[Craig Alan]

High end audio editors do not use FCP X for audio. In FCP X, select a clip. In the inspector, select the audio tab. Under channel configuration you will see a pull down where you can select mono or stereo or left right center surround. For the low end, you might or might not get better results with dual mono or stereo. For high end, use the last option. Do a search on google for using this feature in FCP X. If you have a player with cheap audio components, it will always sound like crap if you boost the amp all the way up. I would test each playback at 12 o’clock. At 12 it should bring the recording back to life without distortion.

If the original audio recording was poor, there is only so much you can do.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Yes, I see that now. We have been using P2 footage throughout our transition to FCP X. With P2, there is no need to transcode, only rewrap. If optimized is selected in the import window, a transcoded version is put in the library in the Transcoded>High Quality Media folder. However, FC would actually use the original media rewrapped as QT outside the library in whatever folder is selected upon import. I know this by choosing ‘reveal in finder’ in the inspector. The high quality version has larger file sizes even though both are QT. There is no difference in quality. I have checked with many sources and was told AVC-Intra 100M 1080p30/24, Linear PCM is a perfectly good codec for editing – no advantage to transcoding to prores 422. Fortunately, we left optimized unchecked in the large majority of imports. The rest can be erased. When I erased the one import where optimized was selected by mistake, no files went off-line. No need to relink anything. So in 10.1.1, FC already had the ability to use alias files and reference media outside the library. And in fact would do this by default regardless if we optimized or not.

The above worked this way with a library that had already been updated to 10.1.2 before I did this test. I will check if this is the case with 10.1.1 when I get to work on Monday. I need to go through all our raids and back-up projects I think need to archived and trash the rest anyway. As I do this, I will trash any transcoded versions of our original media.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

My understanding of audio is missing a screw.

Let’s say I have a clip that goes from -20 to above 0.

I used to use the normalize command set to -6 in legacy FC, at least to get started.

What will these two do to a clip like that?

Also could that be a range and not just clips?

——–

Ok answer my own questions:

An absolute adjustment will +/- the volume by x db from the default setting (Horizontal volume bar) in the timeline. A relative adjustment will +/- the volume by x db from the current horizontal setting of the volume bar in the timeline. So they both are another way of adjusting the volume bar in the timeline up and down for any selected range. The advantage over dragging is you can type in an exact amount of adjustment.

The legacy “normalize” command, adjusts the peaks to a user set limit. Very handy.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Can’t we already store optimized media at any location? All my libraries use aliases.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Not sure what you are asking. Are these ranges within a series of clips that you have labeled as favorites? Do you want just the favorites in their own folders? If so you could just make a smart collection and then label them using the keyword editor and they will be moved into the smart folders. You can also drag them as a group (command click each one you want) to the new event in the new library.

However, if the problem is that the link to the original media in the finder has been broken you need to relink them first. And if you have lost track of what the originals are called and where they are stored that could be hard. However you could go to the finder open the original media and figure out where stuff is. Any original media in the finder will play in preview if you click the space bar.

To see what is in the current library in the finder: right click the library and select “show package contents”

Here’s how to relink:

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH12701?viewlocale=en_US

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Try the flash transition.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

Was this recorded with a prerecorded music track — like you would a music video? If so you can’t beat creating a multicam clip.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

I just tested this and it’s a bit more complicated than this and perhaps is a bug. If I engage transform from the pull down in the viewer, the skimmer still works. If I then activate different areas in the program browser/timeline/viewer, the done button will appear and disappear and the skimmer will work and not work. Couldn’t find a pattern but maybe there is one. So to me it’s buggy. I’ve also had the play (space key) stop working and other buggy behavior. For me, it all started with OS X 10.9.2 And 10.9.3. FC was more stable back in OS X 10.9.1 and earlier. I’ve tried deleting all FC system files and reinstalling FC. Doesn’t help at all.

Now it could be that clicking into certain windows gets me out of the transform function and it needs to be reengaged or something.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

This is my biggest beef with FCP X – that different areas of the program work differently. Makes it far less “intuitive.” Coupled with the seemingly inconsistent activation of these different areas. It would help if the activated area would glow with a little more contrast than it does currently. Too many times during a session I am finding myself trying to apply something and learning i am in the wrong area. This occurs way more than in FCP 1-7. In fact, until X I don’t remember ever feeling this way.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.

[Craig Alan]

or control-option-up/down arrows is easier for expanded audio. If you preset your slider as a baseline it does help when working with these audio “tracks”.

Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.