Hi folks,
I've been playing with the sound editor in ProShow Gold for a few years and I was wondering what the next step up would be for the audio track. I really enjoy putting MP3 audio files together in unique ways to add a little zip to the slide shows. To be specific, I want to lead with a section of one song then splice in sections of others, then go back to the original, then add new sections, then back to the original. I can do it with Proshow but I have to use three copies of the original file and carry around all the audio data that I'm not using. What do you guys use when you're putting the great videos or slideshows together? I appreciate your thoughts.

Steve

Steve,

since we produce commercial stuff, we used to play with a hardware-based solution... too expensive for most people.

We recently were looking for a brand-agnostic piece of software that would do what Pro-Tools does. [Pro-Tools is one of the most popular software on the market but you need to buy matching hardware... bummer again for most people]

Went to a well known musical instruments store here in "balmy" Montreal. Chief of the recording department listened to our needs, said that he had $500 to $16,000 solution BUT, then asked us to follow him in his office.

He jumped on the internet and went to http://www.cockos.com/reaper/

This Reaper does almost everything Pro-Tools does... and, Allah is Great! The thing is virtually free...

Tried it - learning curve is a bit intimidating but you can download the manual... and print it for 5$...

You will feel like a 21st Century George Martin.... less the Beatles of course.

This piece of software is amazing and you can do anything you want, edit 300 tracks if you like and almost fly a space shuttle with it.

Hours of fun when you cannot get your feet wet or become tired of curves, NEF files or other photography idiosyncrasies.

Moreover, you can record your garage band using inexpensive USB-based quality sound "cards".

Enjoy,

Michel

Thanks for the response Michel. A whole lot of people would pay a bunch of money not to have to listen to what I could do with a garage band.

Reaper looks like it would clearly do what I want but the screen shot is a little intimidating. I hadn't thought about playing my guitar over the MP3 tracks. I haven't played since the 70's and back then I always had some chemical support to the creativity. Maybe it would be better all around if I could find a little simpler, less feature rich software tool. I've been surfing the web and there are all kinds of sound editors out there. It's a new subject for me and I was hoping one of the folks here would say something like "What a dummy, where have you been Steve, under a rock? Everybody knows the best sound editor is ________ . "
See somebody thought that since I have put together some OK slideshows of our underwater stuff that I would be perfect to create my son's wedding slideshow. (OK to discuss on Wetpixel since it will have lots of U/W images). Now I'm really on the hook. And as long as I'm doing to do it might as well do it right.
Guess I'll keep looking. Any other thoughts appreciated.
Steve

Screenshot is indeed intimidating but once you get it, there is not an absolute need to use every single feature. What is nice is that you can download the program and its accompanying manual and make a few tests. Once you get the feel, it shall be pretty easy.

Reaper maintains music quality and allows very precise cut-paste and other manipulation.

Don't be afraid... you can also look for that 70's stuff that made you feel like the king of the world and then use Reaper... I'll leave that up to you:-)

Michel

I haven't looked at Reaper but another really nice, simple and free audio editor is Audacity. I use it for multimedia pieces and it works great.