping hits in between shows and appearances. "When I’m on the road with Drake, I have a little rackmount on wheels that has an Omni HD interface in it and a Neve 1073 strip and a one-unit Magma chassis with a Native card," said 40. "'I plug this into my laptop wherever I go. This rig is pretty serious business when you’re in a hotel room.”   

The article also points to the importance of portability for today’s producer. “We have a plethora of interfaces, including a family of every Mbox five times over, tons of laptops – it’s grab a computer, grab an interface, plug in a mic and get going." Shebib explained that with his set of tools he can to walk into sessions with guest artists and record straight to his mobile rig, head back to his hotel room, and easily create and mix the recordings on his laptop. And of course if the guest artist can make it to cut the track in person, they can just e-mail 40 their take and he can fly it right into his Pro Tools HD session.

 What’s the key to producing a crowd pleasing hip-hop album? As far as Shebib is concerned, it’s don’t waste any time. Inspiration happens, and you've got to be ready to capture it and move at the speed of the artist's creativity. “One thing that you need to be is extremely fast on Pro Tools because the caliber of artist that Drake is, he doesn’t have the patience for wasting time. If he wants you to fly eight bars and put a chorus after that, he expects it done near-instantaneously.” 

40 is one of a hand full of producers pushing the boudries of professional music production with Pro Tools, and just for the record, I think I seriously covet his mobile rig. Just saying. Check out the whole article here and find out more about how Pro Tools HD Native is revolutionizing HD recording here.

Behind the Scenes: Unified Licensing and Activating Sibelius 7.1

Richard Gianattasio — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Less than a month ago we talked about Avid Media Composer 6.0 and the our Unified Licensing scheme. As promised, we are revisiting this discussion with our newest release of Sibelius 7.1, which is offered as a free upgrade from Sibelius 7 and includes the move to the Avid Unified Licensing platform.

As a refresher from our last blog, the move to a common licensing platform will provide the following benefits:

1. Offers our customers a simplified activation experience across all of our Avid products

2. Provides our Customer Success support personnel with an improved set of tools to help assist our customers with software activation related issues

3. Offers our customers new use case opportunities with regards to how they activate our software

Being the second product in the Avid portfolio to utilize our new licensing technology, Sibelius 7.1 leverages much of the same functionality as Media Composer. If you are one of those devoted Avid customers that uses both Sibelius and Media Composer, you will instantly notice the common activation experience utilized in both products.

Sibelius License Types

The Sibelius 7.1 product utilizes the Node Lock license type, which ties the activation to a specific device (Sibelius allows you to activate on 2 separate devices). In addition, Sibelius introduces two license types that we have not yet seen on the Unified Licensing platform, Site License and Network License.

The Sibelius Site License allows our customers the opportunity to use a single Activation ID to activate multiple devices. This is important for customers who have large numbers of Sibelius machines running and don’t want to have to manage large numbers of Activation IDs. With this license type, you only have to remember one number.

The Sibelius Network License allows our customers to attach multiple Sibelius licenses to their existing Sibelius license server, which offers a multitude of license management functions and is ideal for classrooms.

Activating Sibelius

Along with the move to the Unified Licensing scheme, Sibelius 7.1 now uses a common 11 digit System ID and a common 16 digit Activation ID for the initial software activation. The Sibelius Activation IDs are coded, with the first two digits representing the product (e.g. SB = Sibelius). Here is a snapshot of the Avid License Control activation UI using the new Sibelius Activation and System IDs.

You will also note that we’ve added a new convenience button called “Paste from Clipboard”. For those customers who have obtained their activation information electronically, you can simply cut and paste these annoyingly long numbers directly into the UI from the clipboard. They don’t even have to be in the right order, Avid License Control will look for the proper formats and auto-populate the correct fields for you.

Sibelius Network License

Activation of the Sibelius Network License is similar to the Node Lock example above, but in this use case multiple licenses are activated on the Sibelius License Server, which then distributes these licenses to the Sibelius client machines. Avid License Control keeps track of the network licenses, even if you add additional license seats later. The example below shows an initial activation of 10 seats, followed by an additional activation of 4 seats. Note the Activation ID starts with “SW” for the Sibelius Network License.

Here they are in the Sibelius License Server UI.

Indirect Activation

For those users who are not connected to the internet. Sibelius can also be activated using our Offline Activation web site. We’ve added a “Copy to Clipboard” feature in Avid License Control to help in capturing the necessary data for Offline Activation. Instead of writing down your System ID, Activation ID, and Device ID (a painful task). Simply copy this information to the clipboard, save it onto a USB thumb drive, and carry it over to the internet connected device you will be using for your Offline Activation.

