Apple Pro Training Series: Soundtrack Pro (Apple Pro Training)

Book Description

Soundtrack Pro, Apple's exciting sound design software, is the newest member of the Final Cut Pro Studio digital video suite-And whether you're musically impaired or musically gifted, the Soundtrack Pro guide will help you get up to speed quickly. In this Apple-certified book/DVD combo, readers will find a complete, self-paced course in all aspects of Soundtrack Pro. Author Mary Plummer guides you through the secrets of editing, repairing, mixing, and arranging multi-track audio files, as well as how to create original soundtracks, score to video, add effects, and more. Step-by-step exercises and lesson files will have readers taking advantage of Soundtrack's thousands of audio loops to create perfectly synched scores in no time. Also included are dozens of advanced sound editing tips for professional users who want to take their video, DVD, and Web projects to the next level.

Customer Reviews:

Mary Plummer Starts the Soundtrack Pro Vehicle.......2007-03-26

Think of this book as driving instruction. Mary Plummer starts the car and now, you get to do the driving. The easy to follow comprehesive lessons in this book are more than enough to get you through the application. And once you have learned to operate the essentials, the rest of the drive is up to you. Turn left, turn right, speed up slow down, well, you get the picture. If you are the imaginative sort, this application can do things to enhance any of your video projects. This program even works for the rythmically challenged!

Bear in mind though, Mary's book is not intended to take you into the depths of award-winning audio post-production. If thats what you're looking for you probably need to seek an internship or hang around your local Guitar Centar. But if you want to learn how to be creative enough with Soundtrack Pro to keep your video viewing audience on the entertainment edge then this well-written book is a must.

I have used Soundtrack to score TV broadcast commercial IDs. Local commercials and proms are next. Shhhh! No one knows except me. Being paid for simply playing around. For more hot and interesting loops, see Douglas Spotted Eagle's book Using Soundtrack: Produce Original Music for Video, DVD, and Multimedia.

A Good Primer, in some respects.......2007-03-24

A word to those who are looking for a comprehensive reference and how-to book for Soundtrack Pro: this is not that book, nor is it intended to be. Instead, this book is a lesson-based primer that quickly takes you through many common tasks that anyone who is starting out in the world of audio Post-production will need to know at some point. The operative word being "quickly". This is NOT an in-depth look at Soundtrack Pro's most important functions, in terms of what they do, how they work and when you want to use one type of functionality over another.

Also, since the one person who took the time to write a real review mentioned it, if you're thinking about owning Soundtrack Pro and looking to see what kind of literature is available first, don't make the mistake of thinking STP is the "Photoshop of audio post-production." It's not, though it shares some common points with the progams that are. If you want the whole ball of wax, Logic Pro or Digital Performer from Motu are the tools you'll want to look at. Like Photoshop, they can perform a huge number of audio post-production and recording taks, but they're also hugely complex. Just depends on what your needs are and how much time you're able to dedicate to learning the toolset.

Overall this book is helpful in understanding how the Soundtrack Pro interface is laid out, and where the basic functional components are located and what they do. However, it's not the kind of book where you can look up a single important topic like "Voiceovers" or "eliminating ambient noise" and find 15 pages throughout the book on ways to accomplish those tasks. IOW, this isn't a reference work you set on your desk and find lots of answers as you go through the program trying to learn new things.

It's more like a 2 day class that covers a variety of basic lessons, compressed into a book.

Brand New + Fast Shipping.......2007-03-10

It was delivered right on time and in brand new condition like advertised.

Apple Pro Training Series: Soundtrack Pro (Apple Pro Training).......2007-01-05

Great Book -- has helped me a lot to understad sound editing.

The Soundtrack Pro Book.......2006-02-13

Mary Plummer, whose fun book on Apple Soundtrack helped walk users through the features of what was once a relatively limited utility, has upgraded the curriculum for the revamped Soundtrack Pro, a tool some have called "the Photoshop of audio". Now, as a Photoshop user myself, I wouldn't say Soundtrack has quite the depth to yet make that claim ... however, Apple has indeed rebuilt it from the ground up into what is leaps and bounds beyond the clip/loop manager it had been before. And Ms. Plummer, who has seen it grow each step of the way, has penned the best (if not only, at this time) source with which to learn its awesome capabilities.

