Soundtrack Pro 2. Is this a joke? at DVinfo.net

Simon Wyndham · November 21st, 2007, 09:08 AM

I think I've just about had it with STP2. So far its been crashing on file exports, importing multitrack projects from FCP with no resemblance to the track order in the sequence so I had to spend an age putting them in some sort of order, and just now it made a sound effect disappear from the timeline just by clicking on it to select it!! Not even Undo would bring it back! This program just seems to be bug after bug.

It wouldn't be so bad if FCP was capable of any form of comprehensive audio editing, but it isn't.

Is anyone here actually managing to do anything serious with this program? Or can someone recommend any alternatives (and please don't suggest Pro Tools. I'm not made of money!)

Andy Mees · November 21st, 2007, 09:14 PM

Hey Simon

Learning the ins and outs of a new system is always a struggle. Goodness knows I despise Edius with a passion (for example)... not because its no good but because it just doesn't do some of the things I can do with ease with FCP. The point being that every system is different and has strengths and weaknesses. FCP is a good video editing app for sure, inasmuch as what its designed to do it tends to do very well ... but what it isn't designed for (comprehensive audio editing for example) it doesn't.

If you're used to Vegas then you're obviously going to hurt with the lack of audio capabilities in FCP. My own multitrack audio needs are pretty simple and FCP handles those needs easily, although every now and again I bounce a track out to STP to clean it up a bit or use its more specialised tools ... now perhaps I am lucky, or perhaps more likely its simply that I'm not using those parts of the app that are so buggy (for example, I've never used it for multitrack stuff) either way, I'm happy to report that I've never had any issues with it.

Alternatives? Hmmm, you might look at Apple's Logic ... they did their price slashing trick with that app recently so its a steal (if it works).

In the meantime I'd suggest widening your net in the "looking for answers" department, if you've not done so already. No disrespect intended to any of the great folks here Simon (hey I'm here after all!) but you would likely reach a far larger pool of collective knowledge regarding the less mainstream FCS bundled apps, such as STP, over on the Apple Discussions FCS fora ... though you'd be wise to avoid incendiary topic titles, they're a moody bunch :-)

hope it helps
Andy

Timothy D. Allen · November 22nd, 2007, 02:59 AM

I, also, use STP for very basic stuff and have had not problems. It did take me a while to figure the interface out, but It's all good now. I especially like all the sound foley and what-not that comes with it.

However, as an alternative I would suggest Adobe's Audition or Soundbooth. Before I purchased Studio 2 I used Adobe's Audition for all my audio editing and I was absolutely thrilled with results every time! I haven't played a tone with their new Soudbooth, but it's suppose to be twice as good and easier to use for those familiar with Adobe Products. I have messed with it some, and it seems to be very intuitive! Audition is also significantly cheaper than Logic or Pro Tools. I might end up getting that as well because it has a far better noise reduction filter than STP. At least in my experience.

Hope that helps!

Simon Wyndham · November 22nd, 2007, 06:27 AM

Andy, my problems with STP2 aren't really to do with the interface (it is basically Vegas!) But rather hanging on exports and the disappearing sounds. These are bugs.

I know packages take time to learn, and with regard to STP2 there is a learning curve (like remembering to set the right channel outputs in the mixer in a surround project for example. I was tearing my hair out for a while with that one!)

But many other things just seem to be buggy. Another example is when it crashed out a few times after I deleted some filters from a sound. It also seems to be exporting an AIFF file that it also has trouble doing without hanging. Something else that happened yesterday was that I rendered out a surround track, and when I played it back one of the scenes had no sound, despite it being on the exactly the same track, same volume, same pan settings, and output settings as the rest of the programme!

I've just played back that section in STP2 and it sounds fine. Output though and it falls apart. For some reason the playback output from STP2 differs completely from the actual sound that is rendered out on final output. Looking around the various forums on the web I'm seemingly not the only one who has had such issues.

FCP's foibles I am getting used to. But bugs of this sort shouldn't be happening.

I am working with multi-track projects so this may be why I'm having issues.

Andy Mees · November 22nd, 2007, 06:49 AM

no disagreement from me here on that Simon, I do feel your pain mate. nothing worse than having a new toy and finding it doesn't work properly ... thats why i suggested widening the net as it were.
I'd love to help but don't know the answer tho its highly likely there are known problems and with luck there may be some easy answers or possible workarounds that someone on the STP forum might
(hopefully)
cheers
Andy

Mathieu Ghekiere · November 22nd, 2007, 07:11 AM

I hear a lot of complaints about Soundtrack Pro 2.
This really is serious: Apple markets it as something working flawessly and with ease (then just export to...) and apparently it doesn't.
As someone who will buy FCS2 when new Mac Pro's come out, this really is a bit disconcerning, although I don't do very detailled editing (as for NOW!).

Is Apple working these bugs out? Where these bugs also there with the previous version of this program?

Dom Stevenson · November 23rd, 2007, 06:37 AM

There were updates for this and other FCS apps only this week. Not sure if they sort out your problems.
Have you trashed prefs recently? Always the first thing to try.
LAFCPUG has its own STP forum that is usually quite helpful.
As does Apple support.
I'd copy and paste queries into all these forums and see what you come up with.
DVinfo is not the best place to ask about STP issues IMO.

Simon Wyndham · November 23rd, 2007, 06:56 AM

I've been over to the STP2 forums at Apple. Seems a lot of people over there are having similar issues. Currently it really is unworkable. I have a project that I literally cannot finish because it hangs most times I try to export.

I'm on the latest version.

I'm a Mac newbie, how do I trash the preferences?