We believe that you are going to really enjoy this new licensing experience. I recommend you get your Sibelius 7.1 update, check out the new activation process, and let us know what you think.

Happy Activations and we look forward to telling you more when our next Avid product releases.

Rich

blog comments powered by Disqus

Production Apprentice weighs in on Media Composer: ‘Avid Media Composer 6 is everything they said it would be…’

AlissaV — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Check out the latest review of Media Composer 6.0, appearing on Production Apprentice. John DeMaio takes us through his experience getting up and running and provides readers with his comments on several features of the new release, including the updated interface, tabbed bins, 3D, Avid Open I/0, Avid Marketplace and more … a few comments from the review:

“Avid has finally done something that should have been done years ago…tabbed bins! There was the SuperBin, which was alright, I guess. But the ability to create tabs for open bins is simply heaven for me. In the past, there were bins everywhere. It was a giant mess. Even with the SuperBin, I had trouble keeping track of everything. Not anymore. Now I can organize everything and actually see where all of my bins are!”

“However, the biggest change so far is the ability to use third-party hardware. This is the biggest news for me because it means that I can re-purpose my existing Kona 3 card and not have to pay a single dime to upgrade my hardware. So that’s exactly what I did. I downloaded the drivers from AJA and like magic, it was working perfectly. I put it through my normal workload…up-converting from Beta (ok, that doesn’t really happen too often but I did it anyway), down-converting, cross-converting from 720 to 1080 – everything worked as well as it does in FCP.”

“If you want to edit for fun, choose an edit system that’s right for you. However, if you want to edit for a living and work on major motion pictures and television shows…you have to learn how to use Avid. I don’t care what anyone says…Avid is the industry standard and they will continue to rise. Especially after this release.”

Check out the full review for all of the details ....

For more information about the latest version of Media Composer, visit www.avid.com/mc or try it out for yourself with a free 30-Day trial. If you’re just getting started with Media Composer, be sure to visit our Avid Community forum – Media Composer: Getting Started Fast.

John Ashton Thomas on using Sibelius to score more than 50 films

Daniel Spreadbury — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:13:15 GMT

London-based composer, orchestrator, arranger and educator John Ashton Thomas has worked on some huge Hollywood hits over the years, arranging or orchestrating for more than 50 films since 2005 – and he has used Sibelius for every one of them. I caught up with John to find out more about his work and the part [...] Read More......(read more)

Behind the scenes of Venom: Sink your teeth in (Part 4)

Taiho Yamada — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Sound Design Tips and Tricks – More Tools for Sculpting Your Sound

In my previous blog we talked about Venom’s oscillators and discussed many of the deeper sound design functions that you can perform with them. Now we’ll talk about the rest of the synthesis engine and how it can shape the waveforms we’ve generated. Oftentimes, people focus on just the oscillators or filters in synthesizers when talking about their character, but the entire voice path is just as important, and every one of those elements works together to make an instrument unique.

Tip 6 – Pre Filter Boost

Digital filters clip in really unpleasant ways, so quite often DSP engineers will work to keep the levels low enough by limiting the range of the input signals. Venom, on the other hand, gives you the option to actually turn things up with its Pre Filter Boost parameter. This is only possible because we went a step further and built in a tube saturation limiting algorithm that can be overdriven gracefully. When Venom’s filter is clipped, it generates a nice analog distortion sound that adds to your waveform’s harmonics. It’s one last bonus parameter where you can make additions to the timbre before you start using the filter cutoff to subtract from it.

Listen to the sound file below to hear how the Pre Filter Boost parameter overdrives a sine wave going into the filter.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 7 – Vocal Formants without a Formant Filter

Venom doesn’t have selectable formant filter algorithms, but you can still make those distinctive “talking synth” sounds. Vocal formants can be created by arranging two or more resonant filters in series at specific frequency relationships to each other. Venom only has one main filter, but secondary filters are available in a couple places farther down the signal path. One filter to try is the Auto-Wah on the Insert effect, but strangely enough, the Sample Rate Reduction effect (decimator) also does a really great job in the formant filtering chain. Check out Single Program A106 “Gibberish” for an example of this. It’s not too hard to experiment with cutoff frequencies until you find some relationships that sound vocal.

