video track help - yes, I'm new to video

[Scott P]

Hi all,

I am trying to wrap my head around editing for video. In truth, I have no idea if SS will do what I need, but I'd at least like to figure out what it will do.

This is my first try at any kind of video anything. So, please be patient.

First, I got the K-lite codec pack installed. I can view video files in the viewer, but there is no sound, and I can't seem to figure out how to import the sound from the file. I know there is sound there, because I can open it in a normal media player. I just can't get it into SS. I know I'm missing something simple.

What I'm looking to do, eventually, is compile videos for virtual wind ensembles, choirs, etc. I've done the audio part of it in another program (time stretch was absolutely necessary to get the files to line up even close). But, I'd like to use SS for some of this if I can.

If anyone can explain to me, or tell me where to find information, regarding the relationship between video frame rates and whatever I need to know to output the right audio bitrate to keep them synced, I'd sure appreciate that as well.

Baby steps for this audio guy learning video.


Thanks in advance,
Scott

PS: If you know of any resources to help me learn this, feel free to let me know.

[Bob L]

The idea here is to sync the video with audio in the multitrack for sound design. The audio on the video itself is not automatically played. To use the base audio from the video file itself, you first extract it from the video file using the options in the video track menues. The audio is placed on a track in the multitrack to be blended and mixed along with other audio sound effects and music.

A good place to start is right in the SAWStudio Helpfile... there is a chapter on Using the Video Track Viewer.

Bob L

[RobertV]

Hi Scott;

To me the first question you need to answer is:

Are you editing sound to video (i'e'; you want to keep the Video content and edit the sound to it)
Are you editing Video to Sound (i'e'; you want to keep the Audio as it is and match the Video to it)

In the first case it is perfectly possible to use SS but as Bob says, read the manual and make sure your Video file is the correct format that SS accepts!

In the second case I would use a Video editing program. Which one is a can of worms, lots of people will guide you to Adobe Premiere
another one to try is Da Vinci Resolve (there is a free version which would be more than you need but you need a compatible Video card for it to run)
I do not have experience with either of the above but for my needs I found Sony Vegas worked very well.
I used it to put visuals to some of the Meditation music we created.

Youtube the following to get the idea

"Inthe Stillness" Compilation - Art2Ear - cdbaby.com/cd/vincepulo2

hope this helps

Cheers!

[Scott P]

Hi Scott;

To me the first question you need to answer is:

Are you editing sound to video (i'e'; you want to keep the Video content and edit the sound to it)
Are you editing Video to Sound (i'e'; you want to keep the Audio as it is and match the Video to it)

In the first case it is perfectly possible to use SS but as Bob says, read the manual and make sure your Video file is the correct format that SS accepts!

In the second case I would use a Video editing program. Which one is a can of worms, lots of people will guide you to Adobe Premiere
another one to try is Da Vinci Resolve (there is a free version which would be more than you need but you need a compatible Video card for it to run)
I do not have experience with either of the above but for my needs I found Sony Vegas worked very well.
I used it to put visuals to some of the Meditation music we created.

Youtube the following to get the idea

"Inthe Stillness" Compilation - Art2Ear - cdbaby.com/cd/vincepulo2

hope this helps

Cheers!

Robert,

This does help some. I am looking at doing a little of both, sound to video, and video to sound. I'd like to use SS as much as possible since I'm so familiar with it. So, your answer is helping me to decide what I may need outside SS. Most people I talk to are using Adobe Premier. I don't know enough to make a choice between software. I didn't really know which direction to look. At least now I have two other choices to look at. Thank you.

I'm basically talking about live concerts of large ensembles (orchestras, choirs, etc) that need sweetening before being webcast. But, I'm also doing some session recordings that will eventually be webcast. Some of those recordings involve audio editing to fix bad spots and the video people don't really understand what to do with that, how to re-sync it, hide transitions, etc. If I could do that myself, I could offer that service to my clients. Conceptually, I know what needs to be done. I just don't know anything about video editing or software.

Normally, I do what I need to do on the audio end and just send the audio .wav file to the video people for them to marry to the video. I wouldn't mind being able to do it the other way around if I'd like to. I'd also like to be able to edit video from several cameras to match the edited audio as described above.

I know there's a bit of a learning curve here, but working during this pandemic has me looking for other income streams.