November 21st, 2007, 09:08 AM	#1
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	Soundtrack Pro 2. Is this a joke? I think I've just about had it with STP2. So far its been crashing on file exports, importing multitrack projects from FCP with no resemblance to the track order in the sequence so I had to spend an age putting them in some sort of order, and just now it made a sound effect disappear from the timeline just by clicking on it to select it!! Not even Undo would bring it back! This program just seems to be bug after bug. It wouldn't be so bad if FCP was capable of any form of comprehensive audio editing, but it isn't. Is anyone here actually managing to do anything serious with this program? Or can someone recommend any alternatives (and please don't suggest Pro Tools. I'm not made of money!)

November 22nd, 2007, 02:59 AM	#3
Timothy D. Allen Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chandler, AZ Posts: 86	I, also, use STP for very basic stuff and have had not problems. It did take me a while to figure the interface out, but It's all good now. I especially like all the sound foley and what-not that comes with it. However, as an alternative I would suggest Adobe's Audition or Soundbooth. Before I purchased Studio 2 I used Adobe's Audition for all my audio editing and I was absolutely thrilled with results every time! I haven't played a tone with their new Soudbooth, but it's suppose to be twice as good and easier to use for those familiar with Adobe Products. I have messed with it some, and it seems to be very intuitive! Audition is also significantly cheaper than Logic or Pro Tools. I might end up getting that as well because it has a far better noise reduction filter than STP. At least in my experience. Hope that helps! __________________ Timothy D. Allen http://www.tribaliris.com

November 22nd, 2007, 07:11 AM	#6
Mathieu Ghekiere Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Belgium Posts: 2,195	I hear a lot of complaints about Soundtrack Pro 2. This really is serious: Apple markets it as something working flawessly and with ease (then just export to...) and apparently it doesn't. As someone who will buy FCS2 when new Mac Pro's come out, this really is a bit disconcerning, although I don't do very detailled editing (as for NOW!). Is Apple working these bugs out? Where these bugs also there with the previous version of this program? __________________ http://productionsofthe3rdkind.com http://pr3k.com

November 21st, 2007, 09:14 PM	#2
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	Hey Simon Learning the ins and outs of a new system is always a struggle. Goodness knows I despise Edius with a passion (for example)... not because its no good but because it just doesn't do some of the things I can do with ease with FCP. The point being that every system is different and has strengths and weaknesses. FCP is a good video editing app for sure, inasmuch as what its designed to do it tends to do very well ... but what it isn't designed for (comprehensive audio editing for example) it doesn't. If you're used to Vegas then you're obviously going to hurt with the lack of audio capabilities in FCP. My own multitrack audio needs are pretty simple and FCP handles those needs easily, although every now and again I bounce a track out to STP to clean it up a bit or use its more specialised tools ... now perhaps I am lucky, or perhaps more likely its simply that I'm not using those parts of the app that are so buggy (for example, I've never used it for multitrack stuff) either way, I'm happy to report that I've never had any issues with it. Alternatives? Hmmm, you might look at Apple's Logic ... they did their price slashing trick with that app recently so its a steal (if it works). In the meantime I'd suggest widening your net in the "looking for answers" department, if you've not done so already. No disrespect intended to any of the great folks here Simon (hey I'm here after all!) but you would likely reach a far larger pool of collective knowledge regarding the less mainstream FCS bundled apps, such as STP, over on the Apple Discussions FCS fora ... though you'd be wise to avoid incendiary topic titles, they're a moody bunch :-) hope it helps Andy

November 22nd, 2007, 06:27 AM	#4
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	Andy, my problems with STP2 aren't really to do with the interface (it is basically Vegas!) But rather hanging on exports and the disappearing sounds. These are bugs. I know packages take time to learn, and with regard to STP2 there is a learning curve (like remembering to set the right channel outputs in the mixer in a surround project for example. I was tearing my hair out for a while with that one!) But many other things just seem to be buggy. Another example is when it crashed out a few times after I deleted some filters from a sound. It also seems to be exporting an AIFF file that it also has trouble doing without hanging. Something else that happened yesterday was that I rendered out a surround track, and when I played it back one of the scenes had no sound, despite it being on the exactly the same track, same volume, same pan settings, and output settings as the rest of the programme! I've just played back that section in STP2 and it sounds fine. Output though and it falls apart. For some reason the playback output from STP2 differs completely from the actual sound that is rendered out on final output. Looking around the various forums on the web I'm seemingly not the only one who has had such issues. FCP's foibles I am getting used to. But bugs of this sort shouldn't be happening. I am working with multi-track projects so this may be why I'm having issues.

November 22nd, 2007, 06:49 AM	#5
Andy Mees Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Posts: 645	no disagreement from me here on that Simon, I do feel your pain mate. nothing worse than having a new toy and finding it doesn't work properly ... thats why i suggested widening the net as it were. I'd love to help but don't know the answer tho its highly likely there are known problems and with luck there may be some easy answers or possible workarounds that someone on the STP forum might (hopefully) cheers Andy

November 23rd, 2007, 06:37 AM	#7
Dom Stevenson Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London UK Posts: 430	There were updates for this and other FCS apps only this week. Not sure if they sort out your problems. Have you trashed prefs recently? Always the first thing to try. LAFCPUG has its own STP forum that is usually quite helpful. As does Apple support. I'd copy and paste queries into all these forums and see what you come up with. DVinfo is not the best place to ask about STP issues IMO.

November 23rd, 2007, 06:56 AM	#8
Simon Wyndham Trustee Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Malvern UK Posts: 1,931	I've been over to the STP2 forums at Apple. Seems a lot of people over there are having similar issues. Currently it really is unworkable. I have a project that I literally cannot finish because it hangs most times I try to export. I'm on the latest version. I'm a Mac newbie, how do I trash the preferences?