Fresh and hot rumor (at least to me)
Apple will release, sometime in the next 3 months, an audio recording and editing suite.
The usual friend-who-knows-someone-at-Apple-source. Apple bought a 3rd party app on the sneaky, and is retooling it for the OSX/Apple app universe. It is designed to hit in the same level of sophistication as FCP3 is for vdeo folks. Unclear whether it will be integrated into FCP3 like Sonic Foundry did with Vegas Video 3. That's all I got out of the conversation.
FWIW, the guy who told me this has a string of good insider stuff before before, so I trust this one as well.
Just doing my part to inform the rumor mill,
TING5
The usual friend-who-knows-someone-at-Apple-source. Apple bought a 3rd party app on the sneaky, and is retooling it for the OSX/Apple app universe. It is designed to hit in the same level of sophistication as FCP3 is for vdeo folks. Unclear whether it will be integrated into FCP3 like Sonic Foundry did with Vegas Video 3. That's all I got out of the conversation.
FWIW, the guy who told me this has a string of good insider stuff before before, so I trust this one as well.
Just doing my part to inform the rumor mill,
TING5
Comments
will it cost $?
I don't know if it is going to be what we expect though. it may be more movie oriented.
<strong>what about pro tools? better or worse?
will it cost $?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I wish I knew. I'm not very knowledgeable about audio stuff, and I didn't know what to ask about. It wasn't like I was drilling the guy for Apple insider info; it just came up while he was talking about something else. I asked if it was more pro-level or iApp-level, and he said it was more of professional kind of thing, like FCP, not like iMovie. I then asked if it would be an integrated thing like Vegas Video, and he'd never heard of VV, so he wasn't sure.
TING5
FCP allows you to make professional video easily without having to use big expensive workstations. Now if there would be an easy way to bypass big expensive recording studios...
I know practically nothing about audio, but I've heard that the state of audio on X is pathetic, and we all know Apple's talent at making extremely intuitive software products. I've heard that ProTools isn't on X yet, and I've never seen/used it, but knowing Apple, don't you think they could come out with something really user-friendly and powerful like they always do?
I've been thinking about this for a while. What if Apple marketed a product like this towards aspiring musicians? Apple could start it's own database of artists that use their product (hell, let's just call it Audio Studio Pro), and artists could post their music online (via iDisk of course), separated by genres, etc. It'd be like Apple's own mp3.com.
Then, within Audio Studio Pro, there would be a simple and easy way create (burn) a CD with the music, and even a feature to send your songs to Apple and they send you back a however many CD's you want of your stuff, a la iPhoto's photo album? You could even order like 1000s of CD's, and sell them to record stores, while the artists make pure profit!
It just seems so obvious for Apple to make a product like this, to me at least. It'd be a lot like iPhoto; with emphasis on sharing your music, as well as a user-friendly and powerful toolset for capturing your music.
Enough rambling, I just hope Apple reads this
Anything LESS than that, and it won't stand a chance luring the "Pros" from the more "established" applications such as ProTools, Digital Performer or Cubase (IMHO).
I'm torn... I'd LOVE to see a killer app come from them that competes at that level... but then again... I'd hate to see DigiDesign say **ck-you to Apple and just go WinBlowz because they under-cut the competition.
It's one of those deals where it has to either be mid-level... "not-as-good-as-the-big-boys"... limited functionality, so as not to upset the balance of the field... or it has to be kick-ass, no-holds-barred, in your face ease-of-use and industry compatability.
Either way... owning a project studio... I am eagerly awaiting ANY OSX "Pro" audio solution.
- Scott
It'll be designed to replace Bias Peak DV which currently ships with Final Cut Pro.
<strong>If there's any truth in the rumor, I'd be willing to bet the product won't be designed to compete with the likes of ProTools.
It'll be designed to replace Bias Peak DV which currently ships with Final Cut Pro.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I agree. I see this as being possibly being something of an Add On Pack for FCP. I'm sure Audio fans would love to see better 5.1 Audio support. Apple could then market a "Suite" of apps bundled together which allow for an unparalled worfkflow. FCP-xxxaudio app-Cinema Tools-DVD SP for a finished product using an entirely Apple workflow. Not bad
But a low end, iAudio application that is free (or comes with Jaguar!) would be a very nice touch. That's where my money is....it would also be in line with Apple's recent iApps. I can imagine Apple buying Amadeus and Aquafiing it.
My bets are on Jaguar being a paid update, and with the update you also get the new iAudio recording and editing application. It would be a good way to further justify charging for the Jaguar update.
<strong>what about pro tools? better or worse?
will it cost $?</strong><hr></blockquote>
I work at a Digidesign training center where our instructor writes the training manuals and he said not to expect Pro Tools to be on OS X anytime soon. Digi makes WAY TOO MUCH cash selling hardware that is required to run Pro Tools, sans the PT Free version.
Also for those who aren't aware of this, but Avid is the parent company of Digi and they WOULD NOT allow anything like that to go down for obvious reasons.
I'm not trying to dump on anyone. I'm trying to give a little info plus a little opinion about the idea of this rumored audio app to be PT.
I agree with some of you it'll probably be intergrated into iTunes. Another one of those "I know somebody" reports is that Apple will be adding level meters similar to the ones found in FCP. I had hoped they would do this for the sake of leveling out tunes via the Gain before burning to CD.(Those of you who have made compilation discs know about the varying levels when you comp 18 cuts from 18 different sources!) But the only other reason I can for adding level meters is for recording.
