Which Software

[SoundMan]

Hi everyone.

 

Im kinda new round here, found your link on stagelink.com, along with the links I'd like to ask you about. I do alot of amdram, and have looked at invested in some sound software for myself and my group, the vale players. Ive seen two pieces at the moment, http://www.soundcuesystem.com and http://www.csmd.co.uk. I like both of them, but would like some advice on which other think is good. SCS seems to be more advanced, but doesnt look quite as userfriendly. CSMD has a demo which a bonus, and looks nice and easy to use. Id be very intrested to hear your comments which will hopefully help me make an informed decision.

 

Regards

 

SM

[Piers Shepperd]

Rambo asked a very similar question (see this Post)

Why don't you PM him?

If CSMD offer a free download, then please download it and report back to us on how you found it.

 

I do however find it very odd that two people who have only posted either once or twice, somehow ask very similar questions.

I don't normally like to play the riveting game of spot the similarities but due to being very bored;

 

1) Rambo spelling mistake: intrested

SoundMan spelling mistake: intrested

 

2) Both posters seem to have a problem with punctuation i.e. Im, Id etc etc

 

 

Ho hum,

 

Piers

[SoundMan]

Thanks Piers,

 

Spelling has never been a strong point of mine, thats for sure. Ill download it and report back, and PM the other member that you mentioned. Well I saw the link was new on Stagelink.com, and thought Id ask here. Guess I should have looked at the forum more and seen there was already a post. Sorry if ive caused a repeat post.

 

Ill let you know soon.

 

SM

[Brian]

Ive seen two pieces at the moment, http://www.soundcuesystem.com and http://www.csmd.co.uk. I like both of them, but would like some advice on which other think is good.

 

SCS seems to be more advanced, but doesnt look quite as userfriendly.

SCS supports MIDI in and MIDI out as triggers. I'm currently playing with it controlling an LX desk and being controlled by external devices. I also have a plan to make a MIDI interface for external CD players. SCS also seems to show more info in the cue window.

 

CSMD has a demo which a bonus, and looks nice and easy to use.

So does SCS (have a demo that is).

[Malcolm Gordon]

Following the thread I started in February, I purchased an M-Audio Firewire 410 and SCS, which can address its eight analogue outs as four stereo pairs, in the Professional version.

 

I used SCS for a play in April and found it very effective and its interface easy to use. I personally don't find the CSMD interface, which simulates two CD/MD desks, particularly helpful and believe it could be confusing. (I found a similar interface, used by Adsono, confusing in a play last year.) SCS can run up to 10 sound files simultaneously.

 

SCS is being continuously developed and has just gone to version 8.3.0 in the last couple of days (EDIT: now 8.3.1) and version 9.0 is being planned. The current version now uses a different sound driver and can now, for example, address individual speakers through a surround sound card (subject to certain provisos).

 

Mike Daniell, the writer, is very open to suggestions for improvements and has robust testing support.

 

SCS is apparently preferred by many professionals over SFX, which costs many times more.

 

I hope this helps your decision.

[richard_cooper]

Mike Daniell, the writer, is very open to suggestions for improvements and has robust testing support.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yes Mike has been great to deal with, I had a problem which Mike dealt with swiftly, even providing a different version that corrected the problem. Highly recommended!

[p.k.roberts]

Assuming ‘amdram’ means low (or no) budget, how about some great freebies; for preparing audio, try ‘Audacity’ as a sound editing program. It’s a free download from http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

For play out, try ‘Soundplant’ downloadable from http://www.soundplant.org/about.htm

It allows you to ‘map’ sounds onto your computer keyboard and trigger them from there.

Both great programs, completely free, no catches (that I've found anyway!)

[paulears]

I'd second Soundplant. Worth the small upgrade fee to get mp3 capability. It has been rock solid, stability wise.

[PDD]

On the basis of this and other posts, as well as seeing it in action elsewhere, I've now converted to using Sound Cue System as our main playback. Seems to work fine so far; the main problems being due to our "busy" network system on which I'm currently having to run the software and keep the audio files. SCS is great though - and £30 is not too much to pay for the standard licence (Pro licence is required for MIDI triggering).

 

P.

[SoundMan]

Hi Again,

 

Well as suggested I downloaded CSMD and CSC. I now see where alot of people are coming from on the CSC side. Guess with this been a well known product to the market then lots like it, and it is nice, especially where it has the extra capacity that CSMD doesnt have.CSMD on the other hand was set up in minutes and I was using it quite quickly. It has a record feature which was good, but it only records in .wav format which is a bit limiting, and meant long recordings take up some serious space. I guess I could get a free converter if I wanted. The one thing I found with both products is that because when were going amdram were often in an environment where control is at the back of the audience, using software like this our faces are going to be light up like gin palaces!! Guess I could wack a gell over the screen or just turn the brightness right down. Anyone got any other suggestions? I think although the software are very similar there are also alot of differences, and according to what exactly you want you might choose a different one. For what I want, a replacement for CD and MD decks CSMD will be fine, but I just wondered if for a few pounds more I should go with CSC and have the extra capacity. Touch decision! Anyone got any other thoughts on either that might help me swing in one direction or the other?

 

SM

[TeeJay]

Guess I could wack a gell over the screen or just turn the brightness right down. Anyone got any other suggestions?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Had this problem and using a sheet of ND to cover the screen seems to be the simplest way, especially as you can attach it as a cover and flip it back if you need the full brightness of the screen.

 

Let us know how the programs work out for you

[ojc123]

I use Audacity a lot and it does a lot of the basic stuff very well. It has free mp3 support with lameenc.dll (freely available on the net ).

 

I use it for sound effects and trimming music for specific purposes. It can do multitrack recording and is FREE. It does a lot more but I've never needed to explore all it's possibilities. Not adware or ad supported or whatever. Also it's very stable and reasonably quick.

 

If I were you I'd give it a go first. It may well do the job for you.

[gareth]

Another recommendation for Audacity (info and download here). As a lampy, my audio-mangling needs are relatively few, but Audacity does everything I've ever needed it to do, and seems to do it rather well. And for nothing. Which is good. Right? ;)

[paulears]

running any audio software via a network drive is asking for trouble - ok for storage, but dreadful for audio direct. Some software won't even try. Cubase is one.It son spots the data isn't contiguous and comes up with an error message. I can just about do it with mp3's on my network, but 44.1 wavs tend to die, 98 doesn't work at all.

[SoundMan]

Yeah any network drives on windows are not great. You get alot of timeout errors, and if your using wireless networks then your in for even more problems. I have to agree that for amdram free stuff is often really good, its cuts costs to zero. I have to admit though I had used Audacity before and it was good, but I just like new stuff! I think the big buttons and things, well it just does something for me, not everyone taste I guess. At least I managed to get our crew away from using WMP yuck............

 

P.S. TeeJay what you mean ND? Ive kind sorted it by dropping the brightness of the screen and a dark gel, and the program is darkish colours which help.

 

SM