Magix Sequoia 16

Sequoia is your leading solution for professional audio production.

From the recording room to the mastering desk – stability, seamless processing and innovative editing features are key to engineers worldwide. Our partners, which include Europe's most prominent broadcasters, rely on its scalable, flexible network and hardware integration.

Your Tools For Audio Production

Sequoia's feature set covers every step of your daily production tasks. Check out the core functions based on our solutions' workflow categories. Get in contact for a complete list of features.

Metering And Matching Loudness

Metering in Sequoia

The metering display in Sequoia enables you to work with absolute precision. Access a range of visual layouts and set up your own private "cockpit" with different metering indicators. The following presets are also available for radio and TV broadcast norms: Type I, DIN scale - Type I, Nordic scale Type IIA, BBC -Type IIB, EBU.

True peak metering

Due to the inaccuracies of a sample peak meter, it's not possible to avoid clipping or distortion in the analog output if the individual samples in the original aren't at full scale. So, a normal peak meter cannot represent "real" peak values. Inter-sample peaks identified by oversampling by a factor of 4 can now be displayed and allow you to see "real" peaks.

Loudness metering

This plug-in enables you to adjust loudness and dynamics in accordance with international broadcasting standards EBU R128 und ITU-R BS.1770 for TV and radio programs. In Sequoia, you can switch between EBU R128 and ITU-R BS.1771 loudness measuring on the fly.

Loudness normalization

Normalize objects and audio files in accordance with broadcast standards. Loudness normalization can also be applied to the batch processing feature. This allows a large number of files to be adjusted to the target loudness value automatically. Automatic loudness normalization is optional for stereo audio export to broadcast databases.

Dynamic limiting

Dynamic limiting is now part of the loudness normalization dialog and enables the limiting of object dynamics in order to even out loudness variation within the audio material.

Calculate loudness

Calculate the loudness of the entire project or the selected range. The calculated values are displayed in a text dialog. This dialog also contains the option "Correct program loudness with master volume", which adjusts the volume using the stereo master or Surround master.

Loudness data export

Set the options for the loudness calculation for the file manager, for track bouncing and for database export. XML files are created during exporting, bouncing, batch processing or calculating loudness values. During saving loudness values can also be written as BWF files which are compliant with EBU Tech 3285.

Multi-User Handling

Network dongles

Each CodeMeter dongle can make its network licenses usable on other workstations. To reduce the amount of administrative work when using multiple licenses in a company, Sequoia offers network dongles with any desired amount of network licenses which can be accessed by any desired number of workstations. This can make it a lot easier to upgrade firmware and software.

User administration

The local user administration allows the administrator to grant or deny users access to certain hard drives. Sequoia may also be set up so that users can change program options while they are working, but the software will open with the administrator settings the next time it is launched. All Sequoia system settings can be saved in a container file to make it easy to transfer settings from one computer to another. When you put Sequoia on a new system, you can decide which settings to transfer (e.g. general settings, display settings, window positions, project templates, etc.).

Network login

Container files can also be used for network login, where they are stored in a network path to serve as user or group profile images. This lets you centrally manage all user profiles on a server. Users can log in on any workstation in the network with their personal settings. It's also possible to start off with the default settings on every new network login or to automatically transfer settings changes to the network profile. All these features make it easy for administrators to set up and manage even a large number of workstations.

Cleaning And Restoring

Spectral Cleaning

Especially useful for post-editing live recordings and interviews containing noises from moving chairs, cell phones and coughing: Audio disturbances can be easily selected for removal with the mouse. Elements that have gone missing from the original frequency spectrum are recalculated into the recording using interpolation or transitions from the surrounding usable signal.

Threshold range editing and logarithmic display

As part of the Spectral Cleaning you can limit interpolation to certain amplitudes in the spectrum. Specific notes can be removed from the spectrum without influencing background signals. Quieter or louder signal components outside the area will not be affected.

The logarithmic display allows you to change the spectrum view from linear to logarithmic. Switch to logarithmic display when working in low frequency ranges for improved display of the ranges and to enable precise changes in the material.

Steinberg SpectraLayers Pro 7

The external audio editor visualizes the frequency spectrum in layers and enables a whole new workflow for restoration, sound design and mixing. Intuitive operation, high performance audio engine and audio editing in 3D make SpectraLayers Pro one of the world’s most revolutionary spectral editing platforms.

