The first-ever KRK Kreativity Bootcamp, featuring Theronn “Clyde Strokes” Calvin, wrapped this summer. The final piece of the grand prize package from the KRK Kreator Classic, this three-day creative session was hosted by producer-mentors Scott Storch, Amadeus and DJ Khalil, and took Clyde to Gibson studios in Los Angeles and Miami, where he had a chance to collaborate, learn, and communicate with these legendary producers.

Day one brought Clyde to the Gibson Los Angeles Showroom/Studio, where he collaborated with three-time GRAMMY^® Award-winning Producer, DJ Khalil. “At first, [Khalil] was trying to learn my style, so he could see what samples to play for me,” explains Clyde. “I played him some of my beats and songs and then he critiqued them, so I got a better understanding of how to arrange things. He’s really good at [using] plug-ins and [understanding] the technical specs of making beats, so I learned a lot from that. I was also able to learn how he composes, which is amazing.” DJ Khalil defined the experience as “a true collaboration,” saying, “we were talking about everything from plug-ins to how we were collaborating. We pulled [our] laptops out and were able to link them together, airdrop files and all of that.”

On the second day of bootcamp, Clyde met up with musician and Multi-platinum Producer Amadeus. “I like that when you hear [Clyde’s] tracks, you can distinguish who you hear on it,” says Amadeus. “I think that’s a very important part as a producer. It’s great to create from feeling, but you still have to say: ‘this is what I love, this is what I created, this is how I felt,’ but [also] ‘who do I hear on it?’” Following his meeting with Amadeus, Clyde expressed his gratitude for the opportunity, saying “This experience has been good for me because, while I do well on beats, I learned more about the business and networking side. Meeting with these producers has been the biggest thing in my career so far… I think there’s nothing better than what I’ve gotten from them. It’s so great being around these people and getting this information; it’s like a breath of fresh air.”

Scott Storch, the eight-time GRAMMY-winning Producer and former ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, was in the house on Clyde’s last day of Kreativity Bootcamp, sharing his industry insight. “Opportunities like this are perfect examples of ways that you can really break into the industry and be heard,” explains Storch. “That’s one of the most important things―putting your music out there in any capacity. This is a great thing and I’m happy to be a part of it.” Clyde wraps up his experience saying, “This whole thing, the KRK Kreativity Bootcamp, has been amazing. Working with all these producers from Khalil to Amadeus, to Scott Storch. They made a soundtrack to my life… It’s just been a dream come true. Bigger than the prizes and speakers, this was bigger than any of that. This has been a great experience.”

The KRK Kreator Classic put North American-based beat makers to the ultimate test, in a bracket-style competition, where participants put forth their best beats in each week with the hopes of becoming the ultimate KRK Kreator. After six weeks of pushing his creativity to the limit, Clyde Strokes came out on top. As the first-place winner, Clyde received a Grand Prize package consisting of KRK’s newest products, the S10.4 Subwoofer, CLASSIC 8 Studio Monitors, and KNS 8402 Studio Headphones, a $500 Guitar Center gift card, and a one-year BeatStars Pro membership, along with gear from some of the industry’s top brands, including iZotope, Native Instruments, Shure, and Universal Audio.

All three event videos can be viewed on the KRK Kreativity Bootcamp playlist on YouTube.

The post KRK Kreator Classic Winner Drops Beats With Legends At KRK Kreativity Bootcamp appeared first on Audio Media International.

During the 2010s we witnessed the rise of smart and fast machine learning algorithms, and their gradual integration into music production software. Now the artificial brains of countless plugins, platforms, virtual mastering suites – and even composers – are readily at the wheel as the cognisant drivers of today’s creative tools. But, has the balance between AI and human skill been tipped too far?

“Once the machine thinking method had started, it would not take long to outstrip our feeble powers. They would be able to converse with each other to sharpen their wits. At some stage, therefore, we should have to expect the machines to take control.” So was the bleak forecast that the father of artificial intelligence, computer genius Alan Turing predicted. While, thankfully, we’re not quite facing such a nightmarish end-point just yet, Turing’s notion of a machine-driven cyber-brain, continually sharpening its senses via constant dialogue and refinement, is a concept that lay at the heart of the commercial application of artificial intelligence.

