SmartSound vs. ScoreFitter

[tanguero]

I don't have enough experience with Video Studio to know exactly what these do (other than the basic description of what's in the manual). But there seems to be contradictory opinions about these:

RobertOZ: "For me, removal of SmartSound is a big disappointment ..."
TonyP: "A big down side to this if there is no Smartsound integration ... Scorefitter? 3 albums of mostly ... midi sounding music"
joel pelletier: "The new ScoreFitter Music is a very nice addition to the previous release X7"

Some searching of the two comes up with comments almost always in favour of Smartsound. A typical one is, "Scorefitter is MIDI-based using a wavetable synthesiser so the sound quality is rather limted in comparison with Smartsound. Also, the range of music available is rather limited."

It may also have to do with this patent infringement issue (SmartSound vs. Avid):
http://www.law360.com/articles/278592/a ... -suit-says

Regardless, can someone give us a quick overview of why this is important, what the practical difference is between the two, and pros and cons of each? And what do you truly get included with each one as part of the VS purchase (x7 and/or x8)? Looking at the SS website, at $40/clip or $2000/year for an "everything" subscription, it's highly unlikely that many selections are included in a <$100 piece of software. SF seems to be an Avid homegrown product, perhaps more primitive, but perhaps with more included? I'm just speculating here, so hoping that someone on the forum can enlighten.

[BrianCee]

Smartsound was the add-in previously supplied with VideoStudio - called Smartsound because within VideoStudio you could create music tracks of any precise length without being able to tell where addition/subtractions have been made - that is you get a seamless music track to accurately match the length of your video exactly. As a bonus it was very good quality music which you could buy extra tracks for - and that is what some people did and as the tracks were quite expensive I can understand why they are not happy - but as a workaround there is nothing to stop them creating music in X7 - exporting it as a wave file and using that in X8.

Corel have now replaced Smartsound with their own "Auto Run" function - this is NOT Triplescoop music as some people seem to think - Triplescoop is just free music files for use wherever you want them - this auto run music is supplied by 'Scorefitter' - now I don't know if we will get free additions to this as we did previously with Smartsound - but I feel it is quite likely we will

The 'Auto Run' music (scorefitter) in VideoStudio now performs the same function as the previous Smartsound in that you can produce seemless music of any length - I have not been through every single track and variation in the new auto music option but what I have listened to sound quite adequate for the majority of users to use as background music - if you want an orchestral masterpiece then get yourself a decent audio editor and use your own CD's to produce whatever you need.

[Ken Berry]

...but as a workaround there is nothing to stop them creating music in X7 - exporting it as a wave file and using that in X8.

That is certainly a possible workaround. The other is to obtain SmartSound Quicktracks' "big brother" -- the stand-alone program called SonicFire Pro, which allows more flexibility in the trimming of the SmartSound tracks. But as Brian suggested, SmartSound discs are quite expensive unless you get them during sales. I got a lot of mine when a local TV station cleared out its audio library.

Since I now have over 120 of those discs, I am unlikely to use the new Scorefitter module included in X8, though am grateful to have my mistaken view about the TripleScoop tracks cleared up...

[Electrojake]

... I can understand why they are not happy - but as a workaround there is nothing to stop them creating music in X7 - exporting it as a wave file and using that in X8.

Corel have now replaced Smartsound with their own "Auto Run" function -
this is NOT Triplescoop music as some people seem to think - Triplescoop is just free music files for use wherever you want them -
this [new] auto run music is supplied by 'Scorefitter' - now I don't know if we will get free additions to this as we did previously with Smartsound - but I feel it is quite likely we will.

The 'Auto Run' music (scorefitter) in VideoStudio now performs the same function as the previous Smartsound in that you can produce seamless music of any length -

In a short while, when Corel VideoStudio X8 goes mainstream, and scores of users eagerly upgrade from X6 or X7 and then realize that SmartSounds integration is GONE in version X8...
Well, this shall become a very busy thread indeed.

Being able to click on the "Auto Music" button and work with my (expensive & thorough) SmartSounds library directly from within version X6 & X7 was a wonderfully quick and graceful feature.
But now, in X8... Porting semi-produced video content from X8 to SonicFire Pro/QuickTrax and back is hardly a graceful solution.
Sorry to complain but I needed to vent.
Thanks,
-Ej-

[Terfyn]

Having used both ScoreFitter in Pinnacle Studio and Smartsound in VideoStudio, I was never a fan of Smartsound, I found that, in its state provided in the basic program, it was too limiting and, to be of any use, it needed expanding using expensive libraries. I resorted to importing music from other sources and fitting it to my video.
So I may be the only one to welcome the "return" of ScoreFitter.

