Buzz : Awards

Pro Tools 10 Grabs Five Stars and PC Magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award!

Mark Williams — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:49:00 GMT

You can imagine how thrilled the Avid team was to get word that PC Magazine awarded Pro Tools 10 an Editor’s Choice Award –there might have been a few fist pumps, and definitely a bunch of high-fives. In his review, PC Mag’s Senior Mobile Analyst, Jamie Lendino, gives an awesome overview of Pro Tools 10– laying out the updates and new features to provide readers with the inside, unbiased scoop on what makes Pro Tools so amazing. So what did Jamie think? (Hint: Editor's Choice Award.)

The review, of course, hits on the major updates that came along with Pro Tools 10 which as Jamie notes, are not “visible up front, but taken together, address a number of long-standing issues.” Specifically, he calls out Clip Gain addressing just how much easier it makes audio editing for the professional. He describes the user interface as “transparent and fluid” and cites that “from loop recording, to sample-level editing, to comping together tracks, you can quickly assemble a performance, as well as edit it quickly.”

While we are psyched to see that Jamie finds the new Channel Strip plug-in sounds great and highlights the improved control surface support, what's even better is the way he nails our commitment to delivering absolute professional stability. “Pro Tools 10 is just rock solid in operation, with no weird glitches. I never wonder if it's going to work or fall apart when using the transport controls,” he writes.

The bottom line? “Avid Pro Tools remains the standard, cross-platform solution for professional audio work on Macs and PCs, and is still the ‘can't go wrong’ default choice—with good reason.” If you want to read the full review, be sure to head over to PC Magazine. Big shout out to Jamie for taking the time to review Pro Tools 10 – we’re honored to be awarded Editor’s Choice!

Avid garners six awards at NAMM 2012

Mark Williams — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:37:00 GMT

Avid took home six awards at the 2012 NAMM Show, with "Best Of" designations being awarded to a range of Avid's recording, composing, and live sound solutions. Pro Tools 9, Pro Tools HD Native, Sibelius 7 and VENUE 2.9 all took home industry honors, and were recognized by a cross section of industry professionals representing manufacturers, customers, editors, and channel partners.

On Wednesday January 18, the evening before NAMM 2012 kicked off, Avid received the prestigious Electronic Musician 2011 Editor's Choice Award for Pro Tools 9. Dubbed the "Plays Well With Others" award, we can't argue with the fact that the open hardware architecture introduced by Pro Tools 9 was a huge hit with our users, both old and new.

On Friday morning, January 20, we were proud to receive the coveted 2012 Sound on Sound Award for Pro Tools 9. Voted "Best DAW" in their reader's choice poll, the power and performance of Pro Tools 9 again proved to resonate, this time with the discerning professional audience Sound on Sound has cultivated over the years.

That evening, Avid was honored with three 2012 TEC Awards from the TEC Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the premier music industry trade association. Pro Tools HD Native won in the Computer Audio Hardware Category, Pro Tools 9 in Workstation Technology, and VENUE 2.9 in Sound Reinforcement Technology. Avid's solutions again were found to deliver best in class performance and power were recognized as the leaders in their very competitive market categories.

And on Saturday, January 21, Avid Sibelius 7 was awarded the Software Line of the Year Award from Music Merchandise Retailer (MMR). Avid's premier composition software has always been the top choice of professionals and educators, and knowing that the line is a top choice amongst our channel partners mean's we're definitely doing something right.

We are honored to be on the receiving end of so much recognition. We thank the editors, business partners, and most of all our customers for all the honors. Your success is what drives us everyday.

Avid’s M-Audio Venom wins MacLife Editor’s Choice

Mark Williams — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:21:00 GMT

“Warm fuzzy sounds at warm fuzzy prices” – that’s how MacLife’s Roberto Baldwin describes the Venom – warm and fuzzy enough to receive a five star MacLife rating and the prestigious Editor’s Choice award.

After spending some time reviewing Avid’s M-Audio Venom, Roberto found its size, price and functionality to hit the mark. “The M-Audio Venom is an awesome piece of machinery,” he said, “[it] brings all the sounds and control of the analog world into our digital future without sacrificing sound quality.”

Roberto was keen on the Venom’s audio range that takes users from a light, barely audible sound to deep, crunchy lows all with the turn of a knob. He was also impressed by the compatibility and user friendliness of the product and its software, which allows users to quickly locate patches and attach the synthesizer to their Macs. “For anyone who’s ever played an analog synth, the Venom is instantly understandable,” says Roberto, “[and] buttons make navigation a snap.”