In our industry, we can see this perhaps clearer than any other. Multitudes of AI-based software tools now available, that excel in tasks (such as frequency editing, mix separating, audio restoration and mastering) that it would take even highly skilled human operators a much, much longer time to undertake. Constant refinement, and adaptive learning routines, allow AI-based software pathways to improvement. While the term ‘artificial intelligence’ is typically ascribed to any software that relies on algorithms to fulfil its criteria, there’s actually quite a wide spectrum of definitions. There are those that simply trigger a series of pre-determined actions that its creators have carefully crafted, and then there are those HAL-like virtual geniuses (iZotope RX 9, Zynaptiq Adaptiverb for example) that can inspect a waveform, precisely diagnose what needs to be done to bring the most clarity to it, and take immediate action.

MECHANICAL MELODIES

While these types of applications are perhaps more palatable, the increase in virtual composers of music has unsettled some. Initial experimentation with human-free music creation began as far back as the late 1950s, when University professors Lejaren Hiller and Leonard Issacson used an early computer to program the Illiac Suite (String Quartet No.4). This first foray into algorithmically-driven music creation nudged open a door that ensuing pioneers widened, leading eventually to 1997’s ‘Experiments in Musical Intelligence’ program. This was able to exceed human composers by generating a piece of music that matchlessly replicated the style of Bach.

While these toes in the water built the foundation for research, the last twenty years has witnessed an exponential explosion of compositional AI development, in conjunction with the rising speed of computer power. Now the options are vast. There’s Aiva – a classical and symphonic virtual music composer, which uses neural networks to scan huge libraries of classical music and replicate the commonalities it encounters. There’s Amper, which is able to conjure an infinite number of ready-to-go soundtracks for video games and TV, then there’s Loudly AI Studio, able to generate a range of tracks based on modern genres instantaneously.

While some of the results can be utterly superb, is the growing range of AI-based composers leading us step-by-step into a world where we’re surrounded by facsimile of human produced art? Aiva’s CEO, Pierre Barreau told The Naked Scientists that “Even if AI is objectively get better at composing music than humans, I think one crucial element that humans bring to the table is meaning in what they do. And an AI could come up with a new style of music, totally crazy style of music, but if there’s no creative intention that can be explained, I think it’s very hard for an audience to really connect.”

AI composition might be an easy – and substance free – solution for those needing the artifice of a pro-sounding soundtrack, without forking out the cash. But it’s understandable why so many jobbing professionals feel like their stand in the market is being devalued. It’s a debate that will undoubtedly continue.

SOLVING PROBLEMS WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Separate from their stance on the human vs machine debate within the compositional domain, many music producers have happily integrated AI and machine learning plugins into their workflows, aimed at speeding up and handling previously time consuming processes. Audio repair is one such field in which AI has delivered majorly impressive results, with world-leading companies such as iZotope proudly putting their reliance on machine learning as a front and centre USP of their product line which includes the audio post production package RX 9.

Melissa Misicka, Director of Brand Marketing at iZotope, explains to us that using artificial intelligence to this end was always a company ambition; “One of our goals as a company is to find ways of eliminating more time-consuming audio production tasks for our users so they can instead focus on their creative vision. Introducing assistive tech —that can intelligently analyse your audio and provide recommended starting points — felt like a perfect way to do that.”

It’s not just about making time-consuming processes quicker, though. Many see AI as a method of achieving those tasks that humans are largely incapable of doing. iZotope explain how this idea has been put to use. “One example is source separation for speech cleanup.” Misicka tells us, “Our Modules like Dialogue Isolate or De-rustle rely on it to attenuate unwanted sounds like footsteps, bird chirping, or rustle of a mic hidden in clothes. Manual repair of these noises would be very laborious, because the noises change in time and overlap with speech”

“Another example is smart synthesis of replacement sounds.” Melissa continues, “When speech is coming from a telephone call, its frequency spectrum gets limited to 4 kHz, which results in a characteristic muffled sound. RX’s Spectral Recovery module uses machine learning to recreate the missing upper frequency band with realistic synthesised content to enhance the quality of speech. Manual ways for high-frequency synthesis would include tools like an exciter, but the quality and plausibility of the synthesised content would be nowhere near the results of machine learning.”While the arguments over artificial intelligence in the compositional domain continue to rage, few would object to the harnessing of machine learning to fulfil tasks that are largely outside of most of our aural and technical capabilities. Would they?

