Last year when TIDAL and Amazon Music announced that they were streaming music in Dolby Atmos, music fans and the music business reacted with a high level of curiosity to see if this new format was here to stay. I believe, though, once Apple Music announced, in May of 2021, that support for Spatial Audio would be included into their existing subscription plans, many consumers, artists, engineers, and producers acted on this curiosity, which led to more than 40 million Apple Music users trying it out. In thinking about this situation more, some of the early hesitance to produce Atmos Music stemmed from a long history of audio innovations that never quite delivered on their promises. Attempts at creating a surround music experience often involved complicated setups, elite-level hardware configurations, and specialized mixes, meaning that the barrier to entry was high for both a consumer and for a production.

Dolby Atmos Music is a format that is different from the previous attempts to expand music beyond a stereo experience. This isn’t Surround Sound 2.0; it’s a whole new world. Atmos works in ways that really don’t have any barriers to entry for a listener (besides subscribing to a Dolby Atmos-supported streaming service) and without any need for understanding or tinkering with the technology to enjoy. It is already inspiring new creativity in the studio, from the mic selection and placement during the recording process to the final mixing and delivery.

From Limited Speakers to Ubiquitous Headphones

One of the limitations of previous incarnations of surround sound for music was how you could listen to it. You had to purchase and understand how to set up a series of speakers just so, and then position yourself in the sweet spot to really experience the full effect. Along with this, there wasn’t a lot of 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound music available in a vast array of genres for the consumer to get hooked to it. So, this 5.1 and 7.1 surround setup really ended up catering more to home theaters for watching television programs and movies.

Dolby Atmos and other immersive formats are actually able to be consumed differently compared to 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound music mixes. As an example, Dolby Atmos productions for both music and streaming movies/programs are able to play back the correct mix tailored to your playback system. That means you can listen to music mixed in Dolby Atmos on headphones, which is the most common way people listen to music by far, or on a compatible soundbar; the appropriate mix will automatically be played without any listener interaction. In other words, the Dolby Atmos format fits into existing habits and services seamlessly, no complex speaker set up required.

Giving and Capturing Space

Consumer adoption is one thing, but another important piece of the staying power lies in what artists, producers and engineers make of Dolby Atmos, and what will keep these 40 million listeners engaged and wanting more. Writing, recording and producing music in Dolby Atmos has some serious creative advantages over traditional stereo. They can not only move sounds around, but they can also position any sound or instrument in a 360 soundscape to allow for the best sonic separation and clarity of a mix.

Because of this, engineers don’t have to try and fit all sonic information into just a stereo (two channel) mix. They can take advantage of a much more flexible and creative environment where each instrument or sound can occupy its own space, as well as intriguing options to utilize dynamics for different expressions. Think, for example, about a chorus with a four-part harmony. Atmos gives an engineer far more options for placing each voice in space so that listeners can really savor each vocal line and its nuances. This helps the track feel more “live” and adds richness and depth.

This increased spatial range is already inspiring new discoveries among engineers, akin to giving them an incredibly expanded palette to play with. Imagine a painter who had only used flat shades of grey and who now has a paintbox full of three-dimensional colors. With Dolby Atmos productions, engineers and producers are now considering during the recording process, how to capture the acoustic space, not just the sound source itself. They are changing the way they place mics while recording, adding special mics just to record the sound of a room and other atmospheric elements, to give them more to work with during the mix. They’re capturing the full color of a place, not just a performance.

When Artists Dream in Atmos

Artists are just discovering the possibilities of Atmos, and those who do are often blown away. But over time, it will become second nature to think about how their music can be experienced immersively. Just like a generation adopted smartphones and now do everything on them, younger artists and fans will begin to feel like they can’t live without immersive audio experiences. They are going to think about the space they want their music to sound like or to sound in. The room or environment will become another key sound source or instrument in the mix. Though they may start composing on a guitar or a piano or a laptop, they will immediately start thinking about the production in terms of Atmos instead of stereo.

And more and more artists will get a chance to experience and experiment with Dolby Atmos on their own, thanks to the format’s accessibility. Dolby Atmos is accessible to those with home project studios. Serious music creators and independent professionals can produce Dolby Atmos Music using Pro Tools | Ultimate and the Dolby Atmos Production Suite at an affordable price. You don’t need to have a studio with a halo of speakers to mix in Atmos, especially if their intended audience is going to consume it binaurally. It all will run on the same computer, and you can monitor as you’re mixing binaurally with a pair of decent-quality headphones.

