Midi synthesizer plugin for Final Cut?

[Greg Quinn]

This probably sounds like a dumb question, but for occasional mood ambiance music in a doc I'm working on, I'd like to be able to do this in Final Cut, rather than recording in Logic Pro and transferring; does anyone know of a Midi Synth plugin for Final cut?

[Mike Barber]

Originally Posted by Greg Quinn

This probably sounds like a dumb question, but for occasional mood ambiance music in a doc I'm working on, I'd like to be able to do this in Final Cut, rather than recording in Logic Pro and transferring; does anyone know of a Midi Synth plugin for Final cut?

Right tool for the right job. FCP is not the place you should (or can) compose/record audio (other than the VO tool). For that, you need an audio tool like Logic Pro/Express, Garageband, etc.

[Greg Quinn]

Originally Posted by Mike Barber

Right tool for the right job. FCP is not the place you should (or can) compose/record audio (other than the VO tool). For that, you need an audio tool like Logic Pro/Express, Garageband, etc.

Mike, I'm not sure that I can agree with you. I'm not suggesting a full blown composing plgin, but a means to add samples, midi effects, single swells, etc, which from a workflow perspective, would be perfect.

[Steve Oakley]

sound track pro is what you want, and its included with the FCP studio bundle with enough basic samples to turn some decent stuff out. used soundtrack to score a piece for a car company using its supplied samples

[Mike Barber]

Originally Posted by Steve Oakley

sound track pro is what you want

Not necessarily. Unless it has changed since FCS1, it is a glorified sample playback device. If all you want to do is loop and layer some samples, then it does a fine job at that. However, it is not a tool for musical composition or recording, which is what I believe Greg is looking for. (EDIT: I saw this before Greg's second post. Considering what his response was, i think you are right that STP is what he needs to do what he wants.)

Layering someone else's pre-made samples is not the same as scoring, the same way a DJ is not a musician. I'll use STP for something quick, if need be... but for any real scoring -- like two short films I am currently scoring for -- it is about composing every single note myself, and essentially performing each of those notes (via sequencing, of course) in a tool like (in my case) Logic.

[Mike Barber]

Originally Posted by Greg Quinn

Mike, I'm not sure that I can agree with you. I'm not suggesting a full blown composing plgin, but a means to add samples, midi effects, single swells, etc, which from a workflow perspective, would be perfect.

Ah, didn't see this one till after Steve's reply...

If that is what you are looking for, again... right tool for the right job. And Steve is right that Soundtrack Pro is going to be what you are looking for.

To bundle that type of functionality right into the editor is silly. Sure, my workflow may be slightly simplified if my hammer could also strip wires, but it doesn't really make any sense to do that.

Having the audio filters in FCP is as much audio bells and whistles that needs or should be in there. It's an editor.