DEEP LISTENING

One of the most beneficial applications of AI for home musicians has been the quick availability of algorithm-driven mastering services. Take LANDR for example, this subscription service’s shrewd software leans on a mine of intelligence cribbed from 20 million mastered tracks. It uses this information to calculate how it applies tailored frequency-boosting and aural gloss for your song. “When LANDR first launched in 2014, it was a first of it’s kind solution for cloud-based AI mastering”. Patrick Bourget, LANDR’s Product Director, tells us. “In 2016 the landscape began to see similar but far less refined alternatives emerging in the marketplace.”

Bourget observes that many companies point to AI without justification, in contrast to LANDR’s always-evolving processes; “We see many companies leaning on the ‘AI’ buzz word, but they rarely deliver on their promise of truly intelligent production tools. LANDR maintains that our AI remains at the cutting edge of the AI field with one-of-a-kind results, every time—our engine adapts to a track’s unique sonic qualities when mastering. We never use presets to make cookie-cutter masters.”

“We’ve always felt that providing too many presets or options to users diminishes the value and trust we’ve built over the years with creators.” Patrick continues, “Our superior-quality masters stem from AI informed by millions of mastered tracks and tuning provided by the golden ears of industry giants.”

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE VS HUMANITY

With the everyday prevalence of platforms like LANDR, Patrick Bourget seems like a good person to ask about how he sees this human/machine dynamic evolving in the future, specifically in the mastering domain; “Given the accelerating pace of creation and the often tight budgets of music producers around the globe, we feel that there will always be room for both AI-mastering & mastering engineers.” Bourget explains, “We’ve heard from countless professionals that LANDR provides an affordable and elegant solution for quality masters at a fraction of the cost of traditional mastering.”

But what about those that fear their livelihoods could come under threat by AI’s continual advances? Bourget takes the middle ground; “We don’t see AI-mastering as a question of OR, but rather as an AND that assists creators when needed. Our automatic mastering process and simple workflow gives musicians the power to complete a master in minutes. An example being that of a mixing engineer quickly delivering a mix in progress with the polish an artist expects to hear from a mastered track. It’s a great way to get quick feedback.”

iZotope echoes this fundamental point, that the most successful applications of artificial intelligence to date are those that help creatives and professionals meet their objectives, and not those that seek to supplant them. “We often imagine our assistive tech as, quite literally, a studio assistant who can take that first pass at repairs or a mix for you while you go get a coffee.” Melissa explains, “We’d reinforce that the mission of iZotope’s assistive tools is not to replace professional expertise, but to coach those who are still learning by suggesting next steps, and to assist those who are more experienced by getting them to a starting point more quickly.”

While it’s unarguable that artificial intelligence will continue to soak into our daily lives on many levels, it’s plainly apparent that rather than shrinking before its fathomless potential, musicians and producers have more to gain than to lose from its ever-developing abilities.

The post Artificial Intelligence in Music Production – Friend or Foe? appeared first on Audio Media International.

iZotope co-founder and CEO Mark Ethier has spoken to Audio Media International about the company’s new collaborative partnership with Native Instruments and what it means for the music making community.

Yesterday (March 11), it was announced that iZotope and Native Instruments had formed a new music technology group that is designed to “better support the creative community through close collaboration, the sharing of knowledge and technology and the enhancement of product offerings”.

A joint statement from the two companies confirmed that they will continue to operate independently with no structural changes to either party.  

So what exactly does the new partnership mean for music makers and the wider industry? Audio Media International caught up with Ethier to find out…

How did this alliance come about?
There have been many times in our history where we’ve wondered what it would be like to partner more closely. Past collaborations, like when iZotope introduced NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) to Ozone 9, gave us a glimmer of the potential. We share a depth of experience in the industry, with NI’s journey beginning in 1996 and iZotope’s in 2001. 

We both have unique and complementary strengths – from iZotope’s intelligent audio processing to NI’s innovative instruments, effects, and integrated hardware. Finally, the timing was just right.

