How useable is DP 4.6 as an all around Post-Sound Solution

kapman001 · Post by **kapman001** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 12:51 pm

I am going to be starting work on a short film for which I will be doing the dialogue, fx, and foley recording/editing that will then be mixed in surround for commercial release. How feasible would it be to use DP for all of the above. Who else in the post world is using DP?

sdfalk · Post by **sdfalk** » Wed Mar 01, 2006 4:03 pm

I've used it (from start to finish) on eight short films and one low
budget feature.
Dialouge/foley fx, music and editing.
It performed like a champ.
If DP5s new editing/post tools live up to expectations, (and they've
optimized the code bloat a bit...sorry had to sneek that in there)
it will be even better still.
That's my nickle....(from and average joe)

ozone · Post by **ozone** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:53 pm

We use DP for all audio post production needs. We are currently working on a feature for direct to DVD release. We are doing it all. Dialogue, Voice over (for the trailor as well) sound design, foley, original score and the full dolby digital 5.1 surround mix. DP is a powerhouse for post!!!

martian · Post by **martian** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:38 pm

but one weak area is the way you will need to browse for SFX?

I missed digibase!!!! search and click once to audition - using the browser is not quite the same - you cant see the waveforms - and you need to move the mouse about too much to select the file and then press play to audition it - I did try dbl clking and playing with quicktime - but it's just a coupple of extra steps which you will do over and over...

Another thing I missed was being able to drag clips between mono and stereo trax.. I could for instance just import one side of a door close - made it much easier to pan.

To me I want to use DP ( cool I can mix in surround ) but I edit and audition so much faster in PT - I'm thinking I will use OMF to go from a near finished edit and mix in DP

However one problem with that is that any stereo trax I make will show up as dual mono... gonna have to bounce them first otherwise loadsa extra fader moves to do!!!

any solutions?

sdfalk · Post by **sdfalk** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:10 pm

Spend a couple bucks more on AudioFinder.
www.icedaudio.com

Integrates perfectly fine with DP.
Data base, loop creation tool, manges your plugins..
brilliant stuff and worth wayyy more then he charges
for it.

martian · Post by **martian** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 6:57 pm

nice tip dude thanks !! - downloaded the demo and having a look at it ..

trying to get accustomed to it - but seems do-able! solved one problem for me- "ctrl s" converts stero to mono and bingo! drag n drop new clip to session.

Will have to read the manual I think.. searching for fast whoosh would return with "car fast whoosh" but not "fast car whoosh"

but this is WAY more usable than finder method!

very interested in the upgrade to DP version 5 - clip based automation sounds like a great solution!!! hope there's a shortcut key for add a dB to clip ( or predefinable amount)

How do you get on with ADR?

sdfalk · Post by **sdfalk** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 7:55 pm

I haven't done tons of ADR of late, but when I did, it was effortless.

martian · Post by **martian** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 4:32 am

yes - digital performer effortlessly records... and stacking of takes is more real world way of dealing with takes - I prefer punching on the fly than having set in and out times..

the problem I still feel remains to be resolved, is the separation between mixing and editing - this will hopefully be addressed in version 5?

You need way to much effort to switch between draggin sound bites around editing how loud they are...

I am still pretty much a Digital performer novice - I only bought it to augment my fairlight initially - but it's customizability is great

I'm actually wondering have I missed the easy way to switch between editing soundbites and volume automation?

martian · Post by **martian** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:34 pm

I splashed the cash on that audiofinder - well worth the price! infact I rushed in to buy it before he came to his senses and hiked the price!

means I can ditch the M-box when I go to one of my regular freelance gigs!

And is helpin me get back into DP -

just trying to get my head around this movie that's coming at me! Do I do it in protools LE and hire in a MIX rig for the last week of mixing - or try and assemble and mix in DP? I'm about to pick up some rough temp footage and might try that first...

pretty dam sure there will be some re-editing - rifling thro the blue book now - for clues on how to deal - hmmm no cut/insert time feature so far... Insert measures?

Found one way which will be making a new sequence with same number of tracks - and copy paste sections between the 2... think can have more than 1 movie opened in V5?

BUT will we run into slowing down? as we end up with a billion clips in the sundbites window?

these are questions that experience will answer.....

lightningad · Post by **lightningad** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:57 am

i found the lack of the insert time feature to be one of the major reasons for me to move over to protools (i'm now consdidering a return to dp).

I did find that when working in post the easiest way around the insert measures problem was to ensure the bpm for each project was set to 240bpm - this then allows you to insert a measure that is exactly one second long. Not perfect i know - but it was the only way!!

martian · Post by **martian** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:36 pm

martian wrote:You need way to much effort to switch between draggin sound bites around editing how loud they are...

I am still pretty much a Digital performer novice - I only bought it to augment my fairlight initially - but it's customizability is great

I'm actually wondering have I missed the easy way to switch between editing soundbites and volume automation?

The obvious answer which I missed - is to simply go down the virgin track and insert a break point every 5 secs - that way there's always one handy!

Wished you could work out a way to save that info in the templates tho....

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:52 am

sdfalk wrote:Spend a couple bucks more on AudioFinder.
www.icedaudio.com

Integrates perfectly fine with DP.
Data base, loop creation tool, manges your plugins..
brilliant stuff and worth wayyy more then he charges
for it.

Thanks for the tip.Also downloaded it adn bought the full version. This is going to speed up my work quite a bit. $70 is nothing for this little wonder.

Mike M

martian · Post by **martian** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:42 pm

lightningad wrote:i found the lack of the insert time feature to be one of the major reasons for me to move over to protools (i'm now consdidering a return to dp).

I did find that when working in post the easiest way around the insert measures problem was to ensure the bpm for each project was set to 240bpm - this then allows you to insert a measure that is exactly one second long. Not perfect i know - but it was the only way!!

the time thing is proving to be a pain - I will be looking at your solution -

had a major recut - and an overall unbelievable schedule - trying to reync as fast as poss - but struggling to be honest -will let you know how my redit goes- fortunately it's just 2 reels -

carrythebanner · Post by **carrythebanner** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:01 am

martian wrote:hmmm no cut/insert time feature so far... Insert measures?

To remove space, make a time range selection across all tracks use Edit > Snip (Command-J).

To add space (where Insert Measures doesn't do the trick), here's what I do:

- Command-A to Select All
- Locate the counter to the desired split point, and click the Start button in the Selection drawer (this moves the start of the selection to the counter location)
- Command-Y to Split
- Command-L to Shift; choose Shift by Amount, Later, specify the amount of empty space needed, and press OK

martian · Post by **martian** » Fri May 05, 2006 6:48 am

i actually tried to do it with 2 different sequences

same number of tracks copy from here to here - paste to here

nice in theory - but the video was super slow to go between....

next time using quicktime pro to make a new movie - starting with old, the new pasted on the end.....

look at new movie - mark in point

skip back to old - find coresponding points - double click markers - selects all inbetween jump forward next mark and paste....

move whole lot back when done?