Community Manager

Question

Audition CS 5.5 and the future of Audition

Forum|Forum|14 years ago
April 14, 2011
33 replies
132260 views

Good morning Audition fans.

As promised, I wanted to share the news and state of Adobe Audition as well as answer your questions about the new release and what the future holds.

First, Adobe announced the release of CS 5.5 Monday morning to coincide with our presence at the NAB convention in Las Vegas, NV. Among the updates to the other applications in the Production Premium suite, the big news from my perspective was the inclusion of Audition into the Production Premium and Master Collection suites. Soundbooth, the previous audio tool offered in the Suite, has been discontinued.

Next, a little bit of history: Adobe purchased Syntrillium 8 years ago in order to provide an audio solution to their video and broadcast production users. At the time, Premiere Pro was a Windows-only NLE and Cool Edit, now Audition, was a great fit in the original Video Suite. However, as Adobe recognized the value in the Suite model for users and the bottom-line, the other applications were updated to support Apple and Windows users. The Audition team looked at the 15 years of legacy Windows code and were not confident the application could be ported quickly enough to satisfy the CS release schedule. As an audio editor was necessary in the suite package, we created Soundbooth which was a simple audio editor built on top of Premiere Pro's media playback engine. This enabled the team to provide value to the Suite, but the limitations of a playback engine crafted to handle large video files was not ideal for detailed audio production. As a tool to assist with basic audio editing and restoration needs for a primarily video and motion graphics audience, it did find a userbase who appreciated the simplicity and ease of use, although leaving audio professionals and more savvy users wanting more.

Immediately after each release of Soundbooth, the team continued working on Audition but it was apparent that Adobe did not need two audio tools in production and the more popular application was absolutely Audition. We made the commitment to build Audition as a fully cross-platform solution and replace Soundbooth in the line-up, offering the power and fidelity of Audition without making the transition for Soundbooth fans too jarring. For at least the past 7 years that I've been with the team, the most-requested feature has unequivocably been "Bring Audition to the Mac!" There are numerous on-line petitions and forum threads demanding this happen.

So we've spent the past two years re-writing Audition from the ground-up, preserving or updating our core DSP, modernizing the code to take advantage of current hardware and operating system technology, and emphasizing increased productivity and speed with every feature. Updating or completely rewriting 15 years of C++ code takes time, and we recognized rather quickly that we were not going to reach feature parity with Audition 3.01 with this release. We continuously prioritized our feature database based on our visits with customers big and small, and our awesome, secret, pre-release team. Our core userbase has always been broadcast - radio, podcast, and video - and our focus for the CS 5.5 release was to build a platform that supported those workflows but remained open and flexible enough that expanding the application to support other audio users would be simple and straightforward. As we approached the end of our development cycle, I think everyone on the team and in our pre-release program recognized how strong this application is and will be moving forward, even if some of our pet features did not make it into this release yet.

In the next post, I'll describe what's new in Audition CS 5.5, what didn't make it into the application yet, and what we hope to accomplish in the next release. As I mentioned before, Adobe has publicly committed to a more open release schedule with a major release approximately every 24 months with an additional mid-cycle release. Not only will this allow us to bring more features to you more quickly, but will help with any hardware updates and purchasing decisions our users may encounter. Additionally, and currently Audition is not part of this program yet, Adobe is offering installations on a subscription model with all upgrades rolled into the cost. It will be interesting to hear feedback from our users how this solution works for their needs.

This topic has been closed for replies.

S

sikter

Participating Frequently

I can confirm that AA3,0 works with Addictive drums too. I found that midi editing in Adobe audition wasn't that smooth og that's why I do any midi work in other software. Maybe I gave up too early.

Before that I tested many VSTi instruments in Audition 3,0. Most of them worked fine.

_mark3

Known Participant

Audition CS6 is now out the door. This release addresses many longstanding customer requests and includes some really impressive new features (Spectral Pitch Display, Automatic Speech Alignment, and Effects Side-Chaining to name a few).