So how did the Venom get a MacLife rating of “awesome”? Most likely due to its ability to provide a professional analog-synthesizer sound at a fraction of the price. Well that’s what Roberto tells us anyway – and we think that’s awesome too.

You can read the full review here and follow Roberto on twitter at @strngwys.

Emmy Winner Frank Morrone: "Pro Tools is the lifeblood of our industry."

Mark Williams — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:05:00 GMT

Frank Morrone is a Los Angeles based dialog and music re-recording mixer who who has mixed high profile television and movies including LOST, Boss, Sleepy Hollow, Ransom and the Oscar winning When We Were Kings. Frank has been nominated for six Emmy awards and recently brought home his second, for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie for his work on The Kennedys.

We had the opportunity to catch up with Frank and talk about his work on the project, and about how important Pro Tools has been to his workflow and to his professional development.

Congratulations on the recent Emmy! Can you share a few thoughts on what it feels like to be recognized at such a level for your work on The Kennedys?

It is very exciting to win for The Kennedys. The competition was very strong, so you are on the edge of your seat waiting for the winner to be read. I was thrilled when our names were called. It was a project that I was very passionate about so it is very rewarding to be recognized with such a talented team.

You’ve witnessed a revolution in audio mixing during your career. How do you feel the technological developments have impacted your creativity?

I started editing music and dialog on 1/4" tape and never take for granted the advances in technology. It has allowed me and my teams to meet tighter scheduling requirements while dealing with larger track counts than we would ever have imagined possible before. Pro Tools is a huge part of our process. It has allowed us to work faster and more efficiently while delivering quality 5.1 mixes in a fraction of the time that it would have taken before. Pro Tools lets us keep the creative momentum going and is the lifeblood of our industry.

Can you describe the workflow you used while working on The Kennedys?

I mixed The Kennedys on a Control 24. Dialog and Music were on one Pro Tools system while backgrounds, effects and foley were on a second system. I did the premixes within Pro Tools and printed stems and print mastered to a third system. I used several plug-ins during my mixing process. I used the Massenburg EQ on all my dialog and music elements. The narrative on the archival footage was all redone except for Walter Cronkite so I used McDSP Futzbox to simulate that very distinct sound of the Movietone news reels. I also used the McDSP ML4000 multi band compressor limiter on my dial chain and the Izotope RX Advanced to clean the dial. Revibe and Altiverb were also used for the music and dialogue.

Can you talk about how cloud-based solutions made their way into your day-to-day workflow?

I've been using cloud based systems to get my elements and updates since mixing LOST. On that project, all our source material and updates were coming from editors off the Disney lot. On the project I'm working on currently, we use a cloud to get locked picture for review before sessions. I am also currently using it on a feature film I'm mixing to stream all picture updates as they are available and give feedback to the editors.

What project are you currently working on?

Currently working on a new drama series called BOSS with Kelsey Grammer. Kelsey is the lead and executive producer on the show. Gus Van Sant directed the pilot and is overseeing the mixes. I really like the show and the cast and scripts are excellent.

Many thanks to Frank for taking time out of his busy shcedule to talk with us. Check out www.frankmorrrone.com to learn more about him and his incredible career. We wish him continued success!

Keystation Mini 32 Review: "Size Isn't Everything"

Mark Williams — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:14:00 GMT

Russ Hughes at the AIR Users Blog had the opportunity to check out the new M-Audio Keystation Mini 32 and his review has just been posted on the blog. So what did Russ think?

"I think it's a great keyboard, at a great price. It proves that size isn't everything."

Russ looked at the functionality, playability, and the command and control options of the Keystation Mini 32 and he definitely came away impressed. "All in all, the build and functionality is great. It's an ideal keyboard for having on your console or for using with your iPad, it would even fit in your bag if you want to make music on the road."

Above all else, Russ was keen on the simple, plug-and-play functionality. "It works. Plug it in and it controls anything connected to it. I threw Pro Tools, Garageband, Maschine, Massive and a few others and straight away it just worked. I like that." Russ shares the fact that while his regular studio remains packed up do to a nasty flood, the Keystation Mini 32 has become his main controller is his mobile studio set up.

"it may be small but it still kicks ass," Russ concludes. "For this reason it's get an Editors Choice Award."

We couldn't be happier that Russ loves his Keystation Mini 32 as much as we do. Check out the full review here, and follow @airusersblog on Twitter to keep up with Russ' non-stop stream of tutorials, features, and often insightful commentary.

Keyboard Magazine Honors Mbox Pro With KeyBuy Award

Mark Williams — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:21:00 GMT

In their July issue, Keyboard Magazine took an in-depth look at the Mbox Pro and found quite a bit to rave about. So much so that they saw fit to award the Mbox Pro their prestigious KeyBuy Award!