Listen to the sound file below to hear Single Program “Gibberish” talking.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 8 – Extreme LFOs

There are tons of LFO options in Venom. Between the three main LFOs, A-Mod LFO, Effects LFOs and the oscillator LFO trick we discussed in my previous blog, there are a myriad of ways to put some interesting motion into your sound. Venom is designed this way because animating different elements of a patch can really give it life, from subtle effects that are more felt than heard, to real sonic fireworks.

Check out all the options the main LFOs have to offer, from the extended set of 12 wave shapes, to Tempo Sync expressed in musical note values, to envelope-like fade-in settings, to determining the Start Phase position. You can use these parameters to put together some intense modulations, like in Single Program C003 “LFO Mashup”. This patch uses three tempo synchronized square wave LFOs to create a musical pattern by modulating the pitches and level s of the individual oscillators at different note divisions.

Listen to the sound file below to hear how the LFOs in “LFO Mashup” interact. (There were only four notes played here, corresponding to the chord changes.)

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 9 – Hold the Envelopes

Normally, envelopes only have one stage where they stay at the same level for any period of time and that’s the Sustain stage. With Venom, we took the traditional ADSR and added a Hold stage between the Attack and the Decay. This allows you to set up modulations that rise, rest, fall, rest, and fall — depending on the envelope settings and how you play the note, of course.

For an example, I’ve created a three oscillator program that uses envelopes 2 and 3 to change the individual oscillator pitches, making a sound that moves from one chord to another while a single note is held. Since the Hold stages are set to different times, you can hear one oscillator change frequencies before the other. On the second oscillator I turned up the Decay time which sounds like portamento, or glide, when the envelope plays through that stage.

Listen to the sound file below to hear envelope Hold at work.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 10 – Mono Legato Envelope Mode

Mono legato mode was used for a lot of classic synth leads and basses – the Minimoog D always behaved this way, for example. Venom, as a polyphonic synthesizer, only changes to Mono Legato mode under certain circumstances, but will do so automatically. If Venom is set to Mono mode, and Glide is turned on, the envelopes won’t retrigger unless your fingers are fully lifted off the keys between notes.

(If you weren’t planning on having Glide as a part of your sound, leave the Glide Time parameter set to zero and it won’t get in your way.)

You can hear mono legato behavior in the sound file below, which uses preset Single Program A015 “BigBadBob” to illustrate.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Venom’s deep synthesis engine gives you many interesting and often unusual tools for sculpting your sound. From its chameleonic oscillators and filter, to its dizzying LFO and envelope modulations, Venom provides more than enough options to continue making wonderfully surprising patches for years to come. I look forward to hearing your creations!

If you’d like to take a closer look at the custom Single Programs used in the sound examples, they’re available for download at VenomSynth.com:

http://www.venomsynth.com/content/filtrboostsgl

http://www.venomsynth.com/content/envholdsgl

To learn more about the Venom synth watch the intro video, listen to audio samples, and check out the buzz.

Taiho

blog comments powered by Disqus

Behind the scenes of Venom: Sink your teeth in (Part 3)

Taiho Yamada — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Sound Design Tips and Tricks – Know Your Oscillators

It all begins with the oscillators... If those don’t sound great, no amount of filtering or effects will ever really be able to fix that. Venom addresses this issue in a clever way, by playing back samples of classic analog waveforms as well as modern digital sources. Sampling allows you to go directly to the oscillators of the best synthesizers and drum machines ever made and easily capture every spectral nuance of their waveforms.

As opposed to mathematical modeling, sampling duplicates the exact waveforms using very little horsepower in the DSP. However, the sample is like a snapshot, and the changes that take place over long periods of time, such as analog frequency drift, are not accurately reproduced. But with the savings in processor power, Venom allows you to reintroduce this behavior (and much more) through a comprehensive set of modulation parameters and sound shaping tools.

Tip 1 – Recreating analog oscillator behavior

The first thing that comes to mind is how the frequency of an analog oscillator drifts over time. It slowly meanders in a seemingly random fashion as the circuit reacts to small variations in temperature and other factors. To quickly add some of this behavior to a Venom sound, turn up the Drift parameter using the oscillator section of the Vyzex editor.

Drift will add small random variations to the base frequency of each oscillator each time you press a key. It does introduce some nice phasing as the detuned oscillators beat against each other, but Drift doesn’t actually go so far as to continue moving the frequencies around over time. For that, we’ll need to set up some LFO modulations.

I like to use LFO 2 set to the “Linear Sample and Hold” shape in order to introduce a smooth random modulation as the note is held.

