Discover the latest industry news and audio post production.
Acoustica is Acon Digital's all in one audio editor, packed to the brim with excellent audio editing features, effects plug-ins, and restoration and mastering tools.
September 4, 2023
Recent technological advancements have revolutionised the tools available for a sound designer to add to their arsenal. Digital audio editors are incredibly important tools. Offering audio editing, restoration and manipulation in one piece of software. However, they can often be accompanied by huge price tags. Enter, Acoustica by Acon Digital. Acon offer both a Standard and Premium edition of Acoustica. Today on the 344 Audio blog, we’ll be looking at the Premium edition.
Company: Acon Digital
Product: Acoustica Premium
Price: £160
Our Rating: 4.8/5
Acoustica is Acon Digital's all in one audio editor. Packed to the brim with excellent audio editing features, effects plug-ins, and restoration & mastering tools (Restoration Suite 2, Mastering Suite). Some of which demonstrate the benefits of Acon’s admittedly impressive deep learning algorithms. The latest 7.4 update also added DeBird, DePlosive: Dialogue and DeClick: Dialogue plug-ins, and Dolby Atmos functionality (Upto 7.1.2) into the Premium edition. With both editions gaining the Rotate Phase tool. Proving once again why Acon are a company to keep your eyes on in the near future.
In their own words:
”Acoustica is our solution for audio editing, post-production, podcast creation, mastering and audio restoration – with no compromises when it comes to audio quality and workflow. Whether you choose the fully featured Premium Edition or the budget friendly Standard Edition, you will get a fast and intuitive audio editor with an extensive set of high-quality processing tools and support for all common plug-in formats.”
Upon loading you’re greeted with a layout similar to that of Izotope RX. The essential toolbar, clip editor and level meter take up the top half of the window. Underneath this you’ll find a fully customizable section, made up of smaller modules. The default layout includes a media file browser, processing chain, loudness meter and spectrum analyser. All of these can be removed, swapped with other tools, re-sized or simply re-arranged. However, aside from a lack of colour, some of these options could be slightly more user friendly. After removing a module by mistake, it required some searching through the user manual to get it back. All in all, a great addition that grants users incredible customization and workflow enhancement options.
Due to the vast amount of tools included and use cases Acoustica Premium boasts, we’ll be covering only the elements we would use in audio post-production scenarios. Acoustica's functionality as an editing software is something we were impressed with more than expected. Our DAW of choice is Pro Tools, so naturally shortcuts are a huge part of our workflow. After a short amount of time testing which shortcuts work in both software’s, we made some surprising discoveries. You’re able to perform all the basic editing functions well, with the extra ability to spectral edit and also work with multitrack source material. Acting in a similar way to shuffle mode in Pro Tools, once you’ve made an edit in your audio file, any content remaining after the edit point will automatically shift to the end of your previous edit. Not only that, but it seems to smooth the transition between the 2 points to some extent, before any manual crossfades are needed. We tested the editing features out on an unedited podcast episode, and heard no artefacts as a result of any edits we made.
You will find a mind-blowing amount of tools included with Acoustica for the price tag. One thing we love about Acon Digital after reviewing 2 of their products (Deverberate 3 and Extract:Dialogue), is their approach to designing plug-ins. It’s clear they value functionality and end results more than flashy, overcomplicated U.I or features. And this is a trend that continues with Acoustica. The noise reduction offerings, including a bunch of Dialogue specific variations such as DeClick:Dialogue and DeBuzz:Dialogue (even a DeWind: Dialogue plug-in is included!) all do their jobs fantastically. Needing minimal changes to controls after just a few minutes dialling in your desired settings, quite often leaving us with the most natural sounding results of any noise reduction tool.
Provided your DAW of choice has ARA2 support, the new ARA plug-in allows the editor to be integrated into your workstation, with complete functionality. For Pro Tools users, an AAX plug-in is included. Allowing the transfer of audio clips for processing from Pro Tools, to Acoustica, then back into your session.
It’s also worth noting that both Standard and Premium editions of this software come equipped with an EBU R-128 compliant Loudness Meter.
Digital audio editors generally have a wide range of use cases. With the release of Acoustica’s 7.4 update including the caption editor feature (aimed at video production or content creators), it’s clear that Acon are testing the waters outside of strictly audio. Whatever the future holds for their products, we can see a future with them at 344 Audio and for our students.
We would use Acoustica as part of our workflow for dialogue, podcast, and field recording editing.
Deciding on audio editing or restoration software can be an overwhelming investment. Not only is there a huge number of options on the market today, but a large amount of crossover between what stand alone software and DAW’s can offer us. Not to mention, ‘industry standard’ products being recommended for no reason other than that. We believe that Acon Digital’s Acoustica is one of the best choices available now.