Keyboard Magazine awards their KeyBuy designation to products that offer best-in-class performance and truly unexpected value. "This one took me by surprise," writes reviewer Craig Anderton. "It’s not an overstatement to say I was shocked by the quality of the new Mbox Pro and the line overall."

Anderton took a good hard look at the units construction, features, and most importantly its technical performance specs."If you care about specs," writes Anderton, "they’re extremely impressive, with audible results. Low-frequency response rolls off by less than 0.5dB at 5Hz—that’s serious low end—and even at a sample rate of 44.1kHz, response is essentially flat up to 20kHz, after which it falls off a cliff . There are no noise components above –120dB, and most sit around –130dB. That’s seriously quiet. As to distortion, all I could find was a second harmonic distortion component at –110dB, and a third harmonic at a hair over –100dB. Short version: These specs are audiophile-quality and very few interfaces meet them."

Thanks so much to the editors at Keyboard Magazine. You can read the Mbox Pro review here.

AIR User Blog Reviews Pro Tools|HD Native: "The End of My Search For The Holy Grail."

Mark Williams — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:00:00 GMT

The AIR Users Blog had the opportunity to review the newest generation in Pro Tools|HD systems and the results are in. "Pro Tools HD Native, an OMNI and Pro Tools 9 is the end of my search for the Holy Grail...I've found the holy trinity of professional recording."

Blogger Russ Hughes was impressed by nearly every facet of the system, from the HD|Native's incredible latency specs to it deep integration with the HD OMNI interface. He found the sound quality of the system to be amazing, noting a "tighter bottom end," and audio he described as having "more transparency" and "room to breathe." He was also impressed by the "warm and open" sound of the OMNI's mic pre's.

He admits to pushing the system hard. "I'll be honest, I was trying to break it." Dropping the buffer down the 32 samples yielded no discernible latency on projects that struggled with 1024 sample buffers on other systems. "When Avid say 'near zero latency,' they actually mean it."

Russ concluded his review by bestowing his prestigious "Editors Choice Award" on the system. "If you are serious about making great sounding music, or about making money from recording, then I strongly suggest you seriously consider Avid Pro Tools HD Native/Omni and Pro Tools 9....as far as I'm concerned it's the best. It is for this reason that I have no hesitation in awarding this system my Editors Choice Award."

Avid Customers Sweep 53rd Annual GRAMMY Nominations

Mark Williams — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 23:12:00 GMT

With the 53rd GRAMMY Awards just a few days away, we can barely contain our excitement over the arrival of music’s biggest night of the year!

On that note, we want to take a moment to congratulate our dedicated educational partners and their graduates for their outstanding contributions to this year’s GRAMMY nominated projects. At Avid, we’re committed to equipping students—the next-generation of creative music professionals—with the confidence and technical know-how they need to pursue a career worthy of GRAMMY gold.

That’s why it’s so rewarding for us to see alumni from our supported universities move on to create the breakthrough music recognized at this year’s GRAMMY awards. Seventy four alumni from Full Sail University were credited on 53 of the nominated projects, including The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga, Teenage Dream by Katy Perry, and Need You Now by Lady Antebellum. What’s more, 33 Berklee College of Music and seven The Los Angeles Recording School music and production graduates also worked on nominated projects.

We are also thrilled to note that Pro Tools was used on every project nominated for Record of the Year and Album of the Year, including Eminem’s Recovery, Cee Lo Green’s “F*** You,” Jay Z’s The Blueprint 3, and Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs.

Congrats and the best of luck to all of the nominees!

NAMM Video Spectacular - If You Shoot It, They Will Come

Mark Williams — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:35:00 GMT

I know that I was busy for every standing moment at the NAMM show this last January, but our video crew went all out crazy this year. Those guys got eight days worth of work done in four days, and produced eighteen videos. I swear at one point they were shoving plates of food underneath closed, locked doors and we could just hear ravenous eating and flying edits going on inside. So now that the doors have been unlocked and our brave video crew have retunred to their more human-like states (those guys are super-human on a bad day,) may I present the plehora of video coverage they captured and produced this year. From Avid product managers and specialists, to incredible producers and songwriters, to a whole slate of professional partners who talk with us about what it means to be developing products in a Pro Tools 9 world, may I present the Videos of the 2011 NAMM Show. Take it away boys!

Producer Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Devendra Banhart, Beachwood Sparks, Brightblack Morning Light) cut his teeth working with an LE system on some of the most highly regarded albums in the west coast indie pantheon, and he talks here with Avid's Sean Halley about his past, present and future.