You may also be interested in:

• ISE 2021 Barcelona cancelled, new roadshow format to take its place
• d&b completes first event KSL Soundscape install
• We Make Events study: 43 per cent of live events businesses to close by June
• How does live come back? Frank Turner, Music Venue Trust and Concert Promoters Association speak out
• ‘If COVID hadn’t stopped European touring, Brexit would have’: Inside UK’s first live music industry body
• ‘The world has changed, buying behaviour has changed’: d&b launches new Subscription Series

Does the new group you’ve formed have a name?
Technically the name is Music Creation Group, but it’s a group that spans the interest of both music makers and anyone working with audio. We didn’t emphasise this name because the group itself is not intended to be the focus. The group is really more focused on supporting the companies within it.

How will the collaboration work?
When it comes to defining our shared future and vision, I will work side by side with Native Instruments’ CEO, Constantin Koehncke – and we’ll of course be supported by our talented teams. We’re just starting that work now.

What form will the collaboration take? Can we expect to see joint iZotope/Native Instrument products any time soon?
Our imaginations are already running wild thinking of the ways we can make the creative process easier and more accessible for musicians, producers, and audio engineers of all kinds. With the combination of our talent and technology, there are certainly many possibilities

What are your plans and ambitions for 2021?
We’ll be starting those conversations in the next few weeks…

What does this alliance mean for music makers?
As more and more people get into music making, they’re looking for better and easier ways to realise their ideas or to get started on their journey. To take an idea out of their head and put it into the world, or to put the finishing touches on their project. Together, iZotope and Native Instruments will be able to break down barriers and make it easier for music makers—and producers and engineers—to realise their creative vision, no matter where they are in their process.

And what does this alliance mean for the rest of the market?
Together we share a vision of a more cohesive ecosystem for the creative process, one that’s more welcoming and inspiring for anyone working with audio. It’s an ambitious vision for sure, but when you consider the combined forces of our two extremely talented and passionate teams, anything seems possible. 

iZotope
Native Instruments 

“2020 led to great growth, but we need to manage that in 2021”
Read the Audio Media International partner plan.

The post ‘Finally the timing was right’: iZotope CEO Mark Ethier on new Native Instruments alliance appeared first on Audio Media International.

iZotope and Native Instruments have teamed up to form a new music technology group.

The new alliance, backed by Francisco Partners and EMH Partners, is designed to ‘shape the future of music making and audio production’.

iZotope and Native Instruments will continue to operate independently with no structural changes to either company. Mark Ethier, co-founder and CEO of iZotope, and Constantin Koehncke, CEO of Native Instruments, will work together on the future and vision of the new group as co-presidents.

In a joint statement, the companies said that the point of the alliance is “to better support the creative community through close collaboration, the sharing of knowledge and technology and the enhancement of product offerings. As a collective force, this duo will generate a more cohesive audio ecosystem, to help creators no matter where they are in their journey”.

“iZotope and Native Instruments share the same mission to inspire and enable creativity,” commented Ethier. “We both look to make it easier for engineers, producers and musicians to realize their creative vision, and together, we will be able to break down barriers that have stood in the way of that goal for decades. With iZotope’s intelligent processing, and Native Instrument’s innovative offerings, I can’t wait to see what artists will create.”

You may also be interested in:

• ISE 2021 Barcelona cancelled, new roadshow format to take its place
• d&b completes first event KSL Soundscape install
• We Make Events study: 43 per cent of live events businesses to close by June
• How does live come back? Frank Turner, Music Venue Trust and Concert Promoters Association speak out
• ‘If COVID hadn’t stopped European touring, Brexit would have’: Inside UK’s first live music industry body
• ‘The world has changed, buying behaviour has changed’: d&b launches new Subscription Series

Koehncke, CEO of Native Instruments, adds, “As more and more people are getting into music making they are looking for easy access to the building blocks for their journey. Joining forces with iZotope brings us yet another step closer to fulfilling our shared mission to empower producers of all levels with everything they need, from instruments and effects to a supportive and thriving community. I cannot begin to imagine what our combined talent and technology can come up with to inspire artists and music creators worldwide.”

