This piece of software is designed for real-time performance of Foley footsteps in a film.  While normal human footsteps can be recorded  in Foley studios with artists performing the moves in sound-isolated recording studios, we get limited by two things:  1) Not every film has access to or budget for a full Foley studio.  2)  Not every footstep type is able to be performed by a human.  The sounds of aliens, mud monsters, and giant killer robots are left to be assembled by a person sitting in a chair moving audio files around on a screen.  The loss of performance and the time it takes for that process made me want to find a better way. 

I wrote Jack-in-the-Box as a sampler, but one specifically geared towards footsteps.  It allows for many levels of loudness of step, but also tracks the speed with which you are performing them (via midi) and will switch to the appropriate speed step as well (running, walking, etc).  Aside from this extra matrix of sample selection, the program also allows you to layer multiple sounds, add automatic or performable variation, do real-time DSP with VST plugins, and route each element of the step to multiple output channels for fine-tuned mixing.

I’m still working on smoothing some things out with this, and building  shoe midi controller in the future, but the software got a real-world test replacing the footsteps for an independent horror film in Boston.

You can watch a video explanation of the software at http://www.chris-lane.com/sounds.htm

For inquiries regarding Jack-in-the-Box, feel free to call or email me.