PRODUCT
TESTS
Audio Design Desk
By Dajaun Martineau
Post-production and foley for film has always been an enormous task . Foley artists will spend weeks in studios crashing , bashing , and punching various objects to try and create a soundscape . As time went on , technology improved and budgets shrank ; using libraries of recorded sounds became a standard in the film world . While sound libraries do save time , spending days searching through tape vaults , CDs , and eventually hard drives can end up taking the performance aspect away from the art . The creators of Audio Design Desk ( or ADD . app ) saw an opportunity to create a new DAW designed specifically for placing foley and sound effects more efficiently and artistically than previously possible . The software was conceptualized by Gabriel Cowan , a feature film producer and musician , along with co-founders Ryan Francesconi , an award-winning programmer , and composer Sam Music .
When you first install the software , you ’ re directed towards a comprehensive tutorial session that guides you through adding sounds to a sword fight scene from Crouching Tiger , Hidden Dragon . Within minutes the tutorial had me confident that I could do high-quality work in this software at a previously inconceivable pace .
The software layout is very familiar , so if you have edited any audio or video before , you ’ ll feel right at home and if you haven ’ t , you ’ ll be able to get started incredibly fast .
The user interface has five main areas . The video panel automatically appears once video is imported into the session . It ’ s a simple , scaleable interface that is detachable so that you can move it to a secondary screen or just have it floating wherever you desire . I found it very interesting that ADD . app allows you to use both online and local video content ; you can import a video file from your computer , or you can just provide a link to a video streaming site like Vimeo .
The library pane is the show stealer with its intuitive organization and categorical layout that allows you to find any sample set in seconds . ADD . app comes with its own massive 73 GB sound library with 20,000 sounds , including a generous selection of sound effects and production music . The subscription to the software includes various licences for whatever your level of use is , be it personal all the way up to commercial . The library window is also detachable so that you can place it on a secondary monitor , or can easily be cycled back and forth with the arrange window with the ( Command ~) key command .
The triggers pane offers an effortless way to load your sounds , and it feels a lot like a soundboard or a drum machine . The software allows you to load sample sets into trigger keys ( 1-9 ) and then you can perform the sounds simply by tapping the key as you watch the film either in real time or in slow motion . The triggers automatically round robin the samples from the set so that you end up with a realistic sounding performance . The triggering method is a massive time saver for things like footsteps , action scenes , hits , and countless other scenarios . ADD . app also has quick keys established for placing drones ( D ), hits ( H ), and rises ( R ). In one pass of a scene you can set atmosphere , build tension , and hit all of your action markers . With a little practice placing sound effects , it felt more like playing piano than it did editing digital audio .
Of course , once you have them in place , you can finesse your sounds by editing them in the arrange window the same way you would in any other DAW . The arranger operates very simply , allowing you to drag and drop clips freely or sync them to specific points . There is the regular complement of editing tools : Arrow for selecting , Scissors for cutting , a Fade tool , and it includes a time stretch function that has excellent-sounding algorithms . Once the triggers are in place , ADD . app lets you quickly audition alternate sample sets on the spot by just selecting the sounds in the timeline , selecting another set of sounds from the library , and then pressing Shift + Return .
The Music Construction feature allows non-musician users to quickly construct a film score using their SoundOn platform ' s kits containing millions of unique combinations . The replacement engine empowers users to create an original cue for your films in an instant .
New in version 1.7 is a Spot Mode that allows you to drag and drop all the sounds in the library directly into your favourite DAW or video editing software . The update also introduces transient detection that is invaluable in creating elements out of stems . DAWSync capabilities have also expanded for improved control over a DAW from Audio Design Desk and vice versa , making it so that ADD . app integrates seamlessly into your current workflow . Beyond DAWSync , the software includes the option to export to cross platform formats , including AAF and XML . This means that once you ’ re done placing your sounds , you can export your session and bring your work into Pro Tools , Premiere , Final Cut Pro , or any other DAW that supports cross-platform session formats .
There ’ s no doubt in my mind that Audio Design Desk is a powerful new tool that will change the way post-production for films is done . The software allows indie film makers to do a quality of work that was previously unattainable for them while simultaneously freeing up seasoned professionals from the grunt work of post and allow them to focus more on the art of building a soundscape .
Dajaun Martineau is a gold-certified producer , songwriter , multiinstrumentalist , and mixer with multiple Juno-nominated projects . For more information , go to
www . dajaun . com .
22 PROFESSIONAL SOUND