As a company, they have a great track record of investing time and money in the right areas of product development. The integration of A.I algorithms has already boosted the efficiency of their tools, with the future potential of deep learning, future Acon products could be a cut above anything else on offer. The value for money is also excellent. Offering most of the features and functionality of the most expensive products out there. Often, to the same, if not better standards. A feature we would love to see in future updates is an offline loudness analyser to compliment the already included real-time meter.
Acoustica Premium is available as a stand alone plug-in, VST, AAX and AU.
For more from Acon Digital and the purchase information for Acoustica, follow these links:
https://acondigital.com/products/acoustica
We reflect on the widespread impact of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes and the importance of upskilling during uncertain times
August 28, 2023
Over 170,000 combined members of Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) & Writers Guild of America (WGA) are currently on strike for the first time in 60 years. Next to no progress has been made since talks about pay, working conditions, and safeguarding jobs from ever-advancing A.I began in May, leaving negotiations at a stalemate.
On August 11th, after 102 days on strike, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) who represent Hollywood’s leading studios released a summary of their proposals to the media & public. In response, the WGA issued a letter to members expressing disappointment and frustration toward the “single and only counteroffer” they received, stating:
We explained all the ways in which their counter’s limitations and loopholes and omissions failed to sufficiently protect writers from the existential threats that caused us to strike in the first place.
Productions in the U.S have seen the immediate and most severe effects. However, Hollywood’s global reach means ripples are being felt worldwide. Due to involved trade unions being American organisations, only productions funded by U.S studios, that also include union members are being effected. This has led to productions being halted both temporarily and indefinitely, writers rooms being shuttered, and release dates for highly anticipated titles such as Dune: Part 2 shifting into 2024. Demonstrating how long the effects of these strikes will be seen.
Even countries like the UK, which has seen huge industry growth in recent years, are not immune. Still recovering from economic issues such as Covid-19 and Brexit, whilst also being in the midst of a cost of living crisis. The fallout of the strikes is placing a huge strain on the UK workforce. A number of large scale US productions such as Deadpool 3, Wicked!, and How To Train Your Dragon are currently filming in the country, and are said to be impacted.
In times like this, one of the best ways to prepare yourself for similar situations that may arise in the future is to upskill. One huge upside of our craft is that sound is everywhere. Just a few years ago, we were all thrust into a global pandemic which led to huge changes and uncertainty in Film & TV production. Yet we still emerged on the other side.
Podcasting saw a huge boom in popularity during quarantine, which it has maintained to this day. Both independent and studio backed shows are in no shortage today, with every one of these needing at minimum, an editor. Some even need more advanced skills such as composition, or sound design. In a similar vein, Audiobooks have been around for a long time. Even Audio Drama’s have started popping up on streaming platforms recently. The long form nature of Audiobooks is great news for editors, and great practice for anyone with a desire to gain skills as a dialogue editor.
Game development is mostly unaffected by the current strikes. Meaning not only is it an industry which is incredible valuable and continually growing economically (Projected to make US$384.90bn in 2023), but it’s also seen steady hiring practices throughout recent turbulent times. All the skills we poses to perform audio post production roles are needed in the gaming sector, the main difference being Reaper is the DAW of choice for most developers. The biggest step you would need to take is learning audio engine software such as Wwise.
An area we see mentioned less often in situations like this, is Field recording. Not only is this a great way to either boost your personal sound libraries, or create sound libraries to sell. But it’s a great way to experiment with recording techniques and get the most out of your equipment.
If you’re interested in upskilling yourself, the sound design course we offer at 344 Audio is delivered within an active UK Audio Post workplace. And focuses on bolstering skills to perform any role in the post-production craft to an employable level, Guiding students through the process of securing professional work. For more information on our Audio Post Essentials Course, visit our website here.
While the immediate worldwide effect of the strikes can be a worrying thought, it’s important to remember that this will pass. Historically, when industrial action leads to setbacks, the comeback is greater. Our unwavering dedication will see a resurgence of opportunities, and collaboration, ushering in a sustainable new era to this beloved craft.
Our review of Acon's DeVerberate 3, an incredibly powerful reverb reduction plug-in.
August 21, 2023
Since visual media and content creation became more accessible, audio restoration has become a crucial part of the post-production craft. Reverb is commonly used to cement characters within soundscapes. However, It can also have a troublesome side. There are many factors which can result in audio being captured with too much reverb. Without the myriad of tools available today, this could lead to time consuming and sometimes expensive issues further down the line. Today on the 344 Audio blog, we’ll be diving into Acon Digital’s solution to this, DeVerberate.
