Audio Multitrack

[petersilver]

Hello

I have been using P2E for the last few years (not all the time though) but I am now making a mini documentary so this is the first time I have had to use the audio multitrack feature to add VO and music.

I'm finding it difficult to dip the music down when a voice comes in - lining it up I mean. Seems very difficult to do accurately.

I am a video editor and in the end I did the audio mixing in my NLE. In there all the tracks are lined up under each other and I can set nodes to dip the volume where I need it. Very easy and simple.

Perhaps a new feature sometime unless I'm missing something!

Peter

[davegee]

Peter,

We expect the feature you suggest to appear in the next version.

In the meantime you can do what you want ("nodes") to individual tracks in Project Options > Audio > Customize > Show Waveform.

DG

[uuderzo]

Peter,

When i need to solve this problem i set only the music tracks in PTE, then render the full video to file, estrapolate the audio track, put into an audio editor (i use ableton live) and add the voice in a second audio track with the music limited by a compressor effect driven by the voice track.

Then export the new audio track to file and use it as the original audio track of the PTE show.

Sounds pretty complicated ad limiting... well... it is, but it works

Greetings! Umberto

[petersilver]

Peter,

When i need to solve this problem i set only the music tracks in PTE, then render the full video to file, estrapolate the audio track, put into an audio editor (i use ableton live) and add the voice in a second audio track with the music limited by a compressor effect driven by the voice track.

Then export the new audio track to file and use it as the original audio track of the PTE show.

Sounds pretty complicated ad limiting... well... it is, but it works :)/>

Greetings! Umberto

Thanks Guys.

That's more or less what I had to do Umberto, but looking forward to the next version!

Peter

[Tonyofsha]

Thanks Guys.

That's more or less what I had to do Umberto, but looking forward to the next version!

Peter

I have the same problem when I try to mix the original sound with music and some part of the original sound is too noisy. What we can do before the new version comes out, I guess, is to cut the original sound track into three pieces, dip the volume in the middle piece, and then mix them up. I have not tried that yet. I wish that works.

[davegee]

Out of PURE interest, which part of all that do you guys find difficult (or even impossible) to do in PTE?

This JPEG only shows one track but it is no more difficult with 32.

Please remember - not being argumentative - just curious?

DG

[Guest Yachtsman1]

After using the conventional audio editors for a number of years, such as Audacity, PTE's seems time consuming to acheive the desired results. Therefore as PTE doesn't have the in depth Audacity features, I see no point in changing.

Yachtsman1.

[Barry Beckham]

Dave

I know where your coming from here, but I think many people would rather stay with something they know. I have always assumed it is a confidence thing and it's why Travel Inns and McDonalds are popular. People know exactly what they are gonna get, even if it isn't perfect. We are more comfortable using what we know, rather than spend time learning something new. As we have discussed before, there are benefits to staying with what you know, because you get to be an expert. The downside is the possiblity that you get left behind when you should have took notice, but didn't. :lol:/> Story of my life

Back to PTE sound, I don't think an external editor adds anything to what PTE can do and it is convenienet for everything to be in one spot. If you use an external editor you still need PTE timeline to give you the timings, so it may as well be done within the program. The only downside is that if you use a 10MB sound file and only use 20 seconds the whole 10 MB is still locked into the final exe. Other than that I am sold, but I still want to see it a bit more visual.

[PGA]

Dave,

My principle concern is that we cannot do the enveloping of one clip whilst seeing the waveform of all the other clips that run along side it. We are having to mix one track in isolation from all the rest. That is not how a sound engineer/sound mixer works. They listen to the entire mix whilst adjusting the levels of the track being "blended in".

A secondary concern is that, in PTE, I cannot set the envelope by using dB values. When mixing voice-over against background music there is an internationally recognised standard (set by the various national bodies concerned with the hearing impaired) that there should be at least 20dB of separation between the voice and the background. Unfortunately, it is a standard that an increasing number of the independent companies who produce TV programmes either ignore are are totally unaware of. When working in Audacity I can set the waveform displays to show dB, can set the vertical axis to an expanded state that shows dB at every 6dB, and can thus easily drag the envelope of the music down until I judge it to be just over 18dB lower than the voice-over.

regards,

PGA

[petersilver]

Yes, you can edit the sound with PTE and I can see the way to dip the volume etc. However you cannot line up the tracks to do that accurately - it comes up in a separate window that has no relation to the timeline.

All I want to do is an accurate way to dip the background track under a voice over.

Pete

[davegee]

All,

The reason I posted was that the "impression" is being given in this thread that these things are impossible to do in PTE.

They are not impossible and they are not difficult.

However, I fully expect that they will be made easier in the not too distant future.

From the onset of Audio Editing in PTE I have used it exclusively and whilst I don't (perhaps) produce such complicated creations as the rest of you I haven't come across anything "impossible" to do in PTE.

B)/>

I'm not going to duck my head in the sand until Igor produces the "perfect Audacity Clone".

:rolleyes:/>

DG

[rwbp2000]

If the time reference on the audio clip actually matched the main timeline reference according to the position of the clip in the timeline, instead of the time scale within the audio clip itself, then perhaps the problem would be solved?

[davegee]

Update:

The feature requested above is available in the Current Version of PicturesToExe i.e. to be able to see all Tracks in the Timeline simultaneously, within the limitations of screen size. The "envelope" feature is also available making Audio Editing much easier than with previous versions.

http://docs.picturestoexe.com/en/main-window/the_timeline

DG

[gogs]

I have used Audacity in the past and still do from time to time. Recently I have produced 4 local history DVD's in Pictures to Exe v8 each lasting up to an hour. These have included several music tracks and sound commentary. I have gone through the soundtrack and dipped the music background under the speech and have done this within pictures to exe in the expanded timeline (clicking the small triangle next to the timeline button). I had no trouble with this at all and it was easy to line up the nodal points while seeing all tracks and the slideview line as well.

 

Gogs