And since you can address each oscillator’s pitch independently, you can really enhance the analog vibe by setting different modulation amounts for each of them. This will cause the frequencies to “fan out” and the oscillators will beat against each other at different rates, but the overall pitch movement will be in the same direction if the modulation routes are all set to the same positive (or negative) polarity.

To add the finishing touches to our analog frequency drift, I use LFO 3 to modulate the rate of LFO 2. Although the level values of the Linear Sample and Hold are random, the clock timing isn’t, so it’s a good idea to make this additional modulation route in order to avoid hearing pitch variances occurring at regular intervals.

I bet you thought we were finished at this point, but there’s one more important component to recreating analog behavior in the oscillators, and that’s phase. Analog oscillators are always oscillating behind the scenes, and we hear them only when the filter and amplifier are opened (usually by an envelope). This means that the audible starting phase of the waveform is more or less random since you can’t really control the precise timing of when you play a note and reveal the waveform cycle.

Samples on the other hand, tend to always start at the same spot – the beginning. So, in order to simulate phase variance, Venom provides an oscillator Start Mod parameter, which chooses a random spot in the length of the waveform sample to begin playback. As with the Drift parameter, Start Mod applies the effect randomly, and in different amounts, across all three Venom oscillators whenever a voice sounds.

Okay, so let’s take a listen to what we just did. Listen to the audio file below to hear a three saw-tooth oscillator sound before and after the application of analog simulation.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 2 – Using the Waveshaper to generate PWM

There are some other tricks to bringing more traditional analog behavior to Venom’s waveforms. Pulse Width Modulation is one of those essentials that you wouldn’t necessarily expect from a sample, but Venom provides an interesting and ultimately more versatile way of accessing that classic sound. The key is in the Waveshape parameter on Oscillator 1.

Venom’s Waveshaper takes any waveform that you feed it and turns it into a rectangular wave of varying pulse width patterns. The Waveshape threshold parameter determines the overall shape. Any part of the wave that falls above the threshold gets set to full positive, while anything below is set to full negative.

Since Venom’s waveform samples have a fixed pulse width, we use them instead as a reference plot for the Waveshaper algorithm. On Venom, to make the classic Pulse Width Modulation sound, you actually have to start with a saw wave rather than a square, and as you modulate the threshold up and down, the positive going pulse width becomes thinner and thicker respectively.

Listen to the audio file below to hear Pulse Width Modulation generated by the Waveshaper as applied to the MG Saw waveform.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Because Venom achieves PWM through a waveshaper algorithm, that function can be applied to every waveform in the oscillator, not just to the square wave like on most analog synths. Some of the more complex Venom waveforms have multiple peaks per cycle at varying amplitudes, so the resulting PWM can even go to 0% on some peaks while not on others. This can make for some very interesting and gritty textures.

Tip 3 – Unusual uses for drum sounds

Since Venom’s drum samples appear as one-shot waveforms in the oscillators, you can apply algorithmic functions such as the waveshaper to those as well. And changing the threshold takes your kit from a nice rectified distortion sound to complete and utter oblivion... It’s a great effect.

But what I really love is using drums as the source waveform for Sync sounds, which is something you don’t find on a lot of synths outside of the modular world.

Oscillator Sync is generated by resetting the phase of the slave oscillator each time the master oscillator completes a cycle. That way, the slave oscillator takes on the fundamental frequency of the master oscillator while generating new harmonics. By nature of the algorithm, Sync is most interesting when the slave oscillator is set to a higher fundamental frequency than the master, and gets even better when its frequency is being constantly modulated. This creates a shifting set of harmonics over time.

However with a complex master waveform like an analog tom (for example), oscillator Sync causes the slave oscillator to reset many times during the initial attack transient. Then it follows the fundamental frequency in the body of the tom sound as it falls, and finally stops resetting when the drum sample fades out. You can really hear how the sound changes over time if you tune the drum way down. In fact, the sound “Fatality” (A-032 in the preset banks) does exactly that.

Listen to the sound file below to hear “Fatality” show off the concept of using a drum sound as an oscillator Sync source.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 4 – Using Oscillators 2 and 3 as LFOs

Another interesting use for a drum sound in the oscillator is as a one-shot complex LFO waveform. Venom already provides 4 LFOs, but you can add two more by tuning oscillators 2 and 3 down to sub audio rates and applying them as Ring Mod and FM respectively. The FM route becomes a pitch LFO and Ring Mod becomes amplitude modulation.

Of course you can use the “normal” waveforms as well. Just tune the oscillators down all the way using the Coarse tuning parameter and then force them down even further using Envelope 3 routed negatively to the individual oscillator pitches. This allows you to use any oscillator waveform in Venom’s arsenal as an unconventional and distinctive LFO shape.

