TMO at NAB - Apple Announces Soundtrack Pro [UPDATE]

by , 7:20 PM EDT, April 17th, 2005

Apple Computer announced Sunday a new version of Soundtrack, the company's editing software solution for film soundtracks. Soundtrack Pro brings new editing options and features, new features for fixing problems in a soundtrack, plugins from Logic Pro 7, and tighter integration with Final Cut Pro HD. The announcement was made in advance of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show, which begins on Tuesday, April 19th, in Las Vegas, NV.

"In an HD world where production values are high, Soundtrack Pro ensures that the audio sounds as good as the picture looks," Rob Schoeben, Apple's vice president of Applications Marketing, said in a statement. "Just as Final Cut Pro revolutionized the world of non-linear editing, Soundtrack Pro will do the same for audio editing and sound design."

The feature the company is touting the loudest is Action Layers, a waveform editor that lets "audio and video professionals quickly re-order, bypass or change any edit, effect or process." Accompany that is an Action List that offers users a complete history of edits and other processing tasks. Users can then remove actions from the list in order to change the editing from any step in the line.

Apple is also including 50 plugins from Logic Pro 7, the company's advanced music editing solution, as well as 5,000 Apple Loops, like those that can be found with Logic Pro 7 or GarageBand 2.

Soundtrack Pro also includes an integrated mixer with a virtual control surface for mixing and editing. Support for Mackie Control protocols allows the use of hardware controllers, too.

Lastly, Apple said that Soundtrack Pro is tightly integrated with Final Cut Pro and the other applications found in the company's new Final Cut Studio.

Soundtrack Pro will be available in May for US$299 from the Apple Store.

[Update: This story has been updated with additional information about Soundtrack Pro. - Editor]

Soundtrack Pro