Company: Acon Digital
Product: DeVerberate 3
Price: £79
Our Rating: 4.9/5
In recent years Acon have become a big player in audio restoration software. And with products like this, it’s easy to see why. DeVerberate 3 is an incredibly powerful reverb reduction plug-in. Driven by newly developed A.I algorithms, Acon continue their trend of developing products that focus on executing some of the more common, yet important tasks to a high standard without having to compromise on value for money.
In their own words:
DeVerberate is a reverb reduction plug-in that can attenuate or boost the reverberation that is already present in recorded material. The new version includes an entirely new algorithm based on deep learning for fully automatic reverb reduction of recorded dialogue. By training a neural network on thousands of high-quality voice recordings and a wide variety of acoustical surroundings, the artificial intelligence can automatically separate dialogue from reverb
Similarly to their Extract:Dialogue plug-in, the U.I layout is incredibly clean and well labelled. Allowing users to quickly familiarize themselves with the software and focus on the tasks at hand. You'll find a frequency spectrum showing the estimated spectrum of the reverb, as well as the spectrum of the input and output signals. The newly included early reflections filter, frequency emphasis filter, and 4 controllable settings; sensitivity, spectral smoothing, dry level, and reverb level.
The early reflections filter is a feature new to DeVerberate 3. Working in conjunction with the included algorithms to estimate the impulse response of the early reflections, then cancel them out. Engineers who frequently work on content captured in small rooms with minimal acoustic treatment will no doubt find this feature invaluable. Lastly, the frequency emphasis filter allows you to apply frequency weighting to the reverb spectrum. Consisting of high shelf, low shelf and two peak filters, it gives you the ability to fine tune the estimated reverb amount. Allowing users to keep vocal clarity in tact and customize the reverb profile to taste.
Naturally, audio restoration plug-ins are most commonly used to clean up dialogue. We tested DeVerberate on both a podcast edit, and dialogue edit to see how the software dealt with varying levels of processing. The included pre-sets serve as a great starting point, delivering very good results and leaving only a few small artifacts. Which, thanks to the fully automatic nature of the plug-in were very quickly eliminated after making some small adjustments on sensitivity, dry and reverb level settings.
When dialogue editing, one plugin we use frequently to control reverb on dialogue is Transient Master. It's great for subtly controlling reverb whilst maintaining vocal characteristics. However, if pushed too hard, obvious level drops can be heard. DeVerberate's high level of control over settings In such a quick and easy way, yields better results and helps keep the essential consistency of dialogue with next to no detriment to vocal clarity in most cases.
We would use this software as part of our dialogue and/or podcast editing workflow. Alongside occasionally using the plug-in for sound design work on vocals, particularly ghostly or demonic voices.
This is the second Acon Digital product we’ve reviewed. It’s clear that Acon design these products with efficiency, usability and value for money at the forefront of their mind. Instead of getting caught up overloading the software with niche features, or a distracting U.I, their focus is perfecting the science that serves as the solid foundation of DeVerberate.
The integration of their latest algorithm, with useful new features, and the large amount of adjustable settings leaves you with great results no matter the amount of processing needed. The only small thing left to desire being a change in colour scheme now most DAW’s have adopted darker palettes. Deverberate 3 is a fantastic tool, offering incredible value for money, and comparable results to industry standard de-reverb software.
DeVerberate 3 is available as VST, VST3 or AAX plug-in on both PC and Mac.
For more from Acon Digital and the purchase information for DeVerberate 3 follow these links:
https://acondigital.com/products/deverberate
A guide to the best sound design courses of 2023, comparing degrees and industry programs to help aspiring professionals choose the right path for their career in audio post-production.
August 14, 2023
One of the most common questions we get asked in 2023 is, ‘What course should I study to become a professional sound designer?’. Unfortunately, over the last few decades, as demand and interest in audio post production has increased, so has the amount of online misinformation making its way onto curriculums. Today we’ll look at some of the most viable options in 2023.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We have created an up-to-date list of the best sound design courses, including a more in-depth look at all the options to help you make the right decision.
The National Film & Television School is a UK institution based in Beaconsfield (Buckinghamshire), with campuses also in Cardiff, Glasgow and Leeds. NFTS offer a wide range of courses, all varying in length, qualifications and price. The sound design course offered here is a full time, 2-year Masters degree delivered on the main London campus.. The curriculum covers all areas of post-production and Sound Design. Also including various workshops for students to attend.
Whilst degrees commonly delve deeper into complex technical academia, Industry courses teach students the essential technical foundations which are then built upon with in-person learning and experience. The sound design course we offer at 344 Audio is a part time, 6-month Industry Course delivered from an active UK audio post workplace. The curriculum focuses on bolstering students skills to an employable level, and guiding them through the process of securing professional work. Whilst covering industry standard work flow and techniques in all areas of post-production.