Thank you for helping me through it.
Scott

[Scott P]

The idea here is to sync the video with audio in the multitrack for sound design. The audio on the video itself is not automatically played. To use the base audio from the video file itself, you first extract it from the video file using the options in the video track menues. The audio is placed on a track in the multitrack to be blended and mixed along with other audio sound effects and music.

A good place to start is right in the SAWStudio Helpfile... there is a chapter on Using the Video Track Viewer.

Bob L

Bob,
I've tried extracting the file to SS. What happens is that I get the "audio has been extracted" box, but no audio is on the multitrack nor is it anywhere in a file that I can find. I'm reading the manual and doing the best that I can. I know that part of my problem is my total lack of even basic knowledge of how video works, as well as terminology. I'm studying up as quickly as I can. I'm trying to start small, just get a basic file to load into SS, maybe play with it a little and export it to see if it works.

Thank you for your patience and help as I try to navigate a new technology - well, new to me.
Scott

[Dave Labrecque]

Bob,
I've tried extracting the file to SS. What happens is that I get the "audio has been extracted" box, but no audio is on the multitrack nor is it anywhere in a file that I can find. I'm reading the manual and doing the best that I can. I know that part of my problem is my total lack of even basic knowledge of how video works, as well as terminology. I'm studying up as quickly as I can. I'm trying to start small, just get a basic file to load into SS, maybe play with it a little and export it to see if it works.

Thank you for your patience and help as I try to navigate a new technology - well, new to me.
Scott

Scott, there are two options. One to extract audio to the video track in the MT and the other to extract it into the folder of your choice. Sounds like you used the latter option. If you don't remember where you extracted it to, would try the option again and look where the navigator dialog is pointing.

Another possibility is that the extraction failed. You could try doing it in another program, like Sound Forge or QuickTime. There are also probably free online tools you could use.

[Scott P]

Scott, there are two options. One to extract audio to the video track in the MT and the other to extract it into the folder of your choice. Sounds like you used the latter option. If you don't remember where you extracted it to, would try the option again and look where the navigator dialog is pointing.

Another possibility is that the extraction failed. You could try doing it in another program, like Sound Forge or QuickTime. There are also probably free online tools you could use.

Dave,

I'm learning....

So, "Extract Audio to MT" is the only option available. "Extract Audio" is greyed out. If I try Extracting to MT, it does something, and then a notice comes up that says "extraction is complete". But, there's nothing there. I can extract with another program, then import it. So, that's not a big deal. I was just hoping to not need to do that. Any chance that is an audio format that SS doesn't recognize?

My "guinea pig" file is one sent to me by a client to edit the audio only. So, I never had to mess with the video portion. I just happen to have it to play with. The frame rate is 23.976. Is that unusual? Or is that pretty normal? I'm just curious.

According to the manual, SS renders the files to either Type 1 or Type 2 AVI. I understand that AVI is basically the standard. How does that translate to mp4/mpeg4? (I told you that I don't know anything.)

Again, thanks for the help.
Scott

[UpTilDawn]

Dave,

I'm learning....

So, "Extract Audio to MT" is the only option available. "Extract Audio" is greyed out. If I try Extracting to MT, it does something, and then a notice comes up that says "extraction is complete". But, there's nothing there. I can extract with another program, then import it. So, that's not a big deal. I was just hoping to not need to do that. Any chance that is an audio format that SS doesn't recognize?

My "guinea pig" file is one sent to me by a client to edit the audio only. So, I never had to mess with the video portion. I just happen to have it to play with. The frame rate is 23.976. Is that unusual? Or is that pretty normal? I'm just curious.

According to the manual, SS renders the files to either Type 1 or Type 2 AVI. I understand that AVI is basically the standard. How does that translate to mp4/mpeg4? (I told you that I don't know anything.)

Again, thanks for the help.
Scott

Try making one of the audio channels the hot track before doing the extract audio to MT. I think that will cure the audio track not showing up. You might also check the project folder first to see if the audio file that you'd already extracted is there and then use the FILE menu to import the wav file to your audio track of choice. Be sure that your cursor is at the very start of the video file, so they are aligned when you import.

It's also helpful to move the video track up to the audio channels - for visual alignment, if nothing else.

23.976 is one of the frame rate choices in SAW, so as long as you set your project frame rate to that, there should be no problem. I actually use that frame rate often, myself.

The AVI file that SAW writes will need to be converted to mp4, if that is your destination file type. It should be quite a bit smaller as an mp4 as well. I believe you want to render to Type 2 AVI, by the way. I remember running into issues back when I was using SAW to render videos a lot more.