“Through our personal passions for music, we find Native Instruments and iZotope to be two impressive pillars of the audio creation industry. As we have gotten to know each company and their teams, we are convinced that they will transform and expand the industry by working together, ” concludes Matt Spetzler, Co-Head Europe and Partner at Francisco Partners. Adds Mario Razzini, Principal at Francisco Partners, “Our role is to champion their shared mission, providing strategic business support and resources to enable their success. We can’t wait to see what this group accomplishes for producers, engineers and musicians.”

“2020 led to great growth, but we need to manage that in 2021”
Read the Audio Media International partner plan.

The post iZotope and Native Instruments unite to form new music tech group appeared first on Audio Media International.

Music technology author and lecturer Stephen Bennett gets to grips with the new Izotope RX8 audio repair software…

What is it?
A new version of Izotope’s ‘Mr. Fixit’ audio restoration tool.

What’s great?
Superlative sound quality, further improvements in workflow and many useful new features. Available in different flavours to suite budget and application.

What’s not?
The full version is expensive, but you get a lot for your money.

The bottom line:
A must-have purchase or upgrade for those engaged in audio restoration, post-production and anyone fixing audio-related problems.

The verdict:
The ‘art’ of digital audio restoration has come a long way from the early versions of the DINR noise reduction software that I used with my vintage Pro Tools system. Izotope’s original RX package was a game-changer when first introduced, bringing the kind of features previously only available via expensive hardware-based processors to the desktop.

Most of the workflow in RX revolves around the Spectrogram/Waveform display which can show a visual representation of audio in various ways, the most useful being variants on Short-Time Fourier Transforms (STFT). Being able to visualize audio in this way really helps spot artifacts, thought it can also act as more ‘traditional’ waveform display. Dragging in an audio file to the RX8 window–most formats are supported—generates the display itself, while various tools are available to allow you to work on the whole file, or user-drawn selections.

RX brings several new features to the virtual table. Video calls have become an essential part of a journalist and podcaster’s life, but the software we use usually prioritises the video quality over the audio. The new Spectral Repair tool attempts to restore the audio quality that is generally lost when recorded from a videoconference. Like all of the tools in RX, the interface is pretty simple. Pressing the Learn button (many tools have an automatic system) analyses the audio and adjusts the Cutoff frequency and Smoothing amounts, while judicious use of the Amount and Vowel/Sibilant balance sliders helps you to achieve the results you desire. As with many of the processes in RX, you need to Preview the effect and then Render it to disc to make the changes permanent—shades of DINR again! Of course, you can use several tools on the same audio so you could, for example, use the Spectral de-Noise, Voice de-Reverb and (improved) de-Hum together to help clean up the audio.

Also new is the Guitar de-Noise, which worked wonders on my unshielded ‘70s Stratocaster. The Wow and Flutter tool is designed to correct problems you might find when restoring vintage tapes. I tried it on some really old cassettes and, while I wouldn’t claim the results were exactly broadcast quality, I’d be happy to use these as extras on a commercial release. There’s also a new Loudness control tool and some important changes to the Music Re-balance tool. I was pretty impressed with the latter in earlier versions of RX, as it promised to make a process possible that had long been held as impossible—i.e., make changes to the levels of vocals, Bass, Drums and the other elements of a stereo mix. Unmixing a cake, as it were. The new version hasn’t changed much visually—sliders for the above ‘instruments’ allow their respective balances to be adjusted, while a separation slider determines the ‘isolation’ of these stems. It’s now available as an ARA 2.0 plug in within DAWs that support that protocol as well, which worked fine in Logic Pro and Pro Tools. I’ve used Re-balance a lot to lift my vocals from old songs where I was less sure of my singing and have even removed elements for re-recording—though the results achieved do really depend on the source material processed.

RX8 does, in some cases, work in the same area as Steinberg’s Spectralayers, but it approaches restoration in a different way, has more features, and most are also easier to use. Don’t let the simplicity of the interface put you off though—if the automatic settings don’t get you to where you want to be, there’s enough programmability in the software to tweak to taste. There are tools available to address most of the common (and not so common!) audio issues you’ll come across and it rarely fails to produce a useable output.

Izotope continues to add in new and useful features to the RX line and, just as importantly, up the audio quality of existing tools. Which version you choose, depends on the application to which you will put the software, but the quality of processing is the same across the range. RX continues to amaze me with the way it can process audio that I’d decided unusable into workable and useful material.