Recording artist, author, and synth powerhouse Francis Preve talks with Avid's Sean Halley about the new Venom synth and what it takes to stay on top of his game.

Morgan Page picked up his fifth GRAMMY nomination this year with a Best Remixed Recording nod for his flip on "Fantasy" by Nadia Alistops. Here he talks about the gear that gotten him to where he's at and what he doing to take it to the next level.

And multi-GRAMMY awarn nominee Mischke stopped by to talk about his career with Avid's Tony Cariddi, and relates the over-the-top performace he's experienced with HD Native on a particualrly huge remix session.

Also, check out videos from Avid's Product Managers and Specialists about the flat out amazing new products they rolled out at NAMM this year, including our own synth guru Taiho Yamada talking about the debut of the M-Audio Venom Synth (declared "110% meat" by the AIR User Blog), Greg Chin dishing about the big news that is Torq 2.0, the dashing Ray Tantzen talking about the powerful new Mboxes, and JC Haydon talking about the SOS Award winning Artist Series controllers.

And yeah. That's not even close to being it. There's more. Our guys caught up with folks representing Avid's parters who make the utilities and plug-ins Pro Tools enginners depend on every day. Find out what's new in this slew of interviews with folks including Nathan Eames of Sonnox, Lev Perry with Universal Audio, Chris Estes of Endless Analog, Colin McDowell of Mc DSP, Niklas Odelholm with Softube, and Ken Bogdanowicz of SoundToyz. We also had a conversation with David Sears, Sr. Dir. of the Grammy Foundation who taked about the educational outreach his foundation is comitted to, as well as Hillel Resner, TEC Foundation President, and founder of the TEC Award.

And just like that. NAMM was over. I don't know how the video crew did it. But I'm thankful I'm on their side. If I had to face those guys in a showdlown they'd shoot me, transcode me, edit me, and have me on YouTube beofre I could say "cut."

Avid Takes Top Awards at Winter NAMM 2011, Thanks to You!

Mark Williams — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:55:00 GMT

As always, we had a blast at Winter NAMM. Great people. Great conversations. Great gear. (Venom! Torq 2.0!) For those of you who haven’t already heard the news, we are thrilled to report that Avid was honored with several prestigious awards at the show and we couldn't have been prouder to have received them.

Starting off with a bang, John Grabowski of Sweetwater Sound selected Avid as “A Company to Watch” at the much-anticipated NAMM University “Best In Show” panel discussion, citing our continued innovation in all lines, from Pro Tools to M-Audio and beyond. We've built some serious momentum over the last few months with the new Pro Tools HD converters, Pro Tools HD Native, the new Mbox Family, Pro Tools 9, and now Torq 2.0 and the Venom synth - I can't wait to see what's coming next myself!

Sound On Sound Magazine’s global readership selected our Artist Series desks as “Best Hardware Controller” in the 2011 SOS Awards. The Sound On Sound Awards for outstanding high-tech and recording products are voted for by the 50,000 readers of Sound On Sound's print editions around the world and the three-quarters of a million registered users online. An amazing honor from a very discriminating audience.

Avid also took home two golds in the second annual Pro Sound Web/Live Sound International 2010 Readers Choice Best Products Awards: Pro Tools 9 won for “Best Live Recording Software,” while the VENUE MADI Option Card won for “Best Live Recording Hardware.” The Readers Choice Best Product Awards represent a high-honor from the professionals who turn to Avid solutions everyday to achieve their success.

And that’s not all! The VENUE SC48 was recognized for its outstanding “Sound Reinforcement Console Technology” by the TEC Foundation at its 26th Annual TEC Awards. Presented annually by the TEC Foundation for Excellence in Audio, the TEC Awards recognizes the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games, and other media.

We also want to give a special shout out to the Avid customers honored for their outstanding creative achievement at the TEC Awards:
- David Skaff, with his impressive monitor engineering on a VENUE, helped the U2 360 Tour win “Best Tour Sound Production”
- Avatar won for “Best Film Sound Production" From Sibelius to Pro Tools to ICON, the movie’s audio team relied on Avid's audio solutions everyday.
- Joel Singer and his ICON dedication helped landed the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards the title of “Best Remote Production/Recording or Broadcast”

And a quick reminder to check out all the incredible videos we shot at the 2011 NAMM show over on the Avid Community Page. Check out interviews with producers, DJ's, songwriters and engineers like the GRAMMY nominated Morgan Page and Mischka, as well as author and producer Francis Preve, indie-powerhouse producer Thom Monahan, and a host of Avid Product managers and representatives from Universal Audio, McDSP, Endless Analog, Sonnox and many, many others.

Many thanks to everyone who voted, and helped to make this Winter NAMM one of our best yet!