DeHisser

The DeHisser is an additional noise removal tool which eliminates regular, low-level "white" noise, typically produced by recordings, microphone pre-amplifiers or transformers. Unlike with the DeNoiser, a sample of the distortion is not required.

DeClipper

The De-clipper is a tool for removing clipping and distortions. Passages with clipping are recalculated, i.e. interpolated, based on the material immediately surrounding them. The DeClipping algorithm is suitable for material with clearly audible clipping, e.g. distorted piano or vocals.

DeNoiser

Using "noise prints", the DeNoiser contained in Sequoia can remove distracting elements with little to no effect on the audio signal itself. For example, you can select the noise print of an air conditioning unit and calculate the noisy signal in your audio material in real time, allowing you to restore one-of-a-kind recordings in no time at all.

Brilliance enhancer

In contrast to an equalizer, which only raises existing frequencies, the Brilliance Enhancer recalculates new overtones from the remaining signal and markedly refreshes the sound. The Brilliance Enhancer is particularly effective when used as a mastering effect for pop and rock songs to increase transparency and brilliance.

DeClicker/DeCrackler

The DeClicker removes crackling and individual clicking noises, which are typical on scratched records. The DeCrackler has been specifically developed to remove crackling noises from old records. The signal display shows you the edited material as a continuous waveform or a spectrogram. In the display, you can see at which position the DeClicker and the DeCrackler have intervened.

Preparing Productions For Release

MP3/AAC preview plug-in

Preview projects that you plan to export as AAC or MP3 using the encoder settings. You can change the export settings directly in the dialog window. During the mastering process you have the option of taking the idiosyncrasies of the encoder into account and adjusting the quality relative to the requirements (e.g. "Mastered for iTunes").

CD/DVD mastering

CDs produced and burned with Sequoia are 100% Red Book-compatible and can be sent directly for pressing. CDs can be configured to include copy protection, UPC/EAN, ISRC, pre-emphasis, and CD text. Audio material with higher sample rates may be burned in stereo or Surround to audio DVDs.

DDP import/export

Sequoia supports professional file exchange between mastering studios and pressing plants. It's also possible to import DDP masters for editing or to compare them to the original project. Use the Sonoris DDP player to playback tracks and track transitions, see all PQ codes, ISRC, MCN and CD text data, and automatically check projects for RedBook compatibility.

Sharing Projects And Multi-Format Files

Batch processing for watch folders

Batch export multiple files at once. Define and trigger different export tasks altogether. Significantly reduce production time - batch processing specified through Batch XML can now be done in watch folders. Any files dropped in will be converted immediately.

Project import and export

Sequoia offers integrated OMF/AAF support, making it possible to exchange projects between programs and platforms. AAF is the preferred exchange format due to its larger feature set and open documentation. Hassle-free exchange of Ambisonics data with different software is granted.

Video import and export

Sequoia supports most standard audio and video formats. Sequoia also make it possible to edit video material for dubbing and post-production. Multiple videos can be loaded into Sequoia natively. Make sure you use uncompressed (or minimally compressed) formats, since positioning and editing these is much faster.

Surround

3D Reverb

3D Reverb is a unique and powerful algorithmic reverb. It creates the sound of a wide variety of acoustic spaces from small rooms to large concert halls. It works equally well in stereo and 3D multichannel applications with up to 10 audio channels natively. The input signals are passed into the virtual room according to their 3D panning, which directly supports the spatial impression of surround sound mixes.

3D Surround Panner

The clear view dialog allows for intuitive control when positioning highs in virtual sound sources. The positioning of the spatial axis can be automatized in both track and object. New VBAP positioning mode ("Vector Base Amplitude Panning") enables users to create Surround setup phantom sources with high sound localization acuity. VBAP can be used independently of the number of virtual speakers and in either 2D or 3D setup.

Surround tracks

Sequoia supports the use of any number of Surround masters in a single project, and up to 32 channels per track. No matter the channel count you can always create a stereo downmix as well. Level components for Surround channels can also be freely determined.

Accessibility

The accessibility of our products is of the utmost importance to us – especially in the domain of audio, since many visually impaired people have a heightened sense of hearing. We want everyone to be able to use our audio products to their fullest potential, with as few limitations as possible.

For this reason, we've integrated features to assist blind and visually impaired users into versions of Sequoia from Version 13.