Available now: Elements £98 ($129), Standard £301 ($399), Advanced £905 ($1199)

The post REVIEW: Izotope RX8 audio repair software appeared first on Audio Media International.

iZotope has launched Dialogue Match, an audio tool designed to automatically learn and match the sonic character of dialogue recordings.

It is the first product  to combine brand-new machine learning from iZotope with reverb technology from Exponential Audio’s product line, which was acquired by iZotope earlier this year.

Re-recording mixers that are responsible for delivering the final sound mix for films and television programs, often need a way to quickly match dialogue from lavalier, boom mics, and ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement), in order to create a seamless and cohesive dialogue performance.

With Dialogue Match, users can analyse audio to extract a sonic profile, then apply the profile to any other dialogue track for fast and easy environmental consistency in scene recordings, allowing them to complete the tedious process of matching production dialogue to ADR in seconds, rather than hours. Tonal characteristics can be matched between a boom and a lavalier microphone, localised audio can automatically be matched to the original language, and global snapshots and reference profiles can be saved or loaded.

“Users who have tested Dialogue Match are telling us that it will change the way they approach dialogue editing forever,” said iZotope’s senior product manager, Mike Rozett. “We are very excited to collaborate with Exponential Audio founder Michael Carnes on this product and we’re both convinced that this technology will revolutionise the laborious process of getting continuity in dialogue.”

Dialogue Match is now available as a standalone AudioSuite Plugin for $599 MSRP. iZotope does not currently support its use for any host application other than Pro Tools 11 or later.

Dialogue Match will also be available as part of the following bundles.

• Post Production Surround Reverb Bundle ($1,199 MSRP)
• RX 7 Advanced Reverb Bundle ($1,499 MSRP)
• RX Post Production Suite 4 ($1,999 MSRP)

www.izotope.com

The post iZotope launches new Dialogue Match audio post tool appeared first on Audio Media International.

iZotope has launched Neutron 3, a plugin designed to significantly enhance mix workflows with machine learning.

Neutron 3 will be available in three different flavours – Neutron Elements, Neutron 3 Standard, and Neutron 3 Advanced.

Neutron 3 Advanced creates a balanced starting point for an initial level mix built around a focus chosen by the mixer with Mix Assistant, saving time and energy for creative mix decisions.

Meanwhile, Sculptor is a new module (available in Neutron 3 Standard, and Advanced) for sweetening, fixing, and creative applications. Using advanced signal processing, Sculptor works like a per-band army of compressors and EQs to shape any track. It also communicates with Track Assistant to understand each instrument and gives real-time feedback to help shape tracks to a target EQ curve, or experiment with new sounds.

In addition, Neutron 3 includes many new improvements and enhancements based on feedback from the community, such as the redesigned Masking Meter that automatically flags masking issues and allows them to be fixed from a convenient one-window display. It has also had a major overhaul in performance for faster processing and load times and smooth metering. Sessions with multiple Neutrons open much quicker, and refresh rates for visualisations have doubled.

Visual Mixer and iZotope Relay will be included free with all Neutron 3 Advanced demo downloads. In addition, Music Production Suite 2.1 will now include Neutron 3 Advanced, and iZotope Elements Suite will be updated to include Neutron Elements (v3).

For more details, availability and pricing details visit: www.izotope.com/neutron

The post iZotope releases Neutron 3 with machine learning appeared first on Audio Media International.

Magix has revealed the latest update to its Sound Forge Audio Studio software.

Version 12 lets users digitise, repair, and restore LP records and tapes, create podcasts, master audio, burn CDs, and render to a range of popular audio formats for streaming on the web or playback on portable media players.

The updated tool is built on a 64-bit platform to supply more editing power, more processing power, and a more powerful workflow, as well as featuring an updated and redesigned recording window. The upgrade follows Magix’ recent announcement that it would commit to upgrading its entire Sound Forge family of products over the course of 2017.

Slice Edit lets users tweak edits even after the cut. Soft Cut creates automatic, user-adjustable crossfades with each edit to ensure smooth transitions between cuts with no pops or clicks, while Spectral cleaning performs frequency-based noise removal by visually identifying frequencies of an offending noise.