Listen to the sound file below to hear an example of the oscillators being used as LFOs. Note that none of the 4 main LFOs were used, and that the voice fades out because it follows the envelope of the drum sound used for amplitude modulation.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Tip 5 – Frequency modulation of Noise

In the analog world, it’s impossible to modulate the frequency of noise because it has no frequency. But in Venom, since the noise is a sample in the oscillator, you can vary the sample rate and change its “pitch/formant” characteristics. Pitching White Noise down starts sounding like Brown Noise, while pitching it up edges into Violet Noise.

This is useful not just for changing the audible timbre of the noise, but also for changing the quality of the result when using noise as a pitch or amplitude modulation source. Normally if a synth gives you a choice of noise color, it’s a set-and-forget parameter, but in Venom you can continuously modulate the White Noise “pitch”, both positively and negatively for dynamic “color” variation.

Listen to the sound file below to hear noise used as an FM source, and how varying the sample rate changes the modulation texture.

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Venom’s oscillators were designed to give you the best of both worlds. They can sound alive and analog or precise and digital depending on how you choose to use them. The tips listed here barely scratch the surface of all the sonic possibilities in Venom’s deep synthesis engine. Hopefully you’ll be inspired to explore further on your own, and I look forward to hearing the cool new sounds that you discover.

If you’d like to take a closer look at the Single Programs used in the sound examples, they’re available for download at VenomSynth.com:

http://venomsynth.com/content/analogoscsgl

http://venomsynth.com/content/waveshapesgl

http://venomsynth.com/content/osclfossgl

http://venomsynth.com/content/noisemodsgl

To learn more about the Venom synth watch the intro video, listen to audio samples, and check out the buzz.

Taiho

blog comments powered by Disqus

Reality TV Leader, Bunim/Murray Productions, Selects Avid’s Professional Editing and Storage Solutions

AlissaV — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT

We’re excited to share that renowned television production company, Bunim/Murray Productions, has selected Avid Media Composer® 6 and Avid Symphony® 6 editing software for all of its programs beginning in early 2012. Bunim/Murray joins a growing number of professional users who have returned to using Avid solutions from Final Cut Pro to meet their production workflow requirements. Additionally, as part of this implementation, Bunim/Murray also plans to deploy an Avid ISIS® 5000 shared storage system.

Widely credited with creating the reality television genre with its hit series The Real World, Bunim/Murray is an Emmy Award-winning production company that continues to lead the way with popular programs, including: Keeping up with the Kardashians, Kourtney & Kim Take New York, Project Runway, and more. Following recent market shifts, Bunim/Murray reconsidered its professional video editing software options and was looking for a software provider whose professional editing solution met their needs – today and into the future.

“Due to the large volume of media generated by our reality shows, we needed to re-evaluate our editing and storage solutions. At the same time, we were looking for a partner who would understand our long-term needs. As we talked with Avid, it was clear that the company has really forged ahead since we worked with them years ago. Their commitment to the needs of their professional customers, like us, is clear. And, with the introduction of Media Composer 6, they really raised the bar and have a vision for the future that makes them the right choice for our business.” – Mark Raudonis, Senior Vice President of Post Production at Bunim/Murray,

For the complete press release, visit http://bit.ly/y0xGN6

Additional Media Composer Resources

If you’re a former Avid user considering a switch—we want to help make your choice easier. Read launch coverage about out latest release, Media Composer 6, and check out our free 30 day Media Composer trial. You can also read more about its full capabilities at http://www.avid.com/mc or watch customers share their reactions. And, if you’re new to Media Composer or simply returning after some time away, be sure to join our “Getting Started Fast” community. There you can get assistance, answers, and insights from Avid experts to start editing with Media Composer right away. Last but certainly not least, learn more about our ongoing Final Cut Pro Crossgrade offer, which allows Final Cut Pro users to purchase Media Composer for $1499.

WIRED’s Michael Calore calls Keystation Mini 32 “a standout in the large crop of keyboard controllers”

Mark Williams — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:32:00 GMT

The iPad has turned into a platform for music makers everywhere to hone their craft. As a result, some pretty cool iPad compatible music gear hit the market in 2011. WIRED’s Michael Calore only included a select few, however, in his recent “Musical Hardware for iPad Songsmiths” feature online. So you can imagine our smiles when we saw that Michael found the Keystation Mini 32 a worthwhile addition, calling it a “standout from the latest crop of [keyboard] controllers.”