Dolby Atmos’ accessibility for creators and music fans, as well as its qualities and possibilities, mean that the format is here to stay. The same way immersive music is moving into other contexts and virtual experiences like fitness, gaming, and health care, Dolby Atmos will unlock new opportunities for music professionals and independent creators alike, letting them find new sonic means of expression ready for the world to experience.

Rob D’Amico is senior director of product management, audio services, at Avid Technology.

Made available as part of the Pro Tools | Ultimate June 2021 software release, the patented Hybrid Engine maximizes the performance of HDX systems by unlocking higher voice counts for bigger sessions and more flexible, near-zero latency recording workflows 

BURLINGTON, Mass., June 30, 2021 – Avid® (Nasdaq: AVID) today announced that its latest patented innovation, the Hybrid Engine, is now available for HDX Systems. Part of Pro Tools | Ultimate 2021.6, the HDX Hybrid Engine unlocks unprecedented power for HDX Systems, giving engineers, producers, and audio post-production professionals the ability to run the most demanding sessions with even greater ease—even with single-card systems—as well as providing industry-leading performance with on-demand access to near-zero recording latency.

The Hybrid Engine maximizes Pro Tools performance by intelligently splitting processing between native and HDX DSP mix engines. It lets users take advantage of their host computer’s robust mixing and processing power while also giving them immediate access to HDX’s onboard DSP for supplementing computing power and recording through AAX DSP plugins with virtually no latency. As a result, users can run massive sessions more smoothly, with remarkably low CPU load, optimized voice usage and reduced system delay.

This innovation addresses a crucial need for many audio professionals who work with massive, DSP-hungry sessions. With the Hybrid Engine, even a single HDX card can now handle 2,048 voices at all sample rates—plenty of headroom for all the plugins, virtual instruments, surround mixes and other elements audio professionals must juggle to achieve the perfect mix.

On top of maximizing performance, the Hybrid Engine lets users nullify the distracting effects of latency with the simple click of a button. When users put tracks in DSP Mode, the entire signal chain and AAX DSP-compatible plugins are processed directly on the HDX card while the host computer plays back the rest of their mix. When users toggle it off, the track reverts to Native Mode. With this intelligent integration built into Pro Tools, users can move effortlessly between tracking and mixing, without the hassle of latency.  

“With the expanded Hybrid Engine capabilities in the latest Pro Tools | Ultimate software release, HDX Systems are immediately transformed into the most powerful Pro Tools systems we’ve ever made. It unlocks new, maximized performance for HDX, which delivers the uncompromising power our users need to run the most demanding sessions with ease—from the plugin and instrument-heavy music sessions to complex theatrical Dolby Atmos mixes,” said Rob D’Amico, Senior Director of Product Marketing for Audio Solutions at Avid. “Because of the unique way that it works—leveraging native and DSP mix engines simultaneously—the Hybrid Engine enables our users to get the most out of their systems so they can deliver their best work as smoothly as possible.”

Pro Tools | Ultimate users with a current subscription or software maintenance plan receive the Hybrid Engine automatically with the June 2021 release of Pro Tools. Learn more about the HDX Hybrid Engine and Pro Tools | Ultimate at  www.avid.com/resource-center/hdx-hybrid-engine. 

About Avid

Avid delivers the most open and efficient media platform, connecting content creation with collaboration, asset protection, distribution, and consumption. Avid’s preeminent customer community uses Avid’s comprehensive tools and workflow solutions to create, distribute and monetize the most watched, loved and listened to media in the world—from prestigious and award-winning feature films to popular television shows, news programs and televised sporting events, and celebrated music recordings and live concerts. With the most flexible deployment and pricing options, Avid’s industry-leading solutions include Media Composer®, Pro Tools®, Avid NEXIS®, MediaCentral®, iNEWS®, AirSpeed®, Sibelius®, Avid VENUE™, FastServe®, and Maestro™. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit www.avid.com, connect with Avid on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, or subscribe to Avid Blogs. 

© 2021 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Avid, the Avid logo, Avid NEXIS, FastServe, AirSpeed, iNEWS, Maestro, MediaCentral, Media Composer, Media Composer | First, Media Composer | Ultimate, Pro Tools, Avid VENUE, and Sibelius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice.