The visualisation window presents several ways to analyse and track audio output including peak meters, phase oscilloscope, correlation meter, direction meter, spectroscope, spectrogram, bit meter, oscilloscope, and tuner. Additionally, Sound Forge Audio Studio 12 includes iZotope’s Ozone Elements 7 mastering plugin with a set of 75 presets, along with macro controls to fine tune the EQ and compression.

Repair and restoration tools include DeClicker/DeCrackler to automatically detect and remove clicks and crackle from vinyl recordings or other noisy environments. DeClipper restores and recovers analogue or digital material with clipping artifacts. DeEsser removes sibilance with presets for male and female vocals. DeHisser cleans up background hiss with presets for hiss behind vocals, cassette tape hiss, analogue tape hiss, and more. DeNoiser reduces unwanted steady-state noise like that created by air-conditioning, equipment hum, and amplifier hiss.

Sound Forge Audio Studio 12 is now available online and in stores for $59.99, while current users can upgrade from earlier versions for $29.99.

http://www.magix.com/

The post Magix releases Sound Forge Audio Studio 12 appeared first on Audio Media International.

Blue Microphones has announced Raspberry Studio, an all-in-one mobile recording system that combines Blue’s mobile USB microphone, Raspberry, with custom recording software from PreSonus and mastering software from iZotope.

Raspberry Studio includes professional production tools such as custom templates for music, voice-overs and podcasts, which feature automatic track setup and dialed-in sound processing for professionally produced vocals and instruments.

Raspberry Studio features PreSonus Studio One Artist Blue Microphones Edition recording software, which lets users stack multiple instrument and vocal tracks to create fully produced songs. With a 32-bit audio engine, tracks can be edited on screen with ease, while multiple takes can even be pieced together to craft a complete vocal performance.

iZotope Ozone Elements is also included, featuring professionally designed presets and simple macro controls that allow users to quickly get their mixes ready for radio and streaming.

Raspberry – Blue’s premium mobile USB microphone for PC, Mac and iOS – uses an Internal Acoustic Diffuser (IAD) that focuses on the voice or instrument and minimises environmental sounds by diffusing noise and reflections. It also features an integrated stand that minimises contact with surfaces and isolates the microphone from vibrations, while onboard controls make it easy to adjust gain and monitor audio during recording.

Raspberry comes with a USB cable compatible with PC and Mac, along with a Lightning cable for iPad and iPhone connectivity. It is compatible with most Android devices via the OTG accessory cable, which is not included.

“Raspberry Studio offers modern creators everything they need to produce studio-quality projects on the go,” said Tommy Edwards, director of product management at Blue Microphones. “By combining Raspberry’s acclaimed design with custom Presonus recording software and iZotope mastering software, Raspberry Studio allows creators to move beyond the desktop studio, follow their inspiration and get professional results anywhere.”

Raspberry Studio is now available from retailers at an MSRP of $219.99.

http://www.bluemic.com/

The post Blue launches Raspberry Studio mobile recording package appeared first on Audio Media International.

To coincide with the much anticipated return of Game of Thrones earlier this week, now in its seventh and penultimate series, iZotope has released a new video featuring interviews with three members of the HBO show’s audio post team talking about how RX noise reduction and audio repair software has become a crucial part of their workflow.

In the video, filmed during iZotope’s recent visit to Formosa Group in Los Angeles, re-recording mixer Onnalee Blank, supervising sound editor Timothy Kimmel and supervising dialogue editor Paul Bercovitch explain how RX 6 Advanced is used to fix problems such as wind noise, unwanted sounds caused by armour and other costumes, speech imperfections and – yes, even in Westeros – off-camera traffic noise.

One episode that was flagged up as being particularly tricky was Battle of the Bastards from Season Six, which won seven Emmy Awards on its own last year, including one for Oustanding Sound Mixing.

Click here to read our review of iZotope RX 6, and check out the video below.

Back in 2015 we also spoke to Game of Thrones production sound mixer Ronan Hill while he was taking a break from filming Season Six, and asked him about the kinds of recording challenges he faces on set and what he has in his kit bag. You can read the interview with Hill here.

http://www.izotope.com

The post VIDEO: Why the Game of Thrones audio crew rely on iZotope RX 6 appeared first on Audio Media International.