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Video

Import

There are a variety of video formats, so the more formats a product can handle the more functional it is. As noted in the ratings explanation, the Windows products usually use the codec's available on your computer.

Export

Video Viewer

A video viewer is used for playing back video and for displaying the video frame at any given point on the timeline.

Video Frame Timeline

Since video is measured in frames, being able to display the timeline and current pointer position in frames is useful.

Video Frame Strip

The Video Frame Strip is a track which displays video frames on the timeline. This is useful in navigating to various points in the video.

Video Editing

Video editing in this case refers to simple cut, copy, paste and trim functions.

Fit to Time

Sync Point

The capability of specifying a location in a clip other than the beginning to provide for exact placement in reference to the video track.

Spot Placement

The capability of specifying an exact time location for a clip.

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Loops & Remix

Acid file Recognition

WAV files can contain metadata specifying the tempo, number of beats and root note using the conventions popularized by Sony Acid. This information is necessary for tempo shifting and pitch shifting. Pro Tools recognizes Acid looping segments ("slices"). However, only some Acidized files contain this data.

REX Functionality

REX File Recognition

REX is a file format popularized by Propellerhead Reason that embeds "slice" data corresponding to the beats in an audio file. This format is useful for facilitating tempo changes and for individual slice access. Some DAWs accommodate REX clips in audio tracks and match the time slices with the timeline tempo. Others require MIDI events to trigger time slices in a sample player modeled after Propellerhead's Dr. Rex.

Timeslice processing

Timeslice processing is the capability to access and manipulate individual timeslices in a clip. Slice mapping is the ability to assign a MIDI note to an individual slice, and slice FX is the ability to apply volume, pan, pitch and sometimes FX to individual slices. This function is mainly used for drums.

Alternative Sequencing

Alternative sequencing encompasses any paradigm of creating music other than arranging MIDI or audio clips serially on a timeline. Cubase, Ableton and FL Studio receive higher ratings than Sonar because their methods can be applied to multiple tracks simultaneously whereas the Sonar Step Sequencer is limited to an individual track.

Mirrored Editing

Mirrored editing allows you to automatically apply changes to one clip to all other clips that have been replicated.

Tempo Shifting

Real Time Tempo Shifting

With this function you can change the tempo of your project at any point on the timeline and time tempo of all clips after this point will be adjusted on the fly.

Warping

Warping is the capability of manually adjusting the timing of portions of an audio clip.

Batch Time Stretching

Using batch time stretching can produce higher quality results than real time and does not increase CPU utilization during playback.

Automatic Beat Detection

Automatic beat detection means that the product can automatically identify hitpoints in an audio file based on the transient peaks.

Beat Editing

No automatic beat detection algorithm identifies the beats correctly all of the time. It is essential to be able to add, delete, and change the timing of hitpoints manually.

Multiple Time Stretching Algorithms

Time stretching can produce artifacts and other undesirable results that make the clip sound unnatural. Some products compensate for this by using different time stretching algorithms for different types of sounds--drums, vocals, etc.

Tempo Extraction

Tempo extraction allows you to extract the timing from an audio clip and then apply the timing to a variable tempo track. This function is useful when you have an audio clip with variable timing and want to sync other tracks to that clip.

Pitch Shifting

Real Time Pitch Shifting

With this function you can change the tempo of your project at any point on the timeline and time tempo of all clips after this point will be adjusted on the fly.

Batch Pitch Shifting

Using batch pitch shifting can produce higher quality results than real time and does not increase CPU utilization during playback.

Project Key & Root Note

Project key means that you can define an overall key or root note for a project. It is unrelated to a MIDI key signature. Root note means that you can identify a key or root note for each clip. Both of the concepts are basically documentation since you can do pitch shifting with them. However, they greatly facilitate managing pitch changes.

Pitch Identification & Processing

Functions such as those provided by Melodyne or Antares that indentify individual notes in an audio file and facilitate pitch & time correction and other processing. Used mainly for vocals.

Individual Loop Pitch Shift

This function allows you to change the pitch of an individual clip in real time without changing the overall root note of the timeline.

Groove Patterns

Audio Groove Detection

Audio groove detection allows you to create a groove based on the beats of a clip which then be applied to change the timing of the beats in another audio and/or MIDI clip (depending on the product).

MIDI Groove Detection

MIDI groove detection allows you to create a groove based on the beats of a clip which then be applied to change the timing of the beats in another audio and/or MIDI clip (depending on the product).

Groove Pattern Editing

Groove pattern editing allows you to edit a beat pattern once it has been extracted from an audio or MIDI clip.

Audio Groove Mapping

Audio groove mapping means applying a particular beat pattern to an audio clip in order to change the beat pattern. Quantizing, for example, is a special instance of groove mapping. Sliced audio groove mapping is generally effective only for drums.

MIDI Groove Mapping

MIDI groove mapping means applying a particular beat pattern to MIDI clip in order to change the beat pattern. Quantizing, for example, is a special instance of groove mapping.

Predefined Groove Templates

Many times your goal in applying a groove is to adopt the feel of an existing style--swing, hip hop, rock, shuffle, etc. Having these styles readily available is a big plus.

Loop Content

A good library of audio and MIDI loops increases the value of a product since otherwise you would have to purchase or create loops separately.

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User Interface

Overview

A project navigator is a small window which shows a miniature view of all the tracks in a project and allows you to move to specific sections of a project. This function is mainly useful in large projects where tracks would be difficult to work with if they were made small enough to fit into the track window.