Michael got a chance to check out the Keystation Mini 32 and it seems he was convinced that good things can come in small packages. Michael points to the Keystation’s portability, mentioning its capacity to draw all the power it needs from the iPad. He ensures readers, however, that just because it can fit in a backpack does not mean the Keystation lacks features. “Most controllers have one or two octaves, but this one has two and a half, for a total of 32 keys. And yet it's still very compact.”

Michael also highlights that users of the Keystation can extend beyond your fervent pianist. “The knob and three of the buttons on the left edge are programmable, as is the key velocity, so the Keystation Mini can double as a surprisingly accurate drum machine controller.”

Thanks so much for the review, Michael. We here at Avid know iPads are the future and we are psyched to offer products like this for musicians on-the-go.

If you’re a music maker and iPad junkie don’t miss Michael’s full buyer's guide on WIRED.com here.

Final Cut X vs. Media Composer 6 Podcast

Steve Cohen — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:52:09 GMT

If you’re looking for a sane and reasoned comparison of Media Composer 6 and Final Cut X — from the real world of the editing room trenches — look no further than the latest edition of Kanen Flowers’ “That Post Show” podcast. I was a participant, along with Scott Simmons, Paul del Vecchio and Kanen. [...] Read More......(read more)

039 - 20 Years of Gear

Matt Feury — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Out with the old and in with the new! After a big year of new features and new hardware for Media Composer, Matt's in the Rough Cut studio visiting with the ghosts of NLE's past. Take a trip down memory lane and check out some things that you may have forgotten, and some that you have definitely never seen. Happy Holidays from Avid and The Rough Cut!

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Download this episode.

• Running time: 16:32

• Please send in questions, comments and suggestions - theroughcut@avid.com

• Say hello to me on Twitter at @MattFeury

• Subscribe to new episodes on iTunes

• ...or on RSS

The Rough Cut uses Avid Media Composer. You can too! Check out our 30-day free trial of Avid Media Composer 6 and let us know what you think.

blog comments powered by Disqus

Studio Daily Interviews the Associate Editor of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, David Smith

AlissaV — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

In advance of the release of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Studio Daily’s Bryant Frazer had the opportunity to speak with the film’s associate editor, David Smith. Facing one of the “most fraught subjects that can be tackled by a filmmaker—the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center”—the article explores how the team handled the complexity and sensitivity of the film’s subject matter.

During the interview, David also discusses the editorial workflow—from shoot, with an ARRI ALEXA digital camera recording in ARRIRAW converted to DNxHD 36 to edit with Media Composer. Media was shared via a Unity MediaNetwork with an Avid DS in the screening room, facilitating color-correction and conform. He also outlines how the team worked successfully within a very short post schedule when faced with a large quantity of visual effects required to help capture the time period and events. For all of the details, check out the full interview here. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close opens in limited release on December 25.

AIR Users Blog Picks Best Product of 2011. And it's...

Mark Williams — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:32:00 GMT

Blogger and socialite Russ Hughes has posted "My Product of 2011... What is Your's?" over on the AIR Users Blog. Looking back over a year in which music fans have been "bombarded with thousands of products," he asks, "what one thing significantly improved my workflow or the quality of my work?"

Would it be Pro Tools 10 with all it's new workflow-specific features, or something entirely different from a "host of new interfaces, plug-ins, outboard and hardware synths and drum machines"?

Lo and behold, Russ chose the M-Audio Keystation Mini 32. "I have to ask myself, what one thing has made the most difference to me? You may be surprised to know, it’s also one of the least expensive things in my studio, but now it’s the one thing I reach for all the time and I wouldn’t be without."

I find it personally interesting to note that I keep my Keystation Mini 32 about two feet from me in my studio at all times. I think Russ might be onto something here. Glad you're enjoying yours as much as I'm enjoying mine Russ. You can check out the entire post here.

Behind the scenes of Venom: Sink your teeth in (Part 2)

Taiho Yamada — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Behind the Industrial Design

I originally thought Venom would be white.

That seems like an odd thing to say, considering that Venom actually is painted white, but I think you’d be amazed at the incredible journey it took to finally get there. In this blog post, I’m going to pull back the curtain a bit on the design of Venom, and give you a peek at what it’s like to work with a group of colleagues who are so passionate about synthesizers. Sometimes, gaining consensus between various viewpoints can be quite frustrating, but after all of the “spirited” debates, the end result is a finished product that’s the best it can be.

