ISSN 1553-7765
Volume 2 No. 6
March, 2006
Published by UniqueTracks Production Music
John Bickerton - Creative Director

Subscribe to Underscore and receive 12 Free Rhythm Loops fully-licensed and downloadable to your desktop.

One of the ways you can maximize the recordings you license from UniqueTracks is to use audio editing software to shape the music so that it works perfectly within your media project.

A simple example of this would be creating your own fade in or fade out on a portion of a track. A more complex example would be cutting an 8 measure section from the full length track and looping this segment as underscore.

Digital audio editing software lets you easily zoom in to a selection of the recording and accomplish powerful editing maneuvers.

There are a lot of digital editors available for both Windows and Mac platforms. Today I want to introduce you to a few of the lowest-priced editors available. These editors still pack a lot of editing power but at are priced at a level that will get you cutting and shaping your audio tracks for just a minimal investment.

To me, the real power of production music is attained when the end-user is free to edit the tracks. This is entirely within UniqueTracks' standard license agreement. In fact, we really encourage you to experiment with the recordings to draw as much use from them as possible. You'll just find that you can do much more with the tracks if you have the ability to massage and shape them, rather than just plop the whole thing in your timeline and live with it as is.

We've started a new Tools section on the UniqueTracks web site where we have made arrangements with various companies to offer trial versions of their audio editing software. I apologize in advance to Mac users, right now we only have Windows editors available.

So if you are a Windows user and maybe new to the whole world of digital audio editing, please browse through the various software packages we've included on the site. These are all try-before-you-buy programs that let you download a completely working version of the software to test for a certain period. If you find that the product is something of value and something you'll use, you must purchase the product at the end of the trial period or the working version will expire. Prices are very reasonable for the editing power you'll get (from $19 to $50).

Even if you already have a digital audio editor that you use, there is probably a small application here that will help you in your editing. We also have included some affordable digital video editing software and some cool little Flash apps that, if you develop for Flash, you may want to check out.

I have another reason for recommending these editors and it's because in upcoming newsletters I'd like to start offering some audio editing advice taking real examples from our music library. I field quite a few phone calls and emails from customers who are encountering audio editing issues and are looking for help.

A case in point, this week I was asked why MP3 files don't seem to loop seamlessly - you can hear a bump in the loop. This is because the MP3 spec puts a sliver of silence at the beginning and ending of the audio file. You really can't loop an MP3 file. That's why all UniqueTracks loops are delivered in WAV format. I'd like to start talking about some of these issues. So grab yourself an digital editor and we can begin examining some cool audio editing techniques.

from Acoustica Inc...
Mixcraft - great for building audio presentations including podcasts. Mixcraft is a full-blown editor that includes many different effects, some special tools like "time-stretching" which lets you expand the length of a track without damaging its audio quality.

MP3 Audio Mixer - Simple but very effective MP3 editor let's you take control of any MP3 track. Create your own loops, shorten or cut and paste the track to create your own custom mix (this is allowed under the UniqueTracks license agreement, in fact we encourage it!).

Audio Converter - This is an easy way to create your own WAV files from an audio CD or convert between formats like MP3 to WAV or visa versa. Easy program gets you up and running quickly. Great way to create your own CD-ROM Bundle.

MP3 CD Burner/Ripper - A very good CD ripper lets you create your own MP3s from CD. Also creates WAV files from CD. You can also go the other way, creating your own CDs from your MP3 or WAV content.

Simple MP3 to WAV Converter - Acoustica's MP3 to WAV Converter automatically converts MP3 & WMA files into CD compatible WAV files! Click the mouse and forget about it! No confusing bit rate calculations or rocket science know-how needed!

CD Label Creator - Easily lets you create custom CD labels for backing up your audio content or for creating label designs with more color and character.

An Audio And VIDEO editor from Blaze Media...

Blaze Media Pro- With editing tools too numerous to fully mention, Blaze Media Pro offers an incredible value for the money. This application includes almost every audio tool mentioned in all the products above PLUS a huge host of video editing tools.

A nifty Video to Flash conversion tool from Increditools...

Flash Video Studio 1.5 - Convert AVI, MOV, DIVX, WMV, MPEG video into an SWF or FLV file. Select range within video to convert. Fine tune the video brightness and contrast. Apply video effects such as emboss, motion blur, twist, negative, mosaic, etc.

Quickly build Flash sideshows with music accompaniment with this Flash SWF editor from FXWitz.

Flash SWF Editor - A little offbeat, but this program is very useful. It easily compiles digital photographs into Flash slide shows. Plenty of effects and templates are offered which makes the creation process simple and fast.

New Release: Think Positive

Think Positive High Spirits, Happiness

The initial response to this CD has been so good I almost don't feel it needs to be mentioned in the newsletter as it seems so many of you have found it already. But just in case you are reading this and haven't visited us for a while, here is more about our latest release.

Think Positive contains soundtracks which are perfect for productions with themes of optimism, overcoming adversity, or just the pleasure of enjoying a bright, sunny day. The music is mellow, melodic, guitar-driven rock. There is plenty of acoustic guitar in the mix evoking the late 70s California rock of the Eagles and Jackson Browne as well as more contemporary acoustic artists. Relaxing island rhythms also make an appearance here. Click this link to listen to a sample from the CD. Listen to the complete CD here.

Coming Soon: Voices on the Wind (2 CD Set)

Our next release is a 2 CD set of traditional folk music from South America (around the mountainous areas of Argentina). The instrumentation is mainly wood flutes/pan pipes, acoustic guitars, and mandolins. This is the first release in our new World Roots Heritage collection.

If you have ever visited New York City on business or vacation you have probably heard this type of music being performed. Native Peruvian musicians travel up every year to New York and perform widely around the city in the streets and subways. I think other metro areas of the US and Europe are visited as well.

The music is primarily the sound of the native people of the Andes mountain areas.

We are very excited by this disc. The music is beautiful and exotic and really can fit into so many different types of scoring situations. I have found that world or non-traditional types of underscore work very well, not just where you naturally think they would, nature documentaries, stories about native peoples, but in other more non-traditional ways. Using the music like this adds a sense of freshness and causes the viewer to lean in, focus more attention on your images/message.

We hope to have this disc releases by April 1st if not before.

Our New Yahoo Group about Production Music

We've started a Yahoo group which is devoted to discussing soundtracks and their use in professional media productions.

The advantage of a Yahoo group is that the community of people that join can freely interact with each other.

You can:

1. Ask technical questions about the gear you're using.
2. Post a "business card" of the services you offer (with link to your website if you desire)
3. Recommend specific vendors or deals on equipment that you've come across.
4. Put up a web page of your current production, then ask members of the group to critique your work.
5. Post links to articles of interest for the group.

I archive all underscore newsletters in the group and I've added some free loops to the "files" section of the group. 

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Published by John Bickerton
Creative Director, UniqueTracks.com
Copyright: © 2006, UniqueTracks™
PO Box 150414, Van Brunt Station
Brooklyn, New York 11215
USA