[Scott Dorsey]

andrew.zey wrote:

I'm looking for the best video editing software which will have
capable audio mixing either built in or integrated in the suite (Like
Soundtrack Pro in Final Cut Studio or Adobe Premiere's built-in audio
mixing). This is important as the music is tightly synced to the
video, so the layout must be done first in the video editor, then
exported and polished in the audio mixing software. I must be able to
retain clip positions from the video editor.

I think you need to call your local Avid rep. Be prepared to write a big
check.

1. FCP Doesn't allow convenient sub-frame editing. It can be done, but
very awkwardly

Just like editing 16mm.... it's no fun. A lot of other systems are nicer,
and if need be you can export to Pro Tools or something and then re-import.

2. FCP Limited to AIFF files, as WAV sometimes has serious drifting
problems due to mis-identification of SMPTE framerate.

Are you sure about that? Neither wav nor AIFF files actually contain any
timecode data. As long as everything is at 48 ksamp/sec, everything should
be fine. Your timecode stuff is all out of band.

3. FCP & STP have undefined meters (don't specify which algorithm is
used). Both ignore peaks which are detected in WaveLab 6 running on PC

That's also something you'll find standard throughout the audio industry,
uncalibrated and doubtful metering. Get an outboard calibrated meter from
RME or Dorrough and trust it.

4. STP Inability to pan submix busses and master mix.
5. STP Inability to nest/group busses (so I only have 1 level of
grouping available that would allow panning)
6. STP Inability to copy&paste any effects or automation data
7. STP is counter-intuitive, as it requires at least 1 sub-mix, which
cannot be panned!
8. STP each AUX bus has to be mapped to a submix bus
9. All of the FCS only supports AU plugins, not MacVST's.

Here is one hint: you can use the workstation as a set of locked dubbers,
then use a mixer to do the actual mix in realtime. This gives you the best
of both worlds, and it's just like working with film and means you can avoid
all the nonsense.

Points 4-8 are really a deal-breaker with STP, as it makes it
extremely clumsy and awkward to get any serious mixing done.

Edit on an editor, mix on a mixer.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."