Review: SmartSound Sonicfire Pro 2.0

by Paul Gerstenbluth (www.Gerstenbluth.com)

" Making Musical Sense with SmartSound Sonicfire "

Impact of sound in your movies. Imagine a movie without sound or music. During the days of silent films piano players sat in the dark except for a small light to illuminate their musical notes.

Early movie piano players created the mood that only music can make. With relish they banged out their music during the important movie scenes and captured the emotions of the movie audience.

SmartSound Sonicfire lets you create and customize royalty free musical scores for your video projects. Your movies will benefit from musical accompaniment. Sonicfire creates music background and scores of any length.

You have Choices Using Sonicfire Pro 2.0:

• Video Import: DV, AVI, MPEG, QuickTime
• Score Videos Inside SmartSound - Automatically
• Preview Ideas in Real Time with Your Video
• Score Multiple Scenes & Events - Fast
• Complete Support for DV Audio and More
• Edit Your Own Music - Automatically
• New Streamlined Professional User Interface
• Include more Music & Sound Effects

Audio tracks can be imported directly to the timeline or you can drag individual blocks to the timeline from the blocks window. Musical pieces are divided into small blocks. Just ask Sonicfire Pro to create a 32 seconds long piece of music, Sonicfire strings it together the necessary number of blocks in a way that makes musical sense.

Maestro then helps you create a soundtrack that suits your needs.

SmartSound Music Catalog and Maestro

SmartSound has more than a dozen styles represented by the SmartSound music catalog. However, the Maestro only displays options based on the music you have installed-the more SmartSound libraries you install, the more options you'll see in the Maestro.

SmartSound Sonicfire music and sound effects libraries currently stand at over 40 titles, with a new CD added every month. SmartSound's selection and frequency in releasing add-on CDs is a big selling point with movie maker customers. SmartSound Sonicfire lets movie makers know they are investing in a substantial and ever-expanding music library.

More Sonicfire Pro is Better

Add The Sonicfire Pro Bundle Music for your movies includes Dimensions, Edge Vol 1: Techno/Dance, Maximum Action, and Scoring Essentials. Visit the website at http://www.smartsound.com/.

A short musical sampling of Dimensions includes:

• Four Seasons. One of the most famous pieces in all classical music. Vivaldi's most famous work is performed here with a string quartet.
• Hot and Spicy. Hot and spicy, this full brass band with Latin percussion will heat up any audience. It's Cool. Way cool, easy feel jazz with trumpet, sax, piano, bass and drums. Nightlife. Infectious pop rock with a memorable melody and driving, steady beat and much more.

A short musical sampling of Edge Volume 1: Techno/Dance:

• Bedlam. Grungy synth and distorted guitar hammer it out in this raw techno track.
• Berlin Nights. You're cruising fast through downtown Berlin in this slick techno piece.
• Blade Groove. The fashion runway models have everyone's attention when this track is set into motion.
• Laser Dance. The far reaches of space and the techno world are explored in this epic like track.

A short musical sampling of Maximum Action:

• Alternative Grunge. The hottest trend in contemporary pop.
• Harley. This driving and slightly rebellious gives a non-verbal narration of movement, risk, and taking on the world. Its masculine presence is ideal for motorcycle rides cross-country, racing against the clock, and taking control of the situation.
• High Velocity Sports. Daredevil excitement at edge-of-the-envelope G-forces is what you'll experience during these quick-darting accelerations near warp speed.

A short musical sampling of Scoring Essentials:

• Alien. Strong, haunting violins and piano combine with unexpected effects to create a piece that is beyond this earth.
• Bright Future. Enthusiastic and motivational. A colorful combination of energetic melodies, bold harmonies and lively rhythms creates a bright, optimistic music track.
• Cyberfuture. A compilation of futuristic energy and traditional jazz, this upbeat piece if perfect for computer command centers, network graphics and internet connections.
• Destiny. Expansive, flowing and futuristic. Evocative of both the new millennium and the timeless past.

Final Notes

Sonicfire is designed for new and veteran moviemakers. SmartSound Sonicfire Pro helps you automate the creation of custom music tracks for your video and multimedia projects. I found that SonicFire Pro worked best for me even though I had limited experience editing sound tracks.

You have two ways to create sound tracks. First, with a hands-on timeline interface. Second, with Maestro that automatically builds tracks to order based on the music style you selected and the time duration needed for your movie.

Sonicfire Pro with Dimensions and Edge Vol 1: Techno/Dance $349 Mac OS.

The Sonicfire Pro Bundle Music for your movies includes Dimensions, Edge Vol 1: Techno/Dance, Maximum Action, and Scoring Essentials priced for $499 for the Mac OS.

Paul Gerstenbluth is President of the ARIE Foundation and is a Macintosh consultant. The ARIE Foundation's mission is to provide VA hospitalized patients with hobby materials and Macintosh Powerbooks that helps in their stay and recovery.

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