PR Contacts:

Avid

Dave Smith

978.502.9607

david.smith@avid.com

Boston Arts Academy Foundation Names Avid CEO Jeff Rosica Board Chairman;
Lee Pelton Named Chairman Emeritus

 

Boston, MA (May 26, 2021)—Boston Arts Academy Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises essential funds for Boston Arts Academy (BAA), the city’s only public high school for the visual and performing arts, today announced the election of Avid Technology CEO and President Jeff Rosica to Board Chairman. Longtime BAA Foundation Chair Lee Pelton will be recognized as Chairman Emeritus, as he also becomes President and CEO of The Boston Foundation.

“It is with great honor that I follow in the footsteps of Lee Pelton,” said Rosica. “Boston Arts Academy Foundation engages private donors in funding programming and opportunities that allow young artists to find their voices, express themselves, and achieve their dreams. I am grateful to serve Boston Arts Academy’s students and faculty during this critical time in our city and our school’s history.”

“It has been my privilege to serve as Chairman of the BAA Foundation Board of Directors and the Boston Arts Academy Trustees,” said Pelton, who is celebrating nine years of service to the Boston Arts Academy community. “Boston Arts Academy is an exemplary model of equity and access for underrepresented students, with exceptional support from BAA Foundation. The Foundation’s future will be bright under Jeff Rosica’s leadership.”

 

Under Pelton’s leadership, the BAA Foundation hired Denella J. Clark as President, who built an exceptional team to engage private donors in bridging the annual multimillion funding gap between Boston Arts Academy’s allocation from Boston Public Schools and the true cost of the school's arts-intensive and college preparatory education—equivalent to $5,000 per student each year. The Foundation has raised more than $12 million towards its $32 million comprehensive Building Our Future Campaign, which augments the school’s budget and builds long-term financial sustainability. In 2022, Boston Arts Academy’s new school building will open directly across from Fenway Park, immediately increasing the number of students from 480 to 500 and eventually growing over the years.

 

Rosica has served on the BAA Foundation Board since 2018, helping to raise awareness and support for the school from the media and entertainment industry. That same year, Avid Technology licensed all Boston Arts Academy students to use its music and audio creation software, Pro ToolsÆ, and in late 2020, donated state-of-the-art equipment to help outfit BAA’s new school building. Rosica served as the Chair of BAA Honors 2019, which raised a record-breaking $1.3 million. Avid has made more than $800,000 in technology and Building Our Future Campaign investments for the school.

 

“I congratulate Jeff Rosica and Lee Pelton on their new roles and am so grateful for their leadership. Along with the entire Board, I look forward to working with them as we move into the next chapter at Boston Arts Academy Foundation,” said BAA Foundation President Denella Clark. “Jeff is deeply committed to our students. His leadership and understanding of our school and the unique challenges facing our students make him an exceptional Board Chair.”

 

Pelton will step down from the role as Board Chair on June 1, the same day he begins his new position as President and CEO of The Boston Foundation, after nearly 10 years as President of Emerson College.

 

“The Foundation will be forever indebted to the visionary leadership of Lee Pelton,” Clark said. “We congratulate Lee on his Emeritus role and value our continued partnership with him in this new capacity. His commitment and contributions to BAA and the Foundation are singular in the more than 20-year history of both the school and the Foundation. We look forward to cutting the ribbon of the Lee Pelton Board Room in the new Boston Arts Academy school building next year and celebrating Lee as our Lifetime Achievement Honoree at BAA Honors 2022.”

 

About Boston Arts Academy Foundation

Established in 1999 to bridge the annual multimillion dollar funding gap between Boston Arts Academy’s allocation from the Boston Public Schools and the true cost of an arts-intensive education, BAA Foundation has embarked on a $32 million comprehensive Building Our Future Campaign to augment BAA’s school budget and build long-term financial sustainability. To date the Campaign has raised more than $12 million.

 

BAA Foundation’s endowment and reserves support what makes Boston Arts Academy unique, including expanded programming, the Health and Wellness Program, STEAM (STEM + Art), and funding for the arts. BAA Foundation’s endowment will support college scholarships for graduating seniors. The Campaign also supports the Annual Fund, which raises $5,000 per student each year. Building Our Future ensures that Boston Arts Academy’s growing student body continue to achieve success in high school and beyond.

 

About Boston Arts Academy

Founded in 1998 as the city’s only public high school for the visual and performing arts, Boston Arts Academy has distinguished itself among urban public high schools as a leader in innovative and effective student-centered education. Consistently recognized locally and nationally for its achievements, Boston Arts Academy exemplifies the power of an arts-rich education. Students come from all 23 Boston neighborhoods to receive formal arts training and academic instruction and become the city’s next generation of artists and cultural leaders. For six straight years, 97% of Boston Arts Academy’s graduates have been accepted to college, with many becoming first-generation college graduates.

 

In fall 2022, with funding from the city of Boston and Massachusetts School Building Authority, Boston Arts Academy will welcome students to its first purpose-built, state-of-the-art school building directly across from Fenway Park. Among many highlights, the building will include new and much-needed enhanced theatres, career center, academic classrooms, dance studios, music practice rooms and fashion technology studios and workspace. The number of students enrolled in the new building will increase from 480 to 500, and eventually grow over the years.

 

Boston Arts Academy Foundation Media Contact:

David Tanklefsky
dtanklefsky@thecastlegrp.com
617-763-0510

Avid Technology Media Contact:
Jim Sheehan
jim.sheehan@avid.com
978-771-4715

Avid and Dolby Deliver Industry First “Pro Tools Dolby Atmos Production” Course and Certification

New course deepens knowledge and skills for creators mixing Dolby Atmos with Avid Pro Tools workflows

BURLINGTON, Mass, April 21, 2021 – With more mixing engineers, audio studio technicians, and audio professionals transitioning from traditional stereo and surround formats to Dolby Atmos®, Avid® (Nasdaq: AVID) and Dolby today announced a joint training course agreement to bring the first Pro Tools® Dolby Atmos training course and certification to market. Accessed through the Avid Learning Partners program, the self-paced, blended training course covering the integration of the Dolby Atmos Renderer with Pro Tools consists of 40 hours of self-learning, 18 hours of instructor-led training, held over 3 days, and a professional certification exam. Upon completion of the coursework and passing the exam, candidates will earn the Avid Certified Professional: Pro Tools | Dolby Atmos certification credential. 

The new PT210D Pro Tools Dolby Atmos Production course will enable Pro Tools mixers to recognize the components of a Dolby Atmos content creation studio, and outline workflows for creating immersive audio in Pro Tools. They will also learn techniques for working with Dolby Atmos beds and objects, Pro Tools session management, Dolby Atmos Renderer configurations, and final delivery formats. 

“The Dolby training course builds on Avid’s global training and certificate infrastructure. This course provides core learning opportunities to fill the need for Dolby Atmos training and validates the skills and competencies of sound technicians and engineers to prepare and deliver Dolby Atmos content,” said Rob D’Amico, Sr. Director of Product Marketing, Audio Solutions at Avid. “For students, this course addresses the lack of formal learning related to immersive audio. Launching the Pro Tools Dolby Atmos course and certification and building it into the Pro Tools learning paths and certifications accelerates their education and career path.”

“We’re thrilled to build on our longtime strategic collaboration with Avid by launching our first Dolby Atmos training and certification program,” said Rob France, Director, Customer Support, Dolby. “And the timing couldn’t be better. Content creators are showing increased interest in Dolby Atmos and the top streaming platforms are demanding more content be created in Dolby. This is true for not only film and TV, but also for music. In fact, the growth in music has been dramatic and as new Dolby Atmos enabled music services emerge, the demand for Dolby Atmos music will only grow.”

The training course, PT210D Pro Tools Dolby Atmos Production, is available from Avid at www.avid.com/courses/pt210d-pro-tools-dolby-atmos-production. 

About Avid

Avid delivers the most open and efficient media platform, connecting content creation with collaboration, asset protection, distribution, and consumption. Avid’s preeminent customer community uses Avid’s comprehensive tools and workflow solutions to create, distribute and monetize the most watched, loved and listened to media in the world—from prestigious and award-winning feature films to popular television shows, news programs and televised sporting events, and celebrated music recordings and live concerts. With the most flexible deployment and pricing options, Avid’s industry-leading solutions include Media Composer®, Pro Tools®, Avid NEXIS®, MediaCentral®, iNEWS®, AirSpeed®, Sibelius®, Avid VENUE™, FastServe®, and Maestro™. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visit www.avid.com, connect with Avid on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, or subscribe to Avid Blogs.

© 2021 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Avid, the Avid logo, Avid NEXIS, FastServe, AirSpeed, iNEWS, Maestro, MediaCentral, Media Composer, Pro Tools, Avid VENUE, and Sibelius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Product features, specifications, system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice.

Dolby Atmos is a registered trademark of Dolby Laboratories. To experience Dolby Atmos Music on Amazon Music, an Amazon Music HD subscription is required. To experience Dolby Atmos Music on TIDAL, a HiFi membership is required.