Hmmmm...
What do I know? Not much... especially about software programming.
I know this: The ease and straight forward creative process that ME allows is incredible. Oh sure, I can think of a hundred improvements. One came up in a discussion the other day, I.E. it would be nice if ME allowed for "GRAPHIC COMBINING" of grouped segments graphically, and not requiring an actual writing them to disk. Just to help keep the screen cleaned up easily in projects that have X amount of segments.
There's many improvements to be considered... but what I know the best is that
ME allows for a tremendous freedom while editing and putting things together. To me, that's is the greatest strength a creator in the music and film sound medium could ask for. ME is a superb manipulator of sound materials. And while I've tried several other systems... I can easily say ME is the best system for EDITING and putting things together. It's also a powerful sound mixing device...
only lacking in full implementation of VST and DIRECTX plugins operational LIVE during the mixing process.
Frankly, TO me personally, ME's greatest value and strength is in EDITING and MIXING. For mastering and other specialized processes, I honestly don't mind whatsoever doing those things in Wavelab or SoundForge.
The only buggaboo IS that ME won't allow a 24 bit EXPORT to .wav or .aif or other formats.
Too, for those with Andromedian (alien grey) bandwidth for hearing, I suppose ME should be able to record at 196Khz too.
And if using 3rd party hardware is a possibility, then I'd say ME should have a set of drivers that accommodate all or most of the audio cards and external boxes... INCLUDING PROTOYS!
And too, a new ME should be able to carry 512 I/O's without a hiccup.
As far as ME becoming the BEST audio program, I say, stop. We already HAVE tremendous DO EVERYTHING programs. FEATURES ARE NOT WHY I PREFER MICROEDITOR!
It's all about the sheer sensibility and power of ME's editing and mixing interface!! I'd say, an upgrade to ME's formats and integration would be great stuff... but ME should be ALL ABOUT EDITING & MIXING.
If there's ONE thing the other programs lack and seem to be even lame at doing, it's firstly EDITING... and secondly MIXING.
ME's complete departure from being analogous to TAPE & REEL recorders and MIXING CONSOLES is what makes MicroSound a superb... if not the ULTIMATE tool... for assembly and creative stacking, and mixing of music & sound.
I can attest, that the editing capabilities in audio post for film are extremely sensible and powerful RIGHT NOW WITHOUT AN UPGRADING!
Last year, I did audio posting for a 90 minute feature film titled Loren Cass. There was very little "on the set" production sound available, since there was very little dialog. So, I decided to recreate all of the background sounds for the entire film. I also rebuilt (from scratch), ALL of the Foley sound, walking, cloth, and props effects. Each scene features sound recreated FROM SCRATCH!! I produced highly detailed sound effects & design, and I edited the dialog and music and mixed the entire film, all while in sync with a 3/4" Sony U-Matic video deck. The results were a flawless audio soundtrack that will be my calling card for years to come. I was told that many film people in Europe noticed the soundtrack's subtleties and over all quality... and asked about it.
* If revived, MicroEditor should emerge as the premium best & ultimate EDITOR...
* I'd say, GO FOR THE FILMMAKERS' NEXT AUDIO EDITORIAL STANDARD.
* Incorporate the best 7.1 surround encoding and decoding...
* Develop the ultimate film audio post editorial utilities possible.
If this happened, music clients would be automatic.
Film is where the envelope for new tools and TECHNIQUES are being tested and challenged.
Also, incorporating an advance interface for editing TO AVI or MPEG video would be an advantage, since most all of the audio programs that allow you to edit audio TO PICTURE are so tedious and frustrating, that editing to
15 year U-matic tape (the way I do) seems like a trick of genius!
Reliable software DAWS for film are few... and if my ProToy HD3 friends frustrations mean anything... there's ROOM for improvement. WIN over enough of the film editing crowd... and winning music people will be automatic.
I stand by this one concept:
WE DO NOT NEED MORE FEATURES than what's already being offered by all the other programs.
WE DO NEED A POWERFUL EDITORIAL DAW... and yes... that would mean things like EDL, and other tools that enable importing from OTHER formats and "popular or standard" protocols in the field.
Anything NEW from ME should not compromise the strengths ME already has... but it should OPEN THE VAULT on being able to INTERFACE and PULL as many FORMATS & EXISTING markets together as is possible.
Position ME in the middle of the workforce and make it the SUPERVISORY & UPPER MANAGEMENT amidst the existing DAW forces. Make ME the boss.
HAL... bring me wine and cheese... now!!
