Opcode Prepares Studio Vision Pro 4.0

Opcode Systems announces a major upgrade to Studio Vision Pro^TM, the #1 multi-track audio and music sequencing software for Macintosh. Opcode was the first to release an integrated audio and MIDI sequencer with Studio Vision. These new features solidify Opcode's position as the industry leader in music software and hardware design.

Studio Vision's list of compatible audio hardware has been made even stronger with the new addition of full support for Digidesign's Pro Tools 24 recording hardware. With ProTools 24's 32 tracks of 24-bit audio, StudioVision Pro is set apart as the premier application for professional music production. Also included is the industry's most comprehensive and flexible implementation of the Pro Tools TDM bussing system. This technology allows for the mixing and routing of Pro Tools tracks to any effects and buses in the system, all with the ease of use and speed that Studio Vision is famous for.

On the subject of audio, all of Studio Vision's DSP functions now operate fully on 8 to 24 bit stereo files and functions have also been added for the easy creation of professional quality audio crossfades. Add these features to Studio Vision Pro's industry leading support of Quicktime 3.0, and you've got the most powerful media production tool in the business.

Studio Vision's collection of real-time tools has also been expanded to include non-destructive groove quantizing. Users can now play back a multi-track mix while selecting each part, experimenting with different feels on each track. And because this function is fully non-destructive, you can always return to the original tracks. Rhythmic grooves can also be taken from any part in any song and applied to other tracks. This allows users to take the "feel" of a perfect bassline, for example, and use it to "groove" a clav part. Custom grooves can also be named and saved for later use.

If you've ever had a problem making drum parts groove, Opcode has the perfect solution. Studio Vision's new "Groove Edit" Window provides the easiest and most flexible way to get rhythm tracks moving quickly. This window includes a time-based grid in which events can be quickly sequenced, drum machine-style. A new tool, "The Magic Drumstick", lets users modify, move and groove elements, all while the beat plays on.

Brand new features have also been added in the editing windows. Complete vertical resizing is now possible in Strip Chart views and controller curves can be automatically created based on multi-wave patterns. A "nudging" function has also been added which allows events to be moved by any user specified amount using the arrow keys on the Macintosh keyboard. This provides a quick and easy way to edit and tighten up tracks.

Also new in Version 4.0 is a general purpose editing window which makes it a simple task to select and modify any kind of data. This new window allows data to be selected according to a wide range of variables such as event time, track number and others. Once selection criteria has been entered, it can be named and saved as a template then recalled for later use at the push of a button. This window also provides an easy way to perform edits on information that would normally be accessible only in the Strip Chart. In addition, 4.0 allows users to map any controls or menu items in Studio Vision Pro to the Macintosh keyboard keys of their choosing.

The sequencing engine has also received major updates such as providing nested loops in the main track window, making it a simple task to create a full song arrangement from individual parts. The ability to mute or solo phrases or blocks with a single click in the main track overview has also been added. Trying out different song arrangements has never been simpler.

Opcode has also added a "Smart Overdub" feature to the assignable consoles in Version 4.0. Users can now record fader moves in a single pass and then during a second pass, record new data only when the fader is moved. A large-format timing display has also been added, perfect for anyone working on timing critical applications. This window can be set to display bars and beats and/or frame-accurate SMPTE times and be scaled to any size for easy viewing at a distance. Version 4.0 also includes a completely new user interface. Users can choose from a wide variety of appearance templates, including options such as a "Teak" woodgrain look.