It would be pretty cool.
[ 06-03-2002: Message edited by: Unfiltered ]</p>
AND if it integrated with FCP in the manner that PT with a SMPT device integrates with video . . . this would effectively wipe out the need for high end sound post pod. studios for video. . . . this would be a coup!!
I would love to have an editing suite comparable to PT in OSX . . . I wouldn't even mind if whatever it is even replaces the dominance of PT and showed them a lesson for not getting their act together
if Apple bought out MOTU then that is good news . . . I have never worked with Digital Performaer but I have heard from trustworthy sources that it is comparable to PT as far as integrating with video . . . .
<strong>I'd rather see an iApp at the level of Amadeus or Peak, and have it be free. The professional audio market for Macs is very robust and has lots of healthy competition, and it seems like it would be a bad move for Apple to attempt to take it over.
But a low end, iAudio application that is free (or comes with Jaguar!) would be a very nice touch. That's where my money is....it would also be in line with Apple's recent iApps. I can imagine Apple buying Amadeus and Aquafiing it.
My bets are on Jaguar being a paid update, and with the update you also get the new iAudio recording and editing application. It would be a good way to further justify charging for the Jaguar update.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I absolutely agree! It would be sweet to have a simple, free program from apple to do some very basic editing on. Then you could splice parts of songs together for your beautifully synched iphoto slide show!
<strong>Well, the latest rumor over at the <a href="http://www.unicornation.com"; target="_blank">www.unicornation.com</a> bulliten board is that Apple has bought out MOTU, and that they have been working furiously to make DP 3.1 OSX compatible. MOTU's website has not been updated in ages, and the DP 3.1 update is already several months behind schedule. </strong><hr></blockquote>
Haven't heard this quote before but it would be GREAT! If Jaguar supported my 828 and 2408 mk2 interfaces natively, and Apple/MOTU released an X friendly version of DP, I'd be in heaven.
It's possible that Apple is buying MOTU, but not likely... MOTU has always been a *very* private and closely-held company, and it's not given to sharing technologies or supporting other companies. The price would probably be quite high (not to say that Apple couldn't afford it, but it might not be worthwhile). Digital Performer natively supports plugs only in its proprietary MAS format, and only supports VST plugs indirectly via a 3rd party product (VST Wrapper). Further, DP prefers to speak to the Mac hardware via FreeMIDI, MOTU's proprietary driver software. DP only supports OMS (Open Music System) because of the large OMS user base built over the last 15 years, and it does a half-hearted job of that. Given that Apple employs Doug Wyatt, IIRC one of the developers of OMS and the guy alledgedly responsible for the Core Audio part of OSX, an Apple-MOTU marriage seems even less likely.
A more plausible scenario is that Apple has bought the Deck multitrack package from BIAS. Deck supports OMS and VST natively (and competently), and it has always been the poor-man's ProTools. Developed in the late 80's by OSC and later bought (and ignored) by Macromedia, and recently bought by BIAS, Deck is the sort of simple and effective multitrack editor that would attract Apple. Add the fact that Apple has experience with BIAS via the Peak DV bundle with FCP, and the fact that BIAS is a very small, resource-constrained company, and you have a good match.
I can imagine that there are some at Apple who wouldn't mind sticking it to Digidesign just as they stuck it to Avid with FCP. ProTools is Avid's cash cow, and Digidesign is the only part of the company that's consistently profitable (some would say obscenely so). The next version of Deck is rumored to be OSX-compatible, and I hear it's in beta or close to it... ProTools may be OSX ready sometime next year but I ain't holding my breath. But don't worry, ProTools will stay Mac-mostly. It's still the 800-pound gorilla of TV and film post-production, and that's where a lot of those expensive TDM systems get sold.
Out.
[ 06-03-2002: Message edited by: synthman ]</p>
This is big news for musos who have been waiting for OS X native audio/MIDI suite recording s/ware.
I have been holding off for ages waiting for DP to go native. Now, if that rumor about Apple buying out MOTU is true - then that's extreme! Motu's gui's (although never really strictly in line with Apple's guidelines) have always been slick and the feature set and reliability of DP is awesome I have been told. I agree with sizzle chest, if Apple/MOTU release an X friendly version of DP, I'd be in Heaven.
Sythman,
Why would Apple want to "Stick-it" to DigiDesign...? I thought they were always a HUGE proponent for Apple and a huge reason the Apple remains the leader in Pro Audio...? Not sure what motive Apple would have for lashing out at THEM... any insight...?
Also... although I would be EXTREMELY happy to see a MOTU solution for OSX soon... I doubt that it will be because Apple BOUGHT them. Yet again... I am prepared to be 100% wrong on this, but I highly doubt Apple has gobbled-up Mark of the Unicorn into it's jaws.
[ 06-03-2002: Message edited by: Scott F. ]</p>
I have no inside knowledge, so take it for what it's worth. And yes, Digi has been good for Apple. But Avid was good for Apple too... until they moved 90% of their development to Windoze NT. Could that have been when the FCP project went into high gear? Maybe I'm wrong, but Apple was prolly seriously pissed off... and in "sticking it" to Digi, they're hitting Avid in the wallet...