For those who don’t know the tool: CrumplePop from Boris FX provides AI audio restoration and separation tools for editors and post facilities. Its plugins run inside applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Avid Pro Tools. The included SoundApp standalone utility processes files outside the NLE or DAW.

Audio engineers often repeat a simple rule. Once a stereo mix is exported, the ingredients are baked together for good. Boris FX would prefer that rule to be more of a suggestion.

The company has released the 2026 version of CrumplePop, expanding the toolkit beyond dialogue cleanup into demixing and stem reconstruction. The update centres on SoundApp, the standalone application included with the CrumplePop toolkit. The redesigned software introduces several AI models capable of splitting finished audio or video mixes into separate elements such as voice, music, or sound effects.

The premise is simple and familiar to anyone who has opened an archive project at 2 a.m. and discovered that the original audio session is missing. Instead of reopening a DAW or NLE project and hunting through old drives for multitrack files, the user can import a rendered mix and attempt to isolate the individual components directly from the master.

CrumplePop’s separation models attempt to reach inside that master file and reconstruct stems such as drums, bass, vocals, or dialogue. All processing runs locally on the user’s machine. No cloud upload is required, and there are no server-side processing limits.

The demonstration material frames the concept in familiar terms for audio engineers. Once a stereo master is rendered, individual elements are normally fixed inside the mix. CrumplePop positions its separation models as a way to reopen that mix and extract elements such as drums, bass, vocals, and instruments as independent stems.

A tidier SoundApp

SoundApp itself has been redesigned for the 2026 release with a darker interface and updated layout aimed at music and postproduction workflows. A new model manager provides a central location for downloading and managing AI models used by the application. The interface allows users to browse and install new denoise or demixing models as they become available. The manager is accessible through a laboratory-style icon in the interface or from the model selection menu.

The system allows the application to evolve over time as improved models are released. One practical addition is on-the-fly processing. Instead of analysing the entire file before playback, the user can move the playhead to a specific point and begin rendering from that position.

In practice, this means the user can scrub through a file while the system processes the section around the playhead. For long recordings, that behaviour may reduce the amount of waiting normally associated with demixing tools. Waveform visualisation has also been expanded. SoundApp displays separated stems dynamically as the user adjusts settings. The tracks can be shown as overlapping waveforms or as individual layers. The intention is to make it easier to see which sections contain speech, music, or effects while the separation process runs.

Three models for different mixes

The update introduces separation models designed for different types of material. Music 4 Stems divides a finished music mix into four categories: vocals, drums, bass, and other instruments. The final group includes guitars, synthesisers, and melodic parts. Maybe even Bagpipes.

Each component can be exported as an individual track after processing. Users can rebalance the mix, remove elements, or repurpose isolated stems in other projects.

Voice 2 Stems focuses on separating vocal material from background audio. It can extract vocals from music recordings or isolate spoken dialogue from mixed audio. Possible uses include generating instrumental tracks, preparing remix material, or removing background music from dialogue recordings. Or getting tracks ready for Karaoke, we are not judging. The model may also reduce recording artefacts such as headphone bleed or environmental noise that appears alongside speech.

Cinema demixing for editorial triage

The third model, Cinema 4 Stems, is aimed at video editors dealing with finished programme audio. The model splits imported audio into four tracks: voice, music, sound effects, and other material.

One example involves online video that contains copyrighted music playing in the background. If a platform detects the music, the video may be demonetised. By isolating the music stem, the editor can mute it while preserving the spoken dialogue track.

Another demonstration shows extracting a clean sound effect from mixed audio. In the example, a rocket launch recording contains both a spoken countdown and the launch sound. The separation model isolates the effect so the voice track can be muted.

A further scenario involves removing speech from environmental recordings. If someone talks during otherwise useful B-roll audio, the voice stem can be muted while leaving the ambient sound intact. These workflows happen directly inside SoundApp. The user imports the finished media file, separates its audio components, adjusts or mute selected stems, and exports the result.

The familiar restoration tools remain

CrumplePop continues to include the audio restoration models that originally defined the toolkit. These tools address common recording problems such as wind noise, traffic rumble, echo, and uneven vocal levels. The models improve dialogue clarity while reducing environmental noise or room tone. The corrections are applied directly within the interface. These restoration tools remain available both in SoundApp and as plugins inside editing and audio software.

Integration with editing and audio software

CrumplePop continues to ship both as a standalone application and as plugin effects. Plugin versions are supported in editing and audio applications including Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition, Avid Media Composer, Avid Pro Tools, Apple Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve. Music applications such as GarageBand and Logic Pro are also supported. SoundApp operates alongside these plugins as a standalone environment for analysing or repairing mixed audio.

Pricing and availability

SoundApp is included with every purchase of the CrumplePop toolkit. Subscription pricing begins at 18 USD per month or 180 USD per year. Perpetual licences, upgrade and support renewal plans are also available through the company’s online store. Customers with an active CrumplePop subscription, a Boris FX Suite subscription, or a current upgrade and support plan receive the 2026 release as part of their existing entitlement.

A familiar problem, now with algorithms

The underlying problem addressed by the update will be familiar to anyone working in audio post. Once a mix has been rendered to stereo or surround, the original elements are usually locked inside the file. Recovering dialogue or removing music normally requires the original multitrack project.

Machine learning separation models have recently begun to address this problem by reconstructing stems from mixed audio. CrumplePop 2026 joins that group of tools. Whether the separation quality holds up under complex mixes will depend heavily on the material.

