Mixing audio to sync with video

[cmelega]

Hello,

 

What I am trying to do is essentially find an easy way to mix the audio track between 2 videos and have the videos remain un sync. As an example, I can add 2 clips to my sequence, take the audio from clip 2 and and move it to a postion that corresponds to 5 seconds before video 1 ends. I want video clip 1 to finish playing completley and ther last 5 seconds of audio from video clip 1 (along with the video) will be mixed in with the audio from the 1st 5 seconds of video clip 2. The problem is that I need to make sure that video clip 2 is in sequence will start and be in synch with the audio from video clip2 that started at the last 5 seconds of video clip 1. I can't find a way to get video clip 2 and the audio for video clip 2 to be in synch. I have tried setting the input point for video clip 2 5 seconds in but this still doesn't sync very well.

Any thoughts for the easiest way to do this is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Charlie

[cmelega]

Hi

What you are describing seems to be a normal dissolve from one clip to another isn't it?

If you detach the audio from clip 2 and move it 5 seconds left before the end of clip 1 you will be out of synch when clip 2 starts.

You can't move clip 2 back to match but there may be a way to fiddle around it.

 

I personally think that the cross fade in VP is not that smooth as the sound tracks don't dissolve too well and the images dont always completely fade out before the clips change, but you can make it better.

 

If you click the soundtrack from clip 2, you can then "soften" its opening during a normal cross fade by simply clicking it and then setting it to fade in at the speed you want that is independant of the crossfade speed.Similarly you can fade out the sound from clip 1 to smooth the transition.

 

You can also set the end and start positions of the cross fade itself and not rely on the default which spreads the effect equally between the two clips. If you haven't already found it,switch to timeline mode and between your clips click on the small button and add a crossfade, the length of the effect is not important. You will now see a yellow bar above the sequence spread equally between your clips. Click this bar to activate it and then by grabbing either of the ends you can drag them left/right to change the start and end positions of the crossfade. You may be ablr to get nearer what you want with these adjustments.

 

However, you could try playing with this idea...

 

Place your two clips on the sequence line with no crossfade between them. (Timeline mode..zoomed into the region of interest)

You will need to have clip 2 start 5 seconds (your chosen value) before you require your transition to take place as this bit of film will be lost.

Now move the cursor to the spot in clip 2 where you want it to actually start.(i.e. 5 seconds in)

Split clip 2 at this point and in the bit you have cut off, unlink the sound (right click to select the option) It will now appear on the lower track.)

 

Grab this piece of soundtrack (should be 5 seconds long) and drag it left until it lies under the end of clip 1.

Now delete the bit of clip 2 that you split off.The remaining length of clip 2 will jump left to take its place.

 

You should now have kept everything in synch but with 5 seconds of clip 2 playing over the last 5 seconds of clip 1.(but with no visuals )

The transition between clips will be a straight cut at this point.

 

Now you can adjust the fade in fade out of the mixed tracks.

The last step is to add a crossfade to the two clips and adjust this as described above to your liking.

 

This may go some way to achieving something like you want. It's a compromise I know but its another possible way if you don't like the normal crossfade.

 

Nat

[cmelega]

Excellent detail Nat. Thanks very much!! I am burning a DVD of 50 music videos and want will use the crossfade approach and tweak it a bit. Both approaches work well. The 2nd approach does provide better results than VP's default crossfade function but woth 50 videos to edit, may take some time.

Again, thanks for the excellent detail.

 

Charlie

[cmelega]

Excellent detail Nat. Thanks very much!! I am burning a DVD of 50 music videos and want will use the crossfade approach and tweak it a bit. Both approaches work well. The 2nd approach does provide better results than VP's default crossfade function but woth 50 videos to edit, may take some time.

Again, thanks for the excellent detail.

 

Charlie

[cmelega]

Actually, I take that back. The 2nd process you outlined where I split the fitst 5 seconds (or so) of clip 2, unlink the soundtrack from the 5 second split, move to end of clip 1 and then delete the 5 second unlinked clip 2 segment is pretty quick as well and actually what I'd prefer. The only thing I am struggling with is how to smooth out the sound during the transition to the 5 second split of of clip 2 to the remaining sound portion of clip 2. This seems a little "choppy". I'm playing with some options how to smooth this out but welcome any thoughts you may have.

 

Thanks again,

 

Charlie