[Electrojake]

Having used both ScoreFitter in Pinnacle Studio and Smartsound in VideoStudio, I was never a fan of Smartsound, I found that, in its state provided in the basic program, it was too limiting and, to be of any use, it needed expanding using expensive libraries.
I resorted to importing music from other sources and fitting it to my video.
So I may be the only one to welcome the "return" of ScoreFitter.

My statements were directed toward the functionality of the SmartSounds integration... Not simply how much you get "for free" in the VideoStudio program.
Additionally, the SmartSounds on-line library is massive when compared to the ScoreFitter library which is what... 3 volumes with little choice of selection?

And while I'm venting here...
My concern is that I will now spend hundreds of dollars (or pounds) building a ScoreFitter library for Corel VideoStudio X8 only to find out that in version X9 Corel may drop ScoreFitter integration just like they dropped SmartSounds.

Dear Corel admin,
Speaking of spending large amounts of money... Where and how do I get Express Track functionality with the ScoreFitter product that's now integrated into VideoStudio X8?
I am willing to buy additional sound tracks on-line and add them to my ScoreFitter library, but how? All I seem to find are the same 3 disks being sold via the old Pinnacle site.
In VideoStudio X7 I simply clicked on the "SmartSound Quicktracks" button after clicking on "AutoMusic" from within the program.
Now in version X8, clicking on "AutoMusic" seems to be somewhat of a dead end.
Just saying. Please educate me on how I can select & purchase sound tracks to begin the task of fattening the integrated ScoreFitter library that's now in VideoStudio X8.
Thanks,
-Ej-

[BrianCee]

It is no good addressing sales type questions to any Admins on here - none of us work for Corel - EVERYONE -Admins, Moderators,members are users of VideoStudio all giving their time free of charge to try and help others - hence "User to User" forum

So although one of our members *may* have an answer for you - it will not come from any official Corel source.

[TonyP]

What specifically is included with Scorefitter and X8? I can't answer. In Pinnacle software, you get the first 2 albums. I can not answer about Smartsound and X7 because I have a SS library already so do not know what comes with the program.
My first introduction to Smartsound (Quicktracks) was with Pinnacle's DV500 and Adobe Premiere, close to 15 years ago. Quicktracks was to "me" a revelation. I can now have music the exact length that I wanted each and every time. Over the years, I bought the albums on sale. Yes, now, they are expensive ($99 per, less if you buy in groups), but buying single tracks is even more expensive. When I was in business, it was a deduction. Now retired, I wait for sales and pick what I want. So I have a decent collection.

Pinnacle introduced Scorefitter and dropped Smartsound in Studio12 in 2008. I can understand this, use their own product and don't pay Smartsound for use of their plugin which really generated music sales for SS. But when you compare the music between the two... night and day. Scorefitter is midi based. SS can be anything they have in their library.
The functionality of them is basically the same though, that is why SS took Pinnacle to court. Pinnacle stopped a LONG time ago with only 3 albums and not a hint of any future ones. Maybe if they had them, the negativity would not have been so strong. And who knows, they might come out with more. But for VSP users, this is a "first" time experience with Scorefitter.

A tremendous protest erupted in the Pinnacle forums over the loss of SS. All said they were willing to pay for a plugin. I was. Finally, there was a plugin. $20 (at the time) and a 10 song album. Not a bad deal. But no more Quicktracks, but a far easier and superior ExpressTracks. And as others have said, and I agree being a SonicFire Pro user, it is far easier doing the work on the timeline than exporting a video into SFP and then editing the sound track, exporting the sound track into the editor and then find out you want to make changes.

For most people, Scorefitter will be perfectly fine. It allows you the ability to custom tailor the music length to your video instead of the video to the music length. And there is a decent variety of music themes.
But for some people, it is not. I am one of those people who have not used Scorefitter in all the years I've had access to it. I've heard all their music on all 3 albums. I have the first two.
These are my personal opinions.

[Electrojake]

It is no good addressing sales type questions to any Admins on here - none of us work for Corel - EVERYONE -Admins, Moderators,members are users of VideoStudio all giving their time free of charge to try and help others - hence "User to User" forum

So although one of our members *may* have an answer for you - it will not come from any official Corel source.

Understood Sir.
I know my posts solved nothing, but it felt good to get that out on the forum.
On the positive side...
VideoStudio X8 is forcing me to learn new things, and learning is always a good endeavor.

Thank you TonyP, Brian, and Terfyn for your comments on this topic. Every post I view helps me learn a bit more.
-Ej-