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Hi all,

I'm putting together an audition recording for myself, for an orchestra. One of the requirements of the audition is that the CD needs to be indexed at various points but the audio is not aloud to stop (so they know there is no editing involved).

Are there any programs that I could use (preferably freeware) to index the audio, so that a burning program (like itunes) would put in track marks, without effecting audio?

I use a mac...but have access to pcs as well.

Thanks heaps!

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RemyRAD Sun, 04/23/2006 - 23:53

Captjono, there are numerous programs for cutting CDs that do exactly what you need but I don't know of any that are freeware or even shareware.

Sony's sound Forge with CD architect 5.0 is exactly what you need. But it's about $300.

Sony's Vegas also does a very nice job of mastering CDs and is quite a nice audio program in its own right but the bonus there is its ability to work as a lovely video editor as well. It's not cheap either.

Now they also offer some other less expensive software that emulates the more expensive software, with similar names but I have never used any of those $50 programs. I'm not sure if they have the same capabilities for mastering CDs that you need? I'm sure somebody else will indicate here, whether they are capable of doing the same job, in which case, you get away with spending quite a bit less.

I love Vegas
Ms. Remy Ann David

I Won!

StevenColbert Mon, 04/24/2006 - 03:37

You could try bouncing it.
Bouncing is always a LAST resort, but it could save you some $$$ if it will work.
Do this...
Make 2 copies of the CD or tape or whatever. And if you don't already have the audio on CD or tape format, transfer it. (Does ANYBODY still use tapes as audition tapes anymore?)

Anyways, back on subject...Say you are using CD's, Now all you need to do is use two CD players and start them accordingly.
For instance... the first audio track is say 1:15 long. So after it gets to 1:14 and counting. Press play on the other disc and the next track (#2) will start to record onto the same NEW disc. ----A 3rd disc.
Which would be your audition CD

Hope this makes sence
If you have 2 CD players or a double disc player that should work, then just bounce the tracks over to your hard drive. Or a 3rd seperate CD-R recorder

Cucco Mon, 04/24/2006 - 08:06

Hmmm...that's actually a pretty easy one.

Nero offers exactly what you are looking for. I believe they will even give you a 30 trial version on-line.

It gives you a display window with the waveform displayed. You simply go in and drop track markers where you want them and define in the appropriate block that you want 0 sec of seperation between each track.

For <$100, Nero is by FAR the best (IMO) CD burning utility on the market. I used it religiously prior to purchasing Sequoia.

J.

Brandon Mon, 04/24/2006 - 15:35

adobe audition has a 30-day trial, i was a cool edit pro junkie, i think that adobe did an excellent job with the software.

one of the improvements they made is a very easy to use cd interface, it allows for upc/ean pq code etc

if you are doing this for a professional release i think it would work nicely for you, remember to set the pre-emphasis flag (it is specifically for purposes such as this)

if this is not for pro uses, i think nero will work just fine for you, just set no-pause between tracks.

any other software that allows for DAO (disc-at-once) will allow you to accomplish this as well -- good luck!

JoeH Mon, 04/24/2006 - 17:12

It's been a long time since I had to deal with this (the dreaded 2 second pause between tracks); I was able to dump it long ago when I went with Red Roaster.

However, nowadays I would think most software SHOULD let you disable this in the preferences or CD setup tabs (or whatever they call it in their apps.) A long time ago, Nero (and Atapi CD Creator before that) made the function available as an on/off function.

If this is a one-shot deal and you're not looking to become a mastering engineer, you might want to cut a deal with an engineer friend or something; give them your tape/CD ready to go, and let THEM do it for you. It should literally take them only a few minutes, if thats all you need done.

RemyRAD Mon, 04/24/2006 - 20:26

I was doing this back in 1996 utilizing the shareware version of cool edit, for live performances to CDs with the bundled version of cheap software that came with the CD burner.

Yes, disable the silence between tracks!