Here's a high-level list of new features.

And here are details about where to find new functionality in the app.

A

Anonymous

I'm becoming hopeful, but cautious before I get excited again...

Few question about Audition CS6 just to see what's there and what isn't yet (or may never come back). I can certainly live without some of them, but I'd feedback on each of these former features:

1. Is there midi instrument capabilities (midi tracks)?

2. DirectX Plugins?

3. Looping (particularly loops that adjust to session tempo)?

4. Rejoining split clips

5. The various effects mentioned here: http://helpx.adobe.com/audition/kb/features-replaced-implemented-audition-cs5.html - Any of them back with this release?

6. Can I open an AA3 session (or an export of it) without losing effects and looping?

That's all that comes to mind right now. How are these few things in CS6?

Also, am I still able to upgrade from AA3 for $99? With 5.5 having been useless for me, I'm hoping that if this version is effective in doing what I need it to I'll be able to upgrade from my last useful purchase.

Thanks in advance for your reply!

L

Lowe-Fi

Participant

Good morning, Durin. First off, I want to thank you for all the attention these issues have been given. Good job! Second, an apology. I have told you about my gripes with the lack of ReWire/MIDI/Sync control, but I have failed to say that I love everything else. Sounds great, has never crashed, looks great, works great with Premiere, no hiccups. Great job, just need to sync up to my music production software! Pleeeeeeese

G

gittargary

Participant

I am having trouble getting information about using superior drummer with my AU 3 what other software drum will work in AU 3??? I really like superior drummer...

SuiteSpot

Inspiring

EZDrummer works fine with AU3 - can't imagine why Superior Drummer would be any different

Either way this post should be over in the AU3 section rather than the CS5.5 one.

J

Jim_Bonds

Participant

Durin,

First, a tremendous applause on the development of a Mac OS X compatible Audition. I've been using Audition since 1.5 and love it. I've recently switched to Mac so the new version is wonderful news. Unfortunately I have one requirement that is absolutely critical to me that has not yet been met. I desperately hope that it can be met in CS 6.

In older versions of Audition I could time stretch a clip (not the full track, just the clip) in multitrack view. This allowed me to take a small clip maybe 2 to 4 measures long and visually time stretch it to match another clip. Once the timing was correct I could then grab the clip boundary and extend it to play more of the track. This is absolutely critical to me. There are times when I need to a) beat match tracks that are so far apart they cannot be matched on turntables, and b) match an a capella to an instrumental.

CS 5.5 only allows time stretch by numerical input (i.e. percentage or duration change). The afformentioned tasks require a more visual/less exact approach. Unfortunately, until this requirment is met I will be stuck running Audition 3 in a Windows virtual machine using VMware Fusion on my Mac. Needless to say this is a less than desirable solution. I really hope the Audition team can resolve this as Audition has been the heart and soul of my studio for years.

_durin_

Author

Community Manager

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the feedback and specific use cases. While I can't yet announce which specific features and functionality will be in Audition CS 6, I might be able to suggest downloading the trial edition when it's released in a few months. You're very likely to be satisfied. Once Creative Suite 6 has been announced, I'll be able to discuss the new and returning features and improvements.

Durin

L

Lowe-Fi

Participant

One word: ReWire.

Bob Howes

Inspiring

Bump to put this on page one...as yet another post has been made this would be relevant for.

A

Anonymous

I upgraded a few days ago. I hate to be such a downer (yes, add another to the long, long list), but after reading all of the countless threads about what's missing from the "new" Audition (not to mention the countless things NOT mentioned which I'm finding), as well as the reasons why, I can't help but feel like this software is either in a coma or dead for the forseeable future.

All of the responses from Adobe team members have not justified the end result to me. None of the new features apply to me (excepting the Macintosh port which is mindlessly long overdue), many of the missing features apply to me and the application is fundamentally slower for me irregardless of whatever has been rewritten for multi-core processors -- not just from a computational standpoint (waveform rendering/zooming/scrolling is much slower), but most especially from a usability standpoint (like dumbed-down effects/tools, lack of prior pop-up windows/keyboard shortcuts, meticulous details that made the app great before).