The University of Southern California is ranked in the United States' top 30 universities. With a main campus based in Downtown Los Angeles, there couldn't be a more ideal location for a film school. USC's sound design course is a full time, 4-year course. With a curriculum focusing on developing a strong foundation in sound theory, technology, and practical application across various media platforms. Giving graduate the freedom to explore a sound design role in areas outside of Film & Television if desired.
Spirit Studios is a media training academy based in Manchester, UK. Formerly known as School of Sound Recording, Spirit Studios were one of the first places in the country to offer Industry courses in audio post-production. Their main campus is located in the heart of Manchester city centre and includes industry standard equipped facilities. The sound design course offered here is a part-time, 12 month course, delivered in person during the evenings.
Each student has a unique learning style. There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a course to help you pursue a career in Sound Design. If you would like to receive some guidance, set up a free discovery call with our team here.
We have created an up-to-date list of the best sound design courses on 344 Academy, including a more in-depth look at all the options to help you make the right decision.
We review Cut-it by HAL, a standalone software developed to revolutionize your workflow while re-conforming.
July 24, 2023
Conforming and re-conforming are essential (and somewhat dreaded) parts of the audio post-production process in which a revised cut of a project containing scene or edit changes, and a guide/reference track are passed from a video editor and integrated into your session. For some sound editors, just hearing the term 're-conform' is enough to send a shiver down their spine. However, thanks to the development of new tools in recent years, this process is nowhere near as tedious and time-consuming as in past times. Today we'll be taking a look at one such tool: Cut-it by HAL.
Company: HAL
Product: Cut-it
Price: £35
Our Rating: 4/5
Cut-it by HAL is a standalone software developed to revolutionize your workflow while re-conforming. With speed and ease of use being the focus of this tool, there are less advanced features included when compared to similar offerings on the market. That by no means stops Cut-it from being an incredibly useful application, nonetheless. HAL wanted to cater to a very specific use case here, which some would argue is a smart move. Executing one idea well could yield a better outcome than attempting to overextend themselves.
In their own words:
Cut-it is an app designed for sound editors who want to quickly detect and spot video cuts in their DAW. It is very helpful for editing the audio according to the cuts of a video.
Cut-it allows you to import either an EDL (Edit decision list) or a video file into the software. Most major video codecs seem to be compatible, with listed examples including Apple ProRes 422, DNxHD, H.264/5, and DV25/50. By default, the app will analyse the whole imported file but does have the choice to analyse only specific parts through the 'Timecode In/Out' settings. This could be a useful option to have in a scenario where only certain sequences have been changed. The 'Video Start Offset' setting, which allows you to input the starting timecode of a video file within your DAW session, is a nice inclusion, making the import of your Cut-it AAF even easier for users. From here, the last and most important settings are how you want scene changes to be visually represented. The two options are 'Markers' and/or 'Empty Clips'; whether to use both or just one of these comes down to personal preference. Once your settings are dialled in, hit 'Cut It' to export an AAF file, ready to import into your DAW of choice. HAL's website states this can be imported into 'most major DAWs', named examples include Pro Tools and Logic.
Some small features also worth mentioning are the inclusion of a dark and light theme for the software user interface. Plus, the option to change window size between small, medium, & large. Which is always appreciated and something we wish more software developers integrated into plug-ins and applications.
Saving time when identifying cuts and changes is great for sound designers and engineers working in a team. Software like Cut-it is perfect for doing just that. Potentially leaving the need for only one person to deal with re-conforming while others can focus on the heftier sound design or editing tasks. However, the area where this falls a touch short is after the changes have been identified; it would still take a good amount of manual labour to move things and fix any alterations. A future feature comparing multiple video sources and resulting in an AAF that only generate markers/clips during parts of the project that have changed. Or even better, to automatically makes said changes could be a good idea for re-conforming, especially.
We would use this software for both conforming and re-conforming. Helping us when conforming a new project by using the visual cues Cut-it provides to organize our session, allowing for easy navigation. When re-conforming, we would mostly use this to analyse specific sections of a project for any changes.
HAL has produced a great piece of software with lots of future potential here. A simple idea paired with good execution makes HAL a company to keep an eye out for, and Cut-it a great choice for conforming and/or re-conforming small to medium-sized projects. This offering could be especially attractive to sound editors who are beginning to get consistent work on short films or TV in the early stages of their career. Its features may seem limited in comparison to more expensive offerings available, but the price point is more than fair in terms of value for money.
Cut-it is a standalone software application and requires a free I-Lok account to use.
For more from HAL and the purchase information for Cut-it follow these links:
https://www.hal-audio.com/product/cut-it/