Onward with the tale…

In the beginning, I decided that Venom really needed to look like M-Audio’s KeyStudio 49i:

I’m kidding! This rendering was just a mockup to show the Industrial Designers the relative placement of various physical features on the unit. At that point, my only concerns were about maintaining the general functionality of the user interface and the overall ergonomics. I always leave it up to the ID professionals to make the final product look original and cool. To kick things off, I try to convey my basic ideas as clearly as possible, and I find it easier to do so by starting with a design that everyone is familiar with already.

We started off the real ID process by discussing the aesthetics of Venom. The synth engine combines old-school waveform muscle with modern digital sensibilities, so we talked in abstract terms about how a “grille” might suggest that kind of power under the hood. We took this concept and applied it most generously to the side panels, but it’s also visible in other aspects of the design, such as the knobs.

As the outer shell, knobs, wheels and even the buttons took shape, attentions turned to the color scheme of the product. Since purple has been pretty rare on synths historically, and because Avid was in the process of adopting that particular shade in its branding, we tried purple out as our main color:

The problem with this purple was that the iridescence in the paint caused it to turn pink under certain lighting conditions, which we felt would not really help us reach our target audience.

This led us to black; the old standby. When this color scheme finally seemed to stick, the discussions turned toward the accents and highlights. We went through a rainbow of colors trying to decide on which combination was most complimentary to the design, but one of my favorites wound up having an almost monochromatic feel, matching the black chassis with grey and silver trim. To me, it felt like a callback to Bob Moog’s old module style, but with a Nine Inch Nails kind of twist.

Too bad no one else seemed to like that one… There were a couple more interesting versions with green and blue highlights, but nothing held until I pushed for a black and orange combination as a sort of ARP tribute. The team was relatively happy with this one for quite some time. In fact, we went through two versions in order to get the shade of orange right.

All was well and good until a competitor beat us to market with a similar color scheme. That’s always a danger when you’re developing a synth over a period of years, but fortunately in this case we still had enough time to change course. So we returned to the white chassis, and the debate over the top panel silkscreen colors came back with renewed vigor. (As an added bonus for those of you with sharp eyes, you’ve probably noticed that the Venom logo has also changed four times in the midst of all this. That’s a whole other story…)

This long iterative process might seem quite chaotic, but for good design you have to validate your assumptions with other stakeholders at every step. We start with internal feedback on things like feasibility and cost, and position in our target market, and then we reach out to our retail partners and get opinions from a select group of sales professionals. Finally, we listen to our customers and do our best to implement suggestions, and if it’s not possible in the current product, we definitely put it on the list of issues to address in the next one. In fact, that goes for the entire design, not just the styling of the outside surface.

If all goes according to plan, you finish up with an elegant design that has been extensively reviewed and not only meets the functional needs of synth enthusiasts, but also elevates to the next level and inspires.

Check out the Venom design for yourself at one of our music retailers: Guitar Center, Sam Ash or B&H Photo. Or find the Venom retailer near you with our dealer locator.

To learn more about the Venom synth watch the intro video, listen to audio samples, and check out the buzz.

Taiho

blog comments powered by Disqus

Electronic Musician deems Avid’s Sibelius a “score!”

Mark Williams — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:16:00 GMT

Electronic Musician’s January issue takes a deep dive into Avid Sibelius 7 notation software in their gear review section, and reviewer Gino Robair's verdict? “Score!”

What first struck Gino was the all new user-friendly interface of Sibelius 7. He specifically called out the well-organized tool bar and drop-down menus for praise. Not only did Gino find the Ribbon great for beginners, he also says “longtime users will likely find features they didn’t know existed in Sibelius.”

Gino suggested the new text feature updates are “sure to make an impression on Sibelius users,” calling out the ability to edit and resize text with ease. He also mentions the new support for graphics and the integration ability that makes it easier to share your work.

Another major selling point for Gino – the new sound library! “The sound library is top-notch across the board,” he writes after giving a detailed look into the updated library provided with Sibelius 7, noting everything from the basic instruments to the chance at utilizing templates for mariachi and salsa band, Orff-instrument ensembles and handbell choir.

Last words from Gino: “Sibelius 7 should be a no-brainer for newbies and previous owners alike”.

Thanks for the review, Gino. We are ecstatic that you found the all new Sibelius 7 to be a total success. Check out the full review online, and be sure to pick up the print edition which also features quick tips on Avid Pro Tools!

