Sound Forge 8 to Sound Forge Pro 13 questions before I upgrade?

james-s2596 wrote on 2/2/2020, 6:08 AM

I have been using Sound Forge for years since v4.5 in 1998? and moved up to Sony Sound Forge 8.0 and stayed there.

I am now looking at jumping to Sound Forge Pro 13 and have been watching Youtube videos and reviews.

It looks a better version with the ability to drag/move and crossfade files within the same audio file, which looks more flexible than the older versions.

I just wanted to check that Sound Forge Pro 13 can still drag and drop over files and 'mix' 'paste' etc and merge files ontop of each other to create new sounds?

Also I have only seen full screen waveforms, so can Sound Forge Pro 13 still access files as small thumbnails randomly over the screen or is it now just full size files only and you can only see 1 file at a time?

Lastly, I now see that you have a file 'overview' on each of the audio files to show where you are in the audio. Can this be removed from the top of each files? ( i think this may have been there in v10 v11 etc?) but I prefer the v8.0 look with no overviews?

I understand that Sony was Sound Forge 8 and now its Magix Sound Forge Pro 13, so i might need to buy again, which I don't mind if I can get some answers to questions above?

Many thanks!

Comments

James-Lo wrote on 2/2/2020, 7:07 AM

I admire your discipline in not upgrading 😀. I've been using SF just as long and the benefits of each upgrade since v8 have come with discomfort and loss of work, this last one included (e.g. no preset manager?!!!). Anyway, the answer is yes to all your questions. You can either minimize data windows to just the title bar or shrink them manually to whatever size you want. The overview bar can be removed by unchecking Overview under Options->Data Window. I hope your upgrade goes smoothly!

rraud wrote on 2/2/2020, 11:31 AM

Welcome to the Magix Sound Forge community @james-s2596

To elaborate on what James-Lo previously stated

I just wanted to check that Sound Forge Pro 13 can still drag and drop over files and 'mix' 'paste' etc and merge files on top of each other to create new sounds?

Yes, 'mix' 'paste' and merge files are still there, however SCS dropped the 'duck' option, however I do not exactly recall if that Pro 6 or 8 was. And I do not recall if SFP 8 had the volume envelope option. Later versions of SF also have an 'Event' mode, similar to Vegas and CD Arc

Also I have only seen full screen waveforms, so can Sound Forge Pro 13 still access files as small thumbnails randomly over the screen or is it now just full size files only and you can only see 1 file at a time?

Pro 13 can have many timelines open and even more options to display the icons, timelines and such.

Lastly, I now see that you have a file 'overview' on each of the audio files to show where you are in the audio. Can this be removed from the top of each files? ( i think this may have been there in v10 v11 etc?) but I prefer the v8.0 look with no overviews?

Yes, 'Overview' can be hidden.

I understand that Sony was Sound Forge 8 and now its Magix Sound Forge Pro 13, so i might need to buy again, which I don't mind if I can get some answers to questions above?

I 'think' you can get the upgrade discount if you have your SCS SF-8 serial number..
For a definitive answer, contact the Magix Sales Team.

Be aware that SCS changed the plug-in chainer to modal, so to execute plug-ins like in prevous versions, you need to use the "Fx Favoites> Apply plug-in chain" mode SCS also changed the Record UI some in Pro 11 and removed the "Remote" option.

Pro 13 also includes the iZotope RX Elements noise reduction as well as the legacy NR-2.0 suite, iZ's Ozone Elements and well as other new plug-ins from Magix . Newer versions of SFP can also author CDs in the Event mode and burn DAO CDs directly. You can also have both the 64 bit and 32 bit versions of SFP-13 installed if some of your go-to plug-ins do not run on 64 bit hosts. The same activation code, layouts and other custom settings are shared. As with previous versions, your SF-8 can remained installed and run w/o issue. I keep Pro 10.installed and occasionally use that for complex plug-in chains, since some automation does not function the apply plug-in mode. The statistics process also now dsplays the loudness parameters (LUFS) which is much faster than real-time PB for 'Integrated' loudness readings, necessary for broadcast submission compliance.

James-Lo wrote on 2/2/2020, 8:29 PM

@rraud, what has been your experience having more than one version of SF installed on the same machine? Do settings ever get confused? Are there precautions one should take? I just now ran across yet another thing I have to give up in my transition to SF13 from SF10 (scripts that include ISfFileHost ReadAudio() and WriteAudio()) and I'm starting to have regrets.

james-s2596 wrote on 2/3/2020, 2:54 AM

Thank you all for your advice and comments.

I am very fluent in v8.0 but looking at v13, and thinking of jumping in and upgrading on a better PC.

One of my other problems, is that as v13 is 64-bit, does SF have its own wrapper for older 32-bit plug ins, or do i need something like 32-lives installed on the PC for me to access all of my various plugs ins regardless of 32/64-bit?

rraud wrote on 2/3/2020, 10:03 AM

@rraud, what has been your experience having more than one version of SF installed on the same machine? Do settings ever get confused? Are there precautions one should take? I just now ran across yet another thing I have to give up in my transition to SF13 from SF10 (scripts that include ISfFileHost ReadAudio() and WriteAudio()) and I'm starting to have regrets.

I have had no issues having multiple versions of SF Pro installed. I do not use a lot of scripts though and would lust assume not all scripts would run on all versions to the different file paths.
The only issue i have encountered was when I uninstalled SF-9 (as I recall), it also removed a few shared plug-ins, which required a repair install of one of the later versions. I currently have Pro 10, 11, 12 and both 64 and 32 bit versions of 13 installed on my Win 10 PC. I use 10 and/or 13 daily. I occasionally use 11 & 12 for comparison and troubleshooting for others.

rraud wrote on 2/3/2020, 10:46 AM

Thank you all for your advice and comments.

I am very fluent in v8.0 but looking at v13, and thinking of jumping in and upgrading on a better PC.

One of my other problems, is that as v13 is 64-bit, does SF have its own wrapper for older 32-bit plug ins, or do i need something like 32-lives installed on the PC for me to access all of my various plugs ins regardless of 32/64-bit?

Some of my 32 bit DX (Direct X) plug-ins do not run on 64 bit SF Pro 13. Specifically the iZotope Mastering Suites that were included with SF Pro 9 & 10 and the Ultrafunk DX Fx suite. The iZ Mastering Suite runs normally on the 32 bit version of 13 but the Ultrafunk plugs do not run at all, so you may encounter a plug-in that does not run. I cannot do not notice any speed differences between the 32 and 64 bit versions, all other things being equal. As I stated, both version can be installed concurrency as well as previous SCS and Magix versions. SF-8 should also install and run w/o issue on a Win 10 PC. As a test for someone not long ago, I installed SF 4.5, the only issue was it needed to be installed with a though a disc drive, otherwise it ran normally. FWIW, I liked the colorful (easy to ID) toolbar icons. I do not like the later versions b&w 'scribbles', but that's subjective..

Note: I also have the VST version of the Ultrafunk plug-in suite, so that is a non-issue in my case.
Some DX plug-ins inherently cannot be automated on 32 or 64 bit hosts,