After a quick first chapter on getting familiar with the interface (a working knowledge of Mac OS-X is essential), the reader gets up and running with projects involving sound design for a video trailer and a suspense scene, performing in depth waveform surgery (one of the key new features of Soundtrack Pro), editing audio tracks, recording and mixing audio, performing refinements and adding effects to a multi-track recording, and finally integrating it with the other tools of Final Cut Studio. That covered all the bases with this user and, as with her previous volume, kept it fun and inspired creative experimentation. It is always refreshing to learn from an author who is both an expert and an artist herself.

If you have been working with Apple's Pro Apps for any amount of time, learning Soundtrack Pro on your own isn't really rocket science, and if you just use it for loops and sound design with Final Cut Pro/Express you probably don't even need this book. But it is capable of a lot more on its own, and if you find yourself wanting to get deeper into its uses and exploit Soundtrack Pro for all it's worth, you'll find this Apple Pro Training title a well-written, invaluable, enjoyable and fast-moving route to audio enlightenment.

Thanks again Mary!

Apple Pro Training Series: Getting Started with Final Cut Studio (Apple Pro Training)

Average customer rating:

Printout of the PDFs included with FCP
Great for beginners.

Apple Pro Training Series: Getting Started with Final Cut Studio (Apple Pro Training)
Peachpit Press
Manufacturer: Peachpit Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

MacOS | Operating Systems | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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Audio & Video Editing | Digital Music | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Final Cut | Apple | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0321369912

Book Description

Announced by Apple at NAB in April 2005 to near universal acclaim, Final Cut Studio is the ultimate Digital video/audio production suite featuring Final Cut Pro 5, a major upgrade to the Emmy award-winning editing software. Final Cut Studio also includes Soundtrack Pro, for audio editing and sound design, Motion 2, for real-time motion graphics and DVD Studio Pro 4, for authoring high definition DVDs to the latest HD DVD specification. Written by Apple experts Mary Plummer, Damian Allen, Klark Perez and Matthew Geller - the lessons in this book-DVD combo are the official Apple Pro Training Final Cut Studio tutorials, and are available in printed form for the first time! The Interactive DVD Tutorial takes you through the applications interfaces and primary features, including a narrated tour of important new features. This hands-on teaching tool includes lesson files and media on the DVD, so you can work through real-world projects as you learn. The Final Cut Studio Tutorials are step-by-step, project-based lessons - the equivalent of about 8 hours of training. You’ll edit two video projects, create motion graphics for a 10-second promo and a ‘coming up next’ TV bumper, edit and mix audio files, and author two complete DVD menus. Accompanying project and media files are located on the book’s second DVD. (Please note: these tutorials are also available in PDF format on two DVDs that are included in the box with the Final Cut Studio software).

Customer Reviews:

Printout of the PDFs included with FCP.......2006-04-23

I guess I missed in the online description that this book is actually a printout of the PDF tutorials already included with FCP Studio. Wish I knew before buying. Could be a good reference for those who don't like reading the PDF's and switching back and forth between programs.

For $22 I guess I'll make the best of it.

Great for beginners........2005-10-20

The book arived earlier for about 10 days, got it today, opened it and I must say it's very well written with details for every begginer with Final Cut Studio.
The 2 DVDs that include have alot of tutorials and documentation that covers the book.

I recommend it to every beginner, the only thing that makes me feel not so proud is that, the book itself isn't contained on a .PDF file in case you want to have it on the PowerBook for example with you, without the need to carry the book itself with you.

Apple Pro Training Series: Soundtrack (Apple Pro Training)

Average customer rating:

Already Outdated But Still Useful
A must buy

Apple Pro Training Series: Soundtrack (Apple Pro Training)
Mary Plummer
Manufacturer: Peachpit Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Recording & Sound | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Acoustics & Sound | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Digital Music | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 032124690X

Book Description

Got a mouse and a keyboard? Then you're ready to start making beautiful music with Apple's Soundtrack music arrangement software and this hands-on guide. With Soundtrack, you don't need to pay a composer or fork out royalty payments to start creating perfectly synched scores in no time. All you need, in fact, is this hands-on, Apple-certified guide, and you can begin taking advantage of Soundtrack's more than 4,000 audio loops and dozens of audio effects in your own video, DVD, and Web projects immediately. In this book/DVD combo, you'll find a complete, self-paced course in all aspects of Soundtrack--from employing its interface to the secrets of creating original music, finding matching parts, mixing tracks, scoring to video, adding effects, and more. Step-by-step exercises, hands-on lessons, review questions at the end of each chapter, and a DVD crammed with lesson files--plus dozens of composing tricks and loads of advanced editing tips--make this the place to master Soundtrack.