You can actually take the whole waveform of the live performance and carefully chop it down. You'll need to figure out how to highlight one section and then be able to flip in highlight the following section so that you don't overlap or leave gaps. Then save them all as individual files in a new folder making sure that all of the file's reassembled in your audio softwarethe back-to-back all sound contiguous without any hiccups. A great way to go utilizing free software. It just takes a little talent, patience and experience with your software and you'll get the hang of it. That is if you understand the concept of accomplishing professional audio?

Old CD cutter
Ms. Remy Ann David

Captjono Mon, 04/24/2006 - 22:39

Thanx heaps for all of the help! Gives me quite a few options to try!

It is going onto CD...I just used the word 'tape' as many orchestras still call them 'taped auditions'.

I tryed chopping up the audio in Logic, at zero crossing points, and then setting itunes to 0 sec between tracks, but you still get a very faint glitch in the audio as it changes track...my concern is that they will think it is an edit point.

But with the options you have given me, I'm sure I'll be able to work something out!

Thanks all again!

JoeH Tue, 04/25/2006 - 10:26

RemyRAD wrote:

You can actually take the whole waveform of the live performance and carefully chop it down. You'll need to figure out how to highlight one section and then be able to flip in highlight the following section so that you don't overlap or leave gaps. Then save them all as individual files in a new folder making sure that all of the file's reassembled in your audio softwarethe back-to-back all sound contiguous without any hiccups. A great way to go utilizing free software. It just takes a little talent, patience and experience with your software and you'll get the hang of it. That is if you understand the concept of accomplishing professional audio?

Wow! I'm not sure if you meant this to sound humorous, Remy, but read that part again, realfast! ;-)

That seems REALLY complicated, although I have no doubt it would work. (It seems similar to the way I've seen other sofware work, I think, at least the zero-crossing bit...)

I guess I'm spoiled. In Samplitude/Sequioa, you simply open a new VIP project (virtual image), drop in your waveform, and put track ID's wherever you want 'em to go along the timeline. Hit "Burn CD" and you're done. No cutting or moving or anything (unless you want to). Even so, it's all done non-destructively, so long pauses can be removed, applause shortened, etc. immediately.

Saving the VIP file just saves your work as a type of visual EDL; the wav file itself is untouched, unless you make destructive changes.

RemyRAD Tue, 04/25/2006 - 10:50

Well I'm not sure what you are referring to as funny, JoeH? I think I'm most be dense, as I frequently am? For a few moments I had some focused thoughts regarding the problem and I was not trying to be funny? Although as frequently happens with me, funny things are frequently coming out of openings in my body both upper and lower.

I had worked out what Captjono wanted 10 years ago. I do a lot of live recording and did not want any stops or gaps between cuts while at the same time being able to edit out excessive breaks of silence and keep the whole recording sounding like it was one single cohesive event. At that time, all I had been using was Cool Edit 1.53 & 96 but I was still able to do some remarkable things with that elementary shareware program.

I have switched over to Sony Vegas 6.0 for all of my CD mastering. I prefer that now over their CD architect program. Plus it's a great video editor as well. Of course we are talking a few $$$ here which Captjono indicated that some low-cost software was what they're looking for. Perhaps what Jeremy suggested regarding Nero might be just the ticket? Not using any of their audio oriented software, I didn't know it had that functional capability? If it does? Sounds like the way to go for an inexpensive package? I don't usually use any consumer software anymore or any professional objects/products. But I could!

Thinking outside the bathroom
Ms. Remy Ann David

anonymous Wed, 04/26/2006 - 21:05

Nero is by far the most straightforward/cheapest option.

Mixdown your audio as one continuous file, no edits/gaps.

Drag the file (mastered or whatever) into Nero and bring up the track properties, then open the indexes/split window. Add split points wherever necessary, watch out for clicks at split points, apply changes.

Now youll have all the tracks as seperate cd tracks. Nero automatically adds 2 second pauses, these can be removed easily in the track properties window. Burn it. It's that simple.

You can add ISRC codes and CD text too.