Reviews » Software » Audio and Music Software

Soundtrack Pro is a multitrack audio editor intended to be used as part of a video workflow, though it’s equally adept at standalone audio projects. It was once sold separately, but for the last few years, it’s been available exclusively as part of the Final Cut Studio and Logic Studio bundles. The latest incarnation, version 3, offers a wide range of fine-tuned interface tweaks and a few new tricks that will make anyone who produces pro audio take notice.

Doug Adams Dupin

Posted 10/21/2009 at 1:20am | by Roberto Baldwin

Initially we all had just one Mac and one iPod. We’d dutifully sync our iPod with our Mac, and life was grand.

Then we got a MacBook, another iPod, and finally, an iPhone. Soon it was apparent that our music library was scattered across multiple machines and the idea of trying to figure out which machine had which songs became an onerous task. So we just threw them all together, resulting in tons of unwanted duplicate tracks.

Pixel Research Labs Ringer

Posted 10/19/2009 at 11:06am | by Ray Aguilera

2

For several years now, the music industry has had quite a scam going. No, we’re not talking about the insane price of physical CDs. And no, we’re not talking about the fact that major label artists--the folks who actually did the work--make pennies on the dollar for the sale of those CDs. We’re talking about ringtones. iPhone users are luckier than most--iTunes will let you buy a ringtone for a mere 99 cents. Other cell carriers and plans can charge up to several dollars more. If you’re big into custom tones, that can add up fast. Ringer can help you quickly create your own iPhone ringtones from your existing media. No longer are you subject to iTunes’ sometimes spotty ringtone availability.

Ableton Live 8

Posted 10/14/2009 at 9:57am | by jamor

In the pantheon of music-creation software, Live has always presented an original and truly innovative approach to making music in the studio and onstage. In this latest release, Ableton has delivered a very strong balance of new features and interface tweaks, which will definitely please existing Ableton fans and likely turn the heads of folks more accustomed to using audio software like Apple’s Logic and Digidesign’s Pro Tools.

iPhone Helper Apps for Insanely Specific Scenarios

Posted 09/28/2009 at 12:06am | by Leslie Ayers

2

Every day, life presents any number of problems that need solving—from settling bets to knowing which fish are OK to eat to remembering where the soupspoon goes in a formal table setting. Your iPhone or iPod touch can act as a digital Swiss Army knife, offering up the right tool to get you through almost any dilemma. We review and rate a collection of handy helper apps and ass-saving accessories that are sure to boost your rep as the consummate boy scout, always prepared for anything.

djay 3

Posted 09/25/2009 at 2:27pm | by Roberto Baldwin

1

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A low-cost DJ application that'll impress even your analog friends.

SRS Labs iWow Adaptor for iPod

Posted 07/27/2009 at 9:25am | by Leslie Ayers

1

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Plug in to Sonic Clarity

FadingRed Senuti

Posted 07/17/2009 at 1:35am | by Susie Ochs

Being able to copy songs from an iPod to a Mac is incredibly useful, and no, we’re not talking about pirating tracks here. If you keep distinct iTunes libraries on more than one Mac, your iPod can carry them back and forth. If your hard drive crashes, or you get a new Mac, restoring iTunes tracks via an iPod is a great trick to have at your disposal.

Five12 Numerology 2.0

Posted 07/08/2009 at 8:53am | by jamor

2

While the name might invoke a creepy psychic or hooded astrologer in the dark corners of a carnival tent, Numerology is actually an amazing digital simulation of a mainstay of the classic electronic music world, the step sequencer.

Rogue Amoeba Airfoil

Posted 07/07/2009 at 9:00am | by Ray Aguilera

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We’re suckers for apps that focus on simplicity and usefulness rather than whiz-bang features that look cool in demos but have very little practical utility. Rogue Amoeba’s Airfoil is one of those apps that we couldn’t help but take a liking to right off the bat.