Customer Reviews:

Already Outdated But Still Useful.......2004-04-16

Apple's Soundtrack is not so much a music creation program as it is more of an audio clip manager, to be used with other programs. Originally packaged with Final Cut Pro, it has been released as a standalone tool to provide background music and sync sound in tandem with other media applications for video or web. In that sense, it is ideal for the non-musician or media artist looking to enhance projects with audio "clip art".

As is often the case, the in-box guided tour touches on the basics but doesn't cover most of this seemingly basic program's capabilities. Mary Plummer's comprehensive tutorial is a must-have for the user who desires to learn every feature of Soundtrack; it covers the basics of arranging and editing loops and one-shots on the timeline, synching and modifying projects for video, offers insights for adding special touches as well as tips for such mundane matters as managing files and media paths, and pretty much covers everything the program was designed to do ..... which is as much as you can expect from the only teaching aid available for Soundtrack at this time.

Note: Apple has updated their software since this publication, and the book refers to features that no longer exist, ie: no more red duration bar. There are also added features, such as midi synching, that are not covered ...... as a standalone, Soundtrack is obviously a work in progress. If I had already been using an audio production tool such as Logic or Cubase, I probably wouldn't have bothered with it. Fortunately, Ms. Plummer's softcover classroom (which features generous practice files on the enclosed DVDrom) covers enough of this otherwise basic application to make it a genuinely helpful tool, for non-musicians and composer-arrangers alike, who need to bash out and sync up scores on the spot. One of the better written Pro Training titles (no noticeable proofing errors this time!), this book will help the reader make the best use of Soundtrack in nine simple lessons.

All software should be this simple and fun to learn, but since it isn't, learning Soundtrack with the help of Ms. Plummer's guide makes for a nice break from the rest of them.

A must buy.......2004-04-08

Mary Plummer achieves something that few instruction manuals do. She writes a book that not only gives you great understanding of the application, she teaches you the basics of creating good-sounding music. Oh, and she does all this with a writing style that flows and entertains. Now that's a hat trick! (google hockey if you don't get this.)

Her bio indicates she is a screenwriter, composer, musician...and an Apple Certified Trainer. She brings all of these qualities together to create a great book.

I have read hundreds of training manuals, even wrote one...and this is by far one of the best.

Book Description

There’s no better way to learn to create professional audio files for film or video than this self-paced, Apple-certified guide to Soundtrack Pro 2—the only digital audio tool designed specifically for Final Cut Pro users. Audio producer Martin Sitter created all-new projects and completely revised this best-selling book to take advantage of the software’s new streamlined interface, surround mixing features, revolutionary ability to synchronize changes between picture and sound, and new dialog track tools. After introducing readers to the Soundtrack workspace and showing them how to work with audio clips and tracks, Sitter moves quickly to the essential task of audio restoration and clean-up. Readers then learn to arrange, edit, and mix multi-track audio projects; record and edit voiceovers and narration; and experiment with advanced mixing and effects. Each chapter presents a complete lesson in an aspect of sound design or editing, with step-by-step projects for you to complete as you go. DVD with project and media files included.

Book Description

Figuring Animals is a collection of fifteen essays concerning the representation of animals in literature, the visual arts, philosophy, and cultural practice. At the turn of the new century, it is helpful to reconsider our inherited understandings of the species, some of which are still useful to us. It is also important to look ahead to new understandings and new dialogue, which may contribute to the survival of us all. The contributors to this volume participate in this dialogue in a variety of ways--through personal experience, natural history, cultural studies, philosophical inquiry, art history, literary analysis, film studies, and theoretical imagining, and through a combination of these trains of thought. The essays expose weaknesses in western epistemological frames of reference that for centuries have limited our views and, thus, our experiences of animal being, including our own.

