If You Want To Auto Duck Audio Fast In Final Cut Pro X Now It's Possible Using This Great New Plug-in
Anyone who uses Final Cut Pro X will know how long users have been asking for auto-ducking of audio on the Final Cut Pro X timeline. The problem is that Final Cut Pro X uses clip based audio, meaning there is no mixer and no busses, so even if you want to use a compressor to duck audio then there's no way to feed a side-chain signal to it.
However, if you want to auto duck audio fast in Final Cut Pro X now it's possible using this great new plug-in, SpeakUp from Audified.
Not primarily aimed at Final Cut users SpeakUp makes it possible to auto-duck the audio in Final Cut because it does not rely on any sidechain from a mixer but it uses its own process made up of a Sensor, a plugin that monitors the speech clips and a Performer, a plugin that does the ducking.
Auto Duck Final Cut Pro Audio Using This Audio Plugin From Audified
Julian Rodgers has also been looking at Audified SpeakUp and he writes these observations.
"However tempting the automatic nature of ducking is, I never use it to dip VO in an edit. However carefully I set it up, it always needs some attention afterward. Automation guarantees the correct result but it can take a long time.
This is where the stand-out feature of SpeakUp comes in. SpeakUp is a ducker, it works well in that role and offers simplicity meaning that a less technically minded presenter would have little trouble operating it"
We've been putting Audified SpeakUp through its paces using Final Cut and it works like a charm.
SpeakUp In Detail
SPEAKUP SENSOR
Just right amount of control.
Sensitivity - adjust the threshold of voice-over detection
Lookahead - tell the Sensor plugin how much to delay the speech so the music fades-out before the speech in the final render.
Control Bus - choose up to two independent control busses if you need sophisticated scenario.
Force Talk - push this button to be heard immediately no matter if you reach the Sensitivity threshold or not
SPEAKUP PERFORMER
The Performer is fully controlled by Sensors. It can't be easier.
Ducking Amount - defines the currently applied amount (0-100%) of desired attenuation
Fade-out Time - transition time between 0 % and 100 % Ducking Amount
Fade-in Time - transition time between 100 % and 0 % Ducking Amount
Hold Time - keep the Ducking Amount value at 100 % while there is no speech
Target Attenuation - set the target attenuation applied on music track
Speech Frequencies Attenuation - set the attenuation of speech filter applied on your music track to enhance intelligibility of the voice-over
Control Bus - set the performer to listen to Sensor signals on up to two independent control busses
Final Thoughts
Perhaps Apple has an auto-ducker in the works, but until there is one in Final Cut Pro X then Audified SpeakUp is the next best thing. It costs $139 and requires an iLok account (not iLok) to use the license, but if you make your money from Final Cut Pro then it's a small price to pay for the convenience it brings and the time saved, which of course is money.
Download a free trial and take it for a spin!