It should be possible to edit the volume curve of clips by using key frames and adjusting the local volume of the audio track. The technique is described in the "Help" files.
The described technique has no effect and the only adjustment I can make is to the overall level of the clip and applying a fade in or a fade out.
The described technique also appears to be somewhat "clunky" in comparison to other editing programs I've used. (Too many keystrokes / menu choices.)
Hi Rod