As a professional finishing tool for film and just about any format of video, Avid Symphony 6 pulls together everything professional editors love about Avid's venerable, highly regarded Media Composer nonlinear editing software and adds Artist Color for advanced secondary color correction & grading, plus Boris Continuum Complete for 2D/3D graphics & effects and Universal Mastering tools for output to tape when you're using Nitris DX hardware (sold separately).
Avid Symphony 6 adds the DNxHD 444 codec to accelerate your workflow with RGB 4:4:4 video. And of course you can work in stereoscopic 3D, given the proper hardware. On that front, Symphony 6 is far more open to third-party hardware than its predecessors, thanks to Avid's Open I/O architecture. You can input and output all manner of media using solutions such as I/O boxes from Blackmagic Design, AJA, Matrox, and more. And of course Avid's Nitris DX and Mojo DX are fully supported, as are Artist series control surfaces, which are highly useful for the high-end finishing tasks you're no doubt likely to undertake within Symphony.
Version 6 software also includes a few modules that give you the tools you need to perform those crucial tasks that are ancillary to the craft of editing: create special effects, perform encoding tasks, and author DVDs by using Boris RED (Avid FX), Sorenson Squeeze, and Avid DVD, respectively.
Incorporating Media Composer's updated interface and toolset wholly, Symphony 6 also provides entrée to the upper echelon of Avid software. The addition of effects software, print-to-tape formatting software, and color-correction & color-grading tools makes this software package a professional finishing suite of the highest order.
To be eligible for this upgrade, you must already own a System ID for your existing Media Composer, Xpress Pro, or Xpress DV product to activate the software..
New Features & Workflows for Version 6
Edit & Finish on the Go
As a software-only solution, Symphony enables you to edit and finish projects anywhere you and your laptop roam – no hardware required. And with its lower price and comprehensive toolset, you can complete all offline and online work in-house, saving you money now and in the future. To capture, monitor, and output projects, pair Symphony with an Avid or third-party interface (sold separately)
Full 64-Bit Power
Fast gets even faster with native 64-bit operation, so even when you layer together the most complex effects, things will still feel snappy. Experience smoother playback, faster rendering performance, and better handling with large bins – and say goodbye to the old memory limitations of the 32-bit operating systems
Better Performance and 3D with Avid Hardware
For the fastest capture/edit/monitor/output workflows, pair Symphony with a Nitris DX video interface (sold separately) and experience hardware-accelerated power that's second to none. You can now even customize Nitris DX with up to two Avid DNxHD or AVC-Intra chips to fully support stereoscopic 3D and HD RGB 4:4:4 workflows
Open for Business
Symphony is now fully open thanks to Avid Open I/O, so you can work with your choice of Avid audio and video interfaces or third-party video interfaces, including those from AJA, Blackmagic Design, Bluefish444, Matrox, and MOTU. Manufacturers can simply create plug-ins using Avid Open I/O to have their hardware work with Symphony, meaning you'll have even more choices to come
Gain Efficiency with the Sleek New User Interface
Modern, smart, and sexy. Symphony has a whole new look, but its familiar editing workflow stays the same. Get to what you need faster through the tabbed interface (no more window clutter!). You can also customize bin layouts and Workspaces, enabling you to focus only on the assets and tools you need for the project at hand
Get Stock Footage & More in the Avid Marketplace
Browse the Avid Marketplace for stock footage, video and audio plug-ins, software and hardware options, training materials, and more – right from within the app. You can even access user guides and other documentation without having to scour the Avid website
Work with 3D
Edit stereoscopic 3D material as quickly and easily as you do with standard 2D footage, with a full set of new features and workflows. Capture, edit, and manage the complete 3D end-to-end workflow. Mix and match 2D and stereoscopic 3D clips on the same track. Plus, work with full frame and frame-compatible sources, full-fledged editing tools, video effects, and more
Go Hands-On with Artist Color
Accelerate your color correcting and grading with Artist Color. With its highly responsive feel, you can keep your eyes on the picture instead of the interface while you make adjustments. And since you can tweak multiple parameters at once, you dramatically gain more speed and efficiency to complete time-consuming tasks quickly
Mix in Surround Sound
You want your audio to sound as spectacular as your video looks. Now you can record, edit, and mix studio-quality audio in up to 7.1 surround – right in Symphony. Not only that, you can share mixes with Pro Tools editors (using AAF), and even record and monitor audio using a host of Avid audio interfaces
Edit Faster & Easier Than Ever
Open to Anything
Symphony is now fully open, so you can work with what you want and what you might already have. Use the software standalone to edit and finish file-based projects. Pair it with an Avid or third-party video interface to capture, monitor, and output projects. Or purchase the complete Symphony System for maximum performance. You can also work with practically any media format, integrate into any professional production pipeline, and polish projects using a host of third-party visual effects and tools
Experience the "Waitless" Workflow
With AMA (Avid Media Access), you can instantly access and edit file-based media – including RED/RED EPIC, AVCHD, ProRes, QuickTime (including footage from HDSLR cameras), XDCAM, P2, Canon XF, and other formats – without transcoding, importing, or rewrapping files. Get a jumpstart on reviewing footage without the wait, and avoid bringing in unwanted material. And as new cameras and formats emerge, manufacturers can create and release their own AMA plug-ins independently from a Symphony release
Work with Any Media
File-based media, analog and digital tape, stereoscopic 3D material, film – bring it on. Symphony offers a wide range of features, workflows, and options that enable you to work with everything, from old-school media to the latest camera technologies. Experience the fastest tapeless workflows in the industry. Capture footage directly from digital cameras. Or add an Avid or third-party video interface to capture and output from other analog or digital sources. Plus, with support for 4:4:4 HD-RGB color and DNxHD 444, you can work efficiently while preserving the full-quality color detail from beginning to end
Take Storytelling to the Cutting Edge
It doesn't matter how you learned to edit – Symphony goes where others leave off, enabling you to work more quickly and in ways you're most comfortable. In fact, its tools are ACE-certified. Trim clips and manipulate transitions on the fly using the Smart Tool, or perform ultra-precise edits using traditional tools. Mix and match media formats, frame rates, resolutions, and more in the same timeline – in real time – without rendering. And edit HD material in real time – in mastering picture quality – using Avid DNxHD or DNxHD 444
Collaborate with Ease
Share media, projects, and bins – locally and across the world – to complete projects on time and on budget. With Avid ISIS, you and your team can access the same assets and capture media to the same volume simultaneously. Access files – even when in use by others – without copying media. Collaborate across mixed editing platforms, including Final Cut Pro through AMA, which supports ProRes encoding (Mac only) and decoding. Share audio mixes with Pro Tools editors – and vice-versa – using AAF. And bring collaboration to the highest level with Avid Interplay
Find the Right Clips & Best Takes Quickly
Working on a scripted or dialog-heavy project such as a reality TV show, documentary, or interview? Save hours of wasted search time using two dialog search options for Symphony. For script-based projects, ScriptSync (sold separately) powered by Nexidia phonetically indexes all clip dialog in your project and then syncs all relevant clips to your script-automatically-so you can find the best takes fast. PhraseFind (sold separately) powered by Nexidia offers the same phonetic audio indexing, but enables you to quickly pull up all relevant clips by searching for a key word or phrase
Gain Peace of Mind with Reliable Media Management
Whether you work alone or as part of a team, you won't have to worry about losing your assets. Symphony provides you with 20-plus years of industry-proven media management innovation, which keeps track of all your projects, assets, source material, rendered files, metadata, and more, so you don't have to. Not only that, you can customize it to track your assets the way you want
Shop the Avid Marketplace
Conveniently browse for stock footage, video and audio plug-ins, hardware, and more, right from within Symphony – no shoes, shirt, or pants required. Search for and preview stock footage from Thought Equity Motion, download comps for editing, and make purchases once editorial is complete. Shop for video and audio plug-ins to get the look and sound you're after. Discover software options that'll greatly speed up your workflow. Shop for audio interfaces and other hardware. You'll even find training and other media that'll help perfect your skills
Get the Look, Sound & Quality You Want
Design & Dazzle with Visual Effects
Give your projects that professional polish using the bundled and built-in design and effects tools. Get that professional high-quality look with Boris Continuum Complete, which includes over 200 filters, 3D objects, effects, keys and mattes, and more. Create eye-catching 2D and 3D composites, titles, animation, and effects with Avid FX (aka Boris RED), a powerful collection of creative tools designed by Boris FX. Add visual impact, drama, and depth with a host of built-in 2D and 3D effects, title tools, transitions, key and motion effects, and more. Add focus and fix issues with motion tracking and stabilization tools. And expand your visual palette with our third-party partners' effects, many of which can be purchased within Symphony from the Avid Marketplace
Create Studio-Quality Soundtracks
Make your projects sound as good as they look using the built-in audio recording, editing, and mixing tools. Record and monitor voiceovers, overdubs, and more using select Avid audio interfaces (sold separately). Edit and mix multi-track audio in up to 7.1 surround. Share mixes with Pro Tools editors. Polish sounds with 20 included AIR effects – the same ones that come with Pro Tools. And expand your sound with the industry's best compressors, reverbs, and other sound processing plug-ins, many of which can be purchased within Symphony from the Avid Marketplace
Color-Correct & Grade with Precision
Save time and maintain the highest-quality production with the fully integrated 10-bit color-correction toolset. Quickly and accurately match colors from shot to shot using NaturalMatch. Gain better color precision with support for full-quality 4:4:4 HD-RGB color space processing. Get fine control over shots with animatable color correction. Speed up your color work with Artist Color. And dive into the large palette of easy-to-use tools to refine settings or get creative
Take Your Offline Online with Powerful Finishing Tools
With advanced and secondary color tools, you can correct color and grade it to get the look you're after – with the utmost precision – and with full 4:4:4 HD RGB color support. When you're ready to send your project out to tape, simply set the desired output frame rate in Universal Mastering to create your final master in the highest quality, with consistency – even if your project includes clips with different frame rates. (Universal Mastering is only available when used with Nitris DX hardware)
Design & Deliver
With Avid DVD and Sorenson Squeeze included, you can author DVDs and optimize media for the highest-quality playback – online or on disc. Author professional DVDs and Blu-ray Discs using Avid DVD, which works with Windows-based systems (including emulation software on Macs). With Sorenson Squeeze you can optimize content in a variety of formats, including HD, DVD, MPEG-2, MPEG-4/H.264, Flash, and 3GPP
Get the Support You Need
Get Started Quickly
To help you get up and running quickly, Avid offers a huge collection of video tutorials, workflow guides, webinars, and more on its website
Join the Community for Support & More
Need advice or answers from your peers and experts? Join the Avid community, made up of hundreds of professional editors and Avid representatives around the world. Search for answers, ask questions, or help others in the forums. Get some great tips and tutorials from other users in the community. And check out what other Symphony users are doing or thinking about in the Blogs section
Avid Is There To Help
If you need personal assistance, help is just a click, email, or phone call away. Avid offers a variety of support options, from the affordable Avid Vantage – which provides unlimited online support, five NewBlueFX plug-ins for a year, and a great return on your $149 investment (which can be applied towards an upgrade) – to Avid Priority and Avid Uptime Support plans for more critical needs