The cautious verdict

CrumplePop 2026 expands the toolkit well beyond dialogue repair into broader audio demixing and remix preparation. The addition of GPU processing, on-the-fly rendering, and multiple separation models suggests that SoundApp is gradually evolving into a central utility for working with mixed audio.

Whether it consistently delivers clean stems from dense mixes remains to be tested in production environments. Because, as always, new tools and innovations should be carefully tested before deployment in professional pipelines.

https://borisfx.com/products/crumplepop/

The post CrumplePop targets baked audio mixes first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: SynthEyes by Boris FX is a dedicated 3D camera tracking and matchmoving software used across film, VFX, and advertising production. It interfaces smoothly with Nuke, After Effects, Fusion and other DCC applications, delivering fast, precise solves for integration of CG into live action. Part of the Boris FX Suite, SynthEyes sits alongside tools such as Mocha Pro, Continuum, Sapphire, and Silhouette, forming a tightly integrated pipeline of visual effects and finishing plugins.

Free matchmove mastery – for a limited time

Boris FX has announced SynthEyes Essentials, a new training series designed to teach both the conceptual foundations and practical workflows of matchmoving in SynthEyes. The package, usually priced at USD 95, is available as a free premium download until 31 December 2025.

The offer includes over three hours of professional instruction, spread across eighteen videos, with accompanying project files and sample footage. The series is taught by Boris FX product specialist Christoph Zapletal, a long-time VFX artist and trainer – and Digital Production’s own Compositing, Flame and Star trek Author.

Topics include matchmove theory, camera solving, AI-assisted workflows, roto masking, lens distortion management, mesh generation, and object tracking. Boris FX positions the series as a comprehensive, concept-driven training rather than a feature-by-feature tutorial. If you want to learn what you are doing, and not just which button to press, this is the course for you.

What do you get?

Across eighteen lessons and twelve blocks, SynthEyes Essentials builds a structured learning path from theory to application. It starts with conceptual understanding, progresses through tracking, solving, calibration, and ends with practical export and integration workflows. Each block is designed to be modular, allowing artists to focus on specific parts of the matchmove process or follow the series sequentially for a full onboarding to SynthEyes.

Foundations and Core Concepts

The course opens with an Introduction and a clear explanation of the Underlying Concepts of matchmoving. These first lessons establish the theoretical foundation of what camera solving actually does, namely mapping 2D image data into a consistent 3D coordinate space. Christoph outlines how SynthEyes interprets motion, focal length, and parallax, giving artists a solid base before they begin working hands-on. This section sets the tone for the entire training: conceptual understanding first, tools second.

Tracking Workflows

Once the principles are clear, the series moves into practical tracking. Lessons on Automated Tracking and Supervised Tracking demonstrate SynthEyes’ two primary approaches to extracting tracking data. Automated tracking covers point generation and solving for shots that can be processed algorithmically. The supervised section focuses on when and how to step in manually: tuning track points, correcting drift, and controlling motion paths when the automated system struggles. Together, these chapters establish a complete understanding of tracking strategies for real production footage.

Solving and Refinement

The next stage is “The Solver Room”, where all the accumulated tracking data is converted into a working 3D solve. The solver section demonstrates how SynthEyes interprets the camera’s path and reconstructs the scene’s geometry. The training then introduces Roto Masking, showing how to isolate moving foreground elements or exclude unwanted regions from the tracking process. This not only improves accuracy but also keeps solves stable in complex or occluded shots.

Lens and Calibration

Zapletal then focuses on optical parameters in three consecutive chapters: Lens Distortion, Lens Calculation, and Lens Calibration. These lessons explain how real-world lenses introduce distortion, how SynthEyes models and compensates for it, and how to calculate or calibrate lenses from footage or reference data. This block is particularly useful for artists working with varying cameras or mixed-format source material, where lens data is inconsistent or missing.

Coordinate Systems and Scene Setup

The two lessons titled Coordinate Systems Part 1 and Part 2 explain how SynthEyes handles scene orientation, scale, and alignment. Understanding coordinate spaces is crucial when exporting solves to downstream 3D applications such as Nuke or Maya. These chapters ensure that solved data lines up correctly with CG scenes and compositing environments, avoiding scale and rotation mismatches in later stages of production.

Mesh Generation

The Mesh Generation Part 1 and 2 chapters explore SynthEyes’ built-in mesh tools. Artists learn how to create proxy geometry that helps verify solves, anchor objects in space, and visualise tracking quality. These lessons demonstrate both automated and manual mesh workflows, preparing users for typical use cases like ground plane setup or background modelling for compositing reference.

Object Tracking

Next, Object Tracking Part 1 and Part 2 move beyond camera solves to show how SynthEyes handles independent object motion. This section is key for shots with multiple moving elements—cars, props, or handheld devices. It explains how to isolate and track objects independently while maintaining a consistent world space between multiple solves.

Export and Integration

The final three chapters deal with transferring the finished solve to other applications. Zapletal demonstrates exporting cameras, point clouds, meshes, and nulls to standard 3D and compositing packages. Topics include export format choices, scaling conventions, and verification of data integrity. The course closes with best practices for integrating SynthEyes results into downstream VFX or editing pipelines.

Availability and next steps

Artists can download SynthEyes Essentials for free via the Boris FX webshop until the end of December 2025. From 1 January 2026, it will be priced at USD 95 for the premium download, though the videos will remain freely viewable on the Boris FX website. As with any training-based workflow adoption, users are advised to validate techniques and settings against their own production data before deploying in critical pipeline stages, but, after we have seen a few of the videos, this one will be useful for pretty much everybody.

The post SynthEyes Essentials Training is here and Free for the Holidays first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.