Rick Mac
Forum Replies Created
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[Dan Eggleston] “Does it work if you move the event to a different track, or only along the same track?”
Yes it will move them to the new track.
Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
If you want keyframes to move when you move an event on the
timeline, choose “lock envelopes to events” found under the options menu.Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
[Dennis Allyn] “Could you please tell me what you believe to be the best settings for these. I have been using one of the default ones, I think the -3 one. What about the boxes at the bottom, gain and smooth, should they be checked?”
Sorry for taking so long to respond. I have been out of town all week.
The gain box – applies automatic makeup gain. As you adjust the threshold slider you will hear the makeup gain raising the volume. I like to uncheck this one. I adjust my threshold for 4-6db of gain reduction (on the peaks) and then manually adjust the output slider for the makeup gain.
The smooth box – as the name suggest has a warmer smoother sound that might help fatten the sound (if that is what’s needed use it). Unchecked gives a more transparent sound.
As far as presets there is no one setting that works for everything. My suggestion would be to start by using one that has a description that matches what your compressing, such as vocal. Then fine tune it using the threshold and ratio sliders (till it is what you want).
Most of the time I take a less is more appraoch to compression. The more heavy you compress somthing the more you will hear the compressor affect the timbre of the source. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. Recording enginner’s use compressors to not only control dynamics but to color the sound a certain way.
Play around with some sound sources and push those sliders around. Use your ear and before long you will know exactly what you like and what you do not.
Regards, Rick.
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The M-Audio Studiophile BX5 would be fine.
They make a good speaker for the money.
Your mixes will translate to other sytems better
than your computer speakers.Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
[wps_hlee] “Sometimes I’ll adjust a piece of music and it sounds perfect with the voice levels (at my PC) but then when I render it out to DVD and play it on my TV, the sound is too low. I’d like to get closer to the actual DVD output. Sort of a “what-you-hear-is-what-you-get” setup.”
If I understand your question correctly, your rendered DVD’s
are not loud enough when played back on your tv.New speakers are not going to affect your overall volume
level. It could affect the how you mix sounds relative to
each other. As an example, say you are doing a project
where you are mixing music with a voiceover. The quality
of your speakers could affect your preceived balance between the two. Then after render you play it back on a
different system and the mix sounds different.
That is what your speakers do.Now to your volume question.
You just need to up the audio level of your project.
Get the peaks level as close to 0 as you can without hitting
0. Need it louder? You could patch in a compressor or limiter
to the main output bus and raise the average level of
your audio.By the way I am an advocate for mixing on real speakers not computer speakers. M-Audio does make
a good product for the money.Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
[MuffinMan9o9`] “Hey. I am very new to Sony Vegas and am pretty unexperienced. I have Sony Vegas 7. I am wondering how to edit someones face (or whatever) onto someone / something in a video clip.”
What you are wanting to do is very advanced.
It would be next to impossible to try to tell you on
this forum how to do it. There are many techniques you
must learn and master to do this type of project.I would recommend picking up some books first to learn
compositing techniques as well as advanced Vegas editing.You can get instructional books and video for Vegas at
http://www.vasst.com.Perhaps someone on the forum could suggest a good
book on compositing, or other suggestions.Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
[Mike Kujbida] “Dave, as long as your camcorder has a mic input jack, rent a decent lav mic for the day and use your camcorder as the record device.”
Good advice Mike.
I would only add that if renting a lav try to get a directional lav. Most are omnidirectional and hear everything.
A directional has a more focus pickup pattern. It will hear
less ambience from the room and the talent will sound more direct.Also be very careful when micing your talent. You want some strain relief on your cable up at the capsule end, and look
out for clothes coming in contact with the mic.
Monitor your audio off of headphones so you know that all
is well.Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
[dennis allyn] ” really don’t understand the ratio thing 4 to 6 or the adjusting slider until I see a gain reduction on meters. Please explain for I am new at the audio.”
OK. Let’s first explain what a compressor does.
It is a device that will average out the volume of
your audio. Let’s talk controls and terms.Gain Reduction – Is how active the compressor is in reducing
the volume once the threshold volume is reached. It is measured on a db scale.Threshold – The volume at which the compressor becomes active.
Below the threshod no reduction, above the threshold reduction becomes active.Ratio – Once your reduction becomes active the ratio is how
much reduction the compressor does. It is also measured on
a db scale. The higher the ratio the more it holds back the volume once the threshold volume has been hit.Makeup Gain – Since you are compressing the signal your overall volume goes down. Makeup gain brings this back up for you, minus some of the loudest parts of the original signal.
Hence, quiet passages become louder while the loudest parts are tunred down. Your audio is now more consistant.Gain Reduction Meter – This meter tells you how active
the gain reduction is. It is a db scale meter. The more active the meter the more you are compressing.
4 to 6 db of reduction during the loud stuff is about right.A good rule of thumb is to set your ratio slider around 4 to 6. Play the audio and adjust the threshold slider till you see 4-6db on the gain reduction meter. Then adjust your output slider for good level on your vegas meters.
Be sure that your loudest peaks do not hit 0 on your meters.
In the digital world that will cause distortion.Did this help or is it still as clear as mud?
Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
[Dennis Allyn] “Is there a way to balance (level) the audio so it doesn’t go real and loud and the lower volume gets raised some.”
Yes. You need to adjust the compressor on your audio track.
What it will do is level out your volume.Click on the Track FX Button that is in the Audio Track Header. That will bring up three plugins, Noisegate, EQ,
and Compressor. Select the compressor tab. Play your
audio and adjust the ratio to betwwen 4 and 6. Now adjust
the threshold slider until you see 4-6 db of gain reduction on your meters. You may have to lower your output slider if the output level gets to high. The volume raises because the
compressor adds makeup gain as you lower the threshold level control.Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377 -
[Raiderneal] “When shooting weddings, I usually have my shotgun mic on my right channel and a direct feed from the audio board (music, speeches, etc.) on the left channel of my camera. When I edit this onto DVD, should I combine these tracks or leave them as is (seperate right and left)?”
You should as Edward suggested mix the two sources to mono.
An easy way to split your stereo track to two seperate
mono tracks for mixing is to use a script.Here is the link to a free one.
You must first register on this site. It is free
and there is a wealth of other free scripts and great
tutorials in the newsletter section.https://www.jetdv.com/vegas/forum/viewtopic.php?t=857
Regards, Rick.
Rick Mac
Director of Audio Production
TCT Network – Directv 377