Markers

Markers can be set on timeline to facilitate jumping, looping, changing pitch or tempo and zoom settings.

Track Zoom & Event Scale

Zooming allows you to change the horizontal and/or vertical size of the track/timeline work area. All products have this feature. In addition some products provide presets that you can set for particular zoom levels that you find useful. Event scaling is the capability to change the size of the audio waveform or MIDI event within a clip.

Event Info

Although implemented differently, all products have the capability of displaying and changing a summary of the data related to an audio clip or MIDI event.

Track Structure

Track Structure refers to a separate window which allows you to list and manage the tracks in a project. Some products also allow you to hide tracks so they will only be visible in the Track Structure window.

Internal File Explorer

An internal File Explorer is a tree-structure directory listing similar to Windows explorer. You can usually also audition files and drag and drop them into a project.

Variable Tempo

A Variable Tempo function allows you to change the tempo at any point on the timeline. Most products have a separate view or track which allows you to create various curves similar to automation curves.

Large Transport Bar

A large transport bar has the usual transport controls plus recording functions. It is mainly useful when recording or when working in a window where the regular transport bar is not visible or readily accessible.

Looping

Loop allow you to continuously repeat recording or playback between two points on the timeline.

Metronome

Metronomes can be set to provide beat clicks during recording and/or playback. MIDI metronomes allow you to send MIDI events to an external synthesizer to generate the click. The sophistication of the metronomes varies considerably among the products as to the ability to customize sounds and volumes.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts allow you to substitute keystrokes for menu commands. They are useful for improving efficiency in doing repetitive tasks.

Window Layouts

People usually find they like projects displayed using a particular set and positions of windows. All products will save and recall the current window layout. In additional some products will all you to define layouts that you like.

Color Schemes

Being able to identify similar tracks by color is useful for navigating. Other color options are mainly a matter of taste.

Templates

Template refer to stored sets of tracks. So, for example, if your projects normally consist of drums, two guitars, bass, piano and vocals, you can store those track settings and then recall them the next time you create a project. Some products also come with predefined templates representing the most popular ensembles.

Activity Meters

As you can see from the rating explanations, the different music production software products implement meters very differently. All of them have bus meters and most have track audio meters.

Folders/Groups

For grouped channel parameters changing the parameters on one track will automatically change the parameters on other tracks in the group. This is most commonly used to change the volume faders of multiple tracks at one time. Folder tracks provide for the combining tracks together so you can hide individual tracks. They may include other functions such as mute and solo for all tracks in the folder.

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Environment

Track Management

Maximum Tracks

Complex projects typically use a large number of tracks. Although you can theoretically create an unlimited number of tracks in most DAW's, performance considerations may limit the number of tracks.

Clip Grouping

Grouping individual clips facilitates editing and manipulation in tracks. All DAW's provide grouping for MIDI events in clips. Some DAW's provide for grouping audio clips and also for grouping clips in multiple tracks.

Editing Commands

While specific editing commands vary considerably in how they are implemented, all products provide basic cut, copy, paste, join, trim, and delete commands.

Muting

All products provide track muting. The ability to mute a single clip in a track or a portion of the clip varies depending on the product.

Automation Parameters

Automation curves allow you to change a particular parameter at any point in the timeline. The most common use is volume automation, but most other parameters such as pan and FX Sends can also be automated. Changes to most FX parameters can also be automated, but it depends on the particular FX.

Automation Recording

There are normally two ways to create automation curves, drawing and recording. With automation recording you play the project, enable automation recording, and vary the parameter (for example the volume slider). Your movements will be recorded on the automation curve.

Automation Envelopes

In addition to track automation most products provide for some automation of each individual clip. Usually this is limited to volume, pan and fades.

Nudge

Nudge is a feature that allows you to move a clip forward or backward in defined increments using keyboard keys, usually the keypad. Sometimes, especially when trying to align audio, this method can be more useful than dragging.

Snap

When Snapping is enabled most editing and timeline functions (for example cut, paste, move) will automatically be aligned to the nearest snap position. This is useful for aligning clips

Bundled FX/VI

Track presets/templates allow you to store all of a track's settings, including inserts and insert presets. This feature can be useful for defining templates for a specific type of track--vocals, drums, etc.

Operations

Multiple Projects Open

Being able to access multiple projects is useful in editing, for example, if you want to copy a portion of one project to another.

Auto Save

Most products provide the capability of automatically saving your project at regular intervals.

Undo

All products provide multiple undo levels for editing changes.

Control Surface Support

Control surfaces are most commonly used to provide a hardware mixing console that controls your music production software.

Device Control Mapping

Device control mapping is the ability to assign external inputs (usually MIDI) to control the settings of components, for example, assigning a knob on a keyboard to vary the wet/dry mix of a reverb plug-in. It is commonly referred to as "MIDI learn." Useful in live performance situations.

Operating Systems

Operating System support is obviously a very basic factor in choosing one of these products. All products are specific about which versions of an operating system they will support, so you should check the manufacturer's documentation.

Networked Processors

Networked processing allows a project to be spread over multiple computers thus increasing the processing power available. This feature can be an important consideration for large projects.

64-Bit Operation

Copy Protection

All products have some form of copy protection. Some people have the opinion that dongles (devices which must be inserted into a USB port on your computer) are excessively cumbersome.