Electronic Musician reviews Sibelius 7: “More intuitive” and “outstanding sounds”

Daniel Spreadbury — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:40:05 GMT

The January 2012 issue of Electronic Musician magazine carries a review of Sibelius 7 from renowned percussionist and composer Gino Robair, I’m delighted to report that Gino loves Sibelius 7, and has good things to say not only about the new task-orientated user interface sported by the new version, but also loves the new Sibelius [...] Read More......(read more)

Cutting Out the Middleman

Richard Gianattasio — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Vintage TVs by Derek Thomas, available under a Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0.

A recent article by Andrew Wallenstein published on Variety’s On The Air web site talks about the comedian Louis C.K.’s decision to offer his next show strictly behind an internet pay wall, instead of selling the rights to traditional cable broadcasters for distribution. There has been much chatter suggesting that this is the first step in the elimination of the middleman from the broadcast distribution chain, impacting the broadcaster’s ability to capture critical distribution revenues. With the internet offering the content creator direct access to the consumer, content creators/owners (in this case, Louis C.K.) have the ability to sell direct to the viewer without having to go through the hassle of rights contracting or the burden of sharing revenues with cable/satellite providers. Clearly this signifies the end of broadcast as we know it!

Let’s flash back to the summer of 2003, when Pearl Jam decided to bypass their record label and sell music directly to their fan base on PearlJam.com. Did this not mark the beginning of the end of the music industry as we knew it? There was another major industry event that also occurred in 2003, just two months ahead of the Pearl Jam announcement, when Apple announced the launch of its iTunes Music Store. You remember iTunes? This was Apple’s attempt at aggregating and then selling music over the internet, a strategy that clearly went against two dominant industry trends, (1) free music sharing, and (2) artists selling direct to consumers over the internet. Clearly Apple didn’t see the “writing on the wall”. So why did iTunes report record breaking revenues of $1.4 billion in Q2 2011?

One argument is that perhaps Louis C.K. or Pearl Jam, although having a strong dedicated fan base, may not have strong enough brands to profit from selling directly to viewers. The pundits suggest that direct distribution is a viable business model for only strong media brands leaving distribution through traditional broadcasters as the place for only smaller players. For example, there has been much talk about the NFL selling the Super Bowl directly to viewers over the web. If the NFL can’t profit from a direct sales model with the Super Bowl, then who can? Well, just last week, the NFL renewed its broadcast rights with CBS, Fox and NBC, contracting the distribution of their content through 2022, including broadcasting the Super Bowl.

At Avid, we have been having these same conversations with our major broadcast partners in an attempt to understand the implications of internet direct-to-consumer distribution, and the impact of the tablets/smart phones and pay-per-content apps. All the broadcasters seem to agree on the idea that having an easy direct to consumer distribution process does not equate to eyeballs (or ears for music). So, simply having a web site, or an iPAD app, does not guarantee success (revenues). In the industry we talk about creating “content destinations”, brands that are strong enough that you immediately go there to source your media. For example, when you want breaking news, you might go to CNN. Or, if you want to watch catch-up TV, perhaps you go to Hulu. Or if you want to listen to a new song, you go to iTunes. Because these brands have established themselves as content destinations.

Broadcasters are really good at positioning themselves as content destinations, they not only have the reach, but they also have access to the content. More importantly, they have the marketing power to drive people to their brands, something Louis C.K. may not be able to do for his site. Broadcasters also agree that content aggregation still plays a major role in the market. Think of a world where every production house, every music artist, every independent film maker, and every major broadcaster relied on a direct to consumer model. Cutting through all the media noise would be a painful experience for everyone, especially the consumer. There would be no quality standard, perhaps no delivery standard, and no pay model standard. So, by going it alone, are Louis C.K. and Pearl Jam actually doing themselves, and the industry, a disservice, perhaps reducing the overall ability of the industry to capture revenue? It may be that content aggregators, broadcasters, and distribution middleman in general still serve an important function in making sure that the distribution pipeline is filled with well-regulated, high quality content. If so, perhaps they are here to stay.

“Where there is a large amount of traffic, there will always be the need for traffic cops.”

Special thanks to Johann Lau and Christopher Payne-Taylor for their insights on this issue.

Rich

blog comments powered by Disqus

Sibelius 7.1 update now available

Daniel Spreadbury — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:54:56 GMT

As an early Christmas present to all Sibelius 7 users, we are pleased to make available a new, free update today, bringing the program to version 7.1. This update includes nearly 200 bug fixes and improvements, including support for automatic duplexing in printing, improvements to PDF export workflow, support for DirectWrite for ClearType anti-aliasing and precise [...] Read More......(read more)