Book Description

Doctor Who Short Trips is a series of themed short story anthologies of new Doctor Who fiction, featuring the Doctor in all of his first eight incarnations. They feature stories written by some of the leading names in Doctor Who, past and present, including Paul Cornell, Gareth Roberts, Christopher H. Bidmead, and Paul Magrs. Telepathic fish, miniature lions, and twin planets are the least of his problems, as the Doctor —all eight of him—faces the Capricorn Killer, endures a mindswap with the Machiavellian Master, and dances with Death herself in this collection of 12 thrilling stories.

Book Description

Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformations, along with the XML Path Language, give you the power to transform XML documents into HTML documents, or to other XML documents that you can use in Web-based applications. But how do you implement XSLT in the real world? This book provides the answers. Covering everything from reformatting numbers to creating dynamic XSLT applications, XSLT expert Jeni Tennison delivers a wealth of ready-to-use utility templates and practical XSLT solutions -- everything you need to jump-start XSLT development. With XSLT and XPath on the Edge, Unlimited Edition, you'll:

Take advantage of utility templates for searching and replacing strings, calculating minimums, and more
Build your own recursive templates or use simple XPaths
Discover ready-made solutions for filtering, numbering, grouping, and other transformations
Understand the building blocks of XSLT applications
Separate style from format and break up your stylesheet into functional modules that are easier to maintain and reuse
Build dynamic applications that use client-side processing with MSXML or server-side processing with Cocoon
Fine-tune stylesheets to work more efficiently and deliver exactly the output you're looking for
Harness the power of the XSLT extensions available with MSXML, Saxon, and Xalan

With this Unlimited Edition, owners of the book can download all-new content from the Web and access a searchable version of the book online.

Customer Reviews:

Highly informative.......2007-09-18

Bearing in mind that this book is written for people who already know XSLT, it's probably the best and maybe only book out there. There are lots of starter books but I couldn't find another advanced book. I haven't needed a lot of information contained in it, but I got more than I bargained for in the chapters I did use. It's probably not much of a reader, more of a reference book to pull out when you're stuck on a tough problem.

If you're trying to learn XSLT, this book isn't for you. Perhaps try the author's web site or any of the other resources out there. I'm a learn-as-you-go kind of person who picks up things very quickly, but this book would certainly have confused me if I didn't already know what I was doing.

Excellent resource!.......2006-01-12

This is an excellent XSLT/XPATH resource! However, please be aware that the "Unlimited-Edition.com" website/resource is no longer available! A big reason why I bought this book was for the updated content it promised. But, that was 2001, this is 2006, and any updated content that may have been available is no longer accessible.
Still, this book can stand on it's own feet, and is an invaluable resource, all by itself! Highly recommended!

Excellent Reference Book.......2004-08-31

If you are looking for a book on dealing with real world XSLT scenarios and organized accordingly by scenario. This is the book for you. Jeni (Author) is by far one of the leading XSLT experts out there. It is rare you find someone that can explain complex topics in a manor that is both concise and readable. Buy this book and it will stay with you through any project you are using XSLT on.

great help for practical tasks.......2001-11-30

This book does not teach you the concepts of XSLT. Rather, it truly delivers on a promise of providing answers to common problems. While often books use code to only illustrate the concepts explained, "XSLT and XPath On The Edge" has tons of real world code, some of which I was able to use straight from the book(without changing a thing).
I believe this book really helps to bridge the gap between just understanding the basics of XSLT and using it for real life, practical applications.

A book for when u need to do something............2001-11-01

my first impressions are

a) this book sits right next to Michael Kay's book, as it is a great
reference to when u have specific problems i.e. ' How do i format dates ? '
and ' How do i group ' and 'How do i use keys'.

b) the level of examples and techniques is a step above introductory.

c) the latter half of the book delves into framework issues; modular
components, extending XSLT, functional modules, and

grouping
sorting
numeric manipulation
string and text manipulation

general formatting
character encoding and entities
the above subjects are all detailed in a concise manner, perfect for
reference

the following subjects are an indepth read;

framework: quite a large amt of discussion of how to break apart into
reusable elements

client side msxml: this will get the novice going

server side proc with cocoon: this will get the novice going

overview of XPATH: very detailed overview of more medium level techniques

using extensions : the clearest illustration and techniques of extending
xslt that i've read

overall i can highly recc.

cheers, jim fuller

Average customer rating:
XSLT and XPath On The Edge, Unlimited Edition
Jeni Tennison
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MC523G

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