David Johnson and Syntrillium Software made Cool Edit the best sound editing application nearly 10 years prior to Adobe's acquisition. The "15 years of original C++ code" is likely going to take more than a couple product cycles to rewrite and mature. I quote "15 years" because this software has its roots close to 20 years back (1993-1994). It took all those years for Audition to mature and become great. Fundamental issues with this rewrite feel as though it's going to take at LEAST another 5+ years -- if ever -- before things even come close to what we in Adobe Audition 3.0.

The last few versions of Cool Edit Pro/Adobe Audition were the ultimate Frankeinstein lab -- with the crazy, sick, demented surgical tools to be as good or evil as you wanted. And the doctors who had been using it for 10-15+ years were very comfortable in the old lab. Now it feels like the surgeons lab, tools and devices have been replaced with a generic pharmacy. This new pharmacy might be at "home" on the Macintosh, but I'd be a lot happier working in my old lab down the road.

Audition 3.0 was the surgeons tools that would fix your problems. This new version is the pharmacy that simply numbs your symptoms by clumsily drugging you up.

I used to be a Syntrillium Beta Tester for Cool Edit Pro. I contacted Adobe about becoming a member of a similar program for Audition and never heard back. Definitely feels like a downward spiral to the point that my voice won't be heard amongst all others.

I would have gladly "upgraded" for a Macintosh version of Audition 3.0 instead of what Adobe offers today (and likely in the foreseeable future).

I'm really trying to use what's there but nearly all my shortcuts no longer work -- so I'm fumbling to the point of wanting to give up, get a refund and take a hike. I fumbled with many other applications before Audition came to the Mac. Unfortunately I am literally fumbling with this current version now. It's truly saddening after having used it for so long. Such a shame.

SteveG_AudioMasters_

Community Expert

mindabuse wrote:
David Johnson and Syntrillium Software made Cool Edit the best sound editing application nearly 10 years prior to Adobe's acquisition. The "15 years of original C++ code" is likely going to take more than a couple product cycles to rewrite and mature. I quote "15 years" because this software has its roots close to 20 years back (1993-1994). It took all those years for Audition to mature and become great. Fundamental issues with this rewrite feel as though it's going to take at LEAST another 5+ years -- if ever -- before things even come close to what we in Adobe Audition 3.0.

I think that a lot of people think (and I'd include myself with them) that the original codebase reached its peak with Audition 1.5. For many people, this has been the most stable version there's been. But when it came to Audition 2, the codebase was completely changed - it used a completely different engine; it had to because it became ASIO-based, rather than using the Windows API's, etc and the OS to do recording/playback.

If you use the industry norm for releases, which basically says that it's the odd-numbered versions that are generally the good ones, then the next version should be the one to look at. You have to ignore what Adobe are calling it here, because what Audition CS5.5 is is really Audition 4. The next version is Audition 5, and if the history of software development follows its normal course, this will be the significant release, not the present one...

A

Anonymous

SteveG(AudioMasters) wrote:
I think that a lot of people think (and I'd include myself with them) that the original codebase reached its peak with Audition 1.5. For many people, this has been the most stable version there's been. But when it came to Audition 2, the codebase was completely changed - it used a completely different engine; it had to because it became ASIO-based, rather than using the Windows API's, etc and the OS to do recording/playback.

I'm mostly talking about tangible front-end stuff, (not back-end). I know their separation can be blurred at times, but my focus has always been user-facing (examples like improvements to spectral editing, adding the sequencer to multitrack, etc). Those are tangible things that we can touch and use (I understand that the new audio engine allowed for Audition to venture in to the multitrack/sequencer arena in the first place).

My primary focus has always been in the areas of destructive sound editing and sound design, but I have made use of the multitrack features and non-destructive editing/recording capabilities from time to time. From the destructive sound editing point of view the engine doesn't matter. The tools at my disposal are the most important.

The mentality of "a 3rd party plug-in can do it for you" is awful. I've used these tools and their built-in effects for years and years. There are special things that only Cool Edit/Audition could do as a destructive sound editor that a plug-in made for real-time non-destructive processing cannot.

I don't think that Adobe listens to their customers. It took them 8+ years to "bring Audition to the Mac" (Soundbooth was not Audition) -- and in doing so, they've not even brought what Audition was, but a "rewrite" that discards a LOT of what made prior Audition versions great. In that time there was an interim rewrite just to stub in ASIO -- which doesn't even apply to the Mac platform.

Even/Odd version numbers aren't much of an indication. Cool Edit Pro 1.0 was the first major milestone for Cool Edit bringing multitrack editing. CEP2 was a minor release in scope. Audition 1.0 and 1.5 are essentially CEP2 (even becomes odd). Audition 2 was a major release (by your own words - ASIO). Audition 3 was minor compared to 2. Audition 4 is major as a rewrite.

Audition 5 will likely be minor -- given that 4 has only been out 9 months, and it sounds like CS6 is coming out in the first half of this year which leaves Audition 4 being barely 1 year old before another release?

I do apologize if my perspective might sound harsh, but are they not true? As hilarious as it sounds, you could probably say I'm venting through some stages of greif... ; )

Bob Howes

Inspiring

Just bumping this topic...I suspect some of the unpleasantries on Page 1 of this forum might not happen if everyone could read this.

Note to Admin/mods...is there any way this thread can be "stickied"?

S

shawndenevan

Participant

Items I miss....so far

1- Shortcut keys - some of the default ones have been changed. I'm still trying to record with ctrl+spacebar every time.....

2- Save Session As

3 - Save all associated files as

4 - Saving at the END of a project not the beginning

5- Old Files, not being able to open SES files . This should not require a 3rd party program

6- Batch Files. not being able to import 1.5 or 3.0 batch files

7 - Not a big fan of the new time pitch

8 - the curser choices and how they differ with right/left clicks, for moving copying ect clips on multi track
9 - color scheme for everything, VERY limited. that grey is hard on the eyes
10- effect amplifi - Fade in / out options

11 - im sure ill have more as i dive into this.

When every a new car model comes out, i know a few things. it will have 4 tires, a stereo, gas and break are in in the same spots. basically, when i get into a new car,,, it still acts and drives like the old car, its just shinyer, faster, sleaker, better... But its still the same car that goes. CE and early AA were like that. CS55 is not. (ok i just deleted a bunch of ranting that doesnt help, but staring over with a new program is very frustrating)

ryclark

Participating Frequently

10) Effects/Amplitude and Compression/Amplify Fade In/Out are now available in the Favourites list and can also be accessed using the Volume Envelope effect.

L

Lowe-Fi

Participant

No ReWire just cost me a session. Midi squencing and native soft instruments are not needed in Audition, because there are plenty of these programs out there. However, lack of the simple, no frills, and ESSENTIAL ability to ReWire to Reason (or other software) is unacceptable. ALL of my video/film soundtrack work involves either Reason or Live, and with ReWire missing from 5.5, my clients are missing as well. Maybe I am to blame for not checking if ReWire in a feature on 5.5, but I also didn't check if you could still record audio because that is a given. A no-brainer. Man, I am bummed.

R

rendermanfl

Participating Frequently

I think the voices have been heard. An application in which the latest release has fewer features than the previous one, is not an upgrade.

In my opinion CS5.5 should have been a Beta tester for CS6. A CS6 with all the previous functionality of AA3 that is.

Sure, there is no point in reinventing the wheel with respect to CD burning or MIDI sequencing, but having those features, even with the most basic of functionality would be better than not having them at all. If they have to go, so be it, but consider a CD burning/MIDI sequencing ‘Elements’ version or a module similar to PS Image Ready.

In any event, it is only fair to let users know the price plan for upgrades from CS5.5 to CS6.

Show more replies

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded