SmartSound’s Sonicfire Pro 4 is out of the loop- by design. Unlike
loop-based programs, which build music scores bar-by-bar and
instrument- by-instrument-a process that can produce repetitious
results and take hours even for the most accomplished sound designers
and musicians – Sonicfire Pro simplifies scoring by working within a
familiar video editing workflow. Version 4 features a brand-new tool
called "Mood Mapping" that gives video editors a quick and nuanced way
to change the tone of a track by selecting a new mix of instruments
within an existing track. All you need to do is identify points on your
timeline where the visuals shift in character and mood, and sample the
variations from a handy pop-up menu. SmartSound says it plans to extend
the concept to future releases as well. $199 (package includes two
Strata Series music discs that feature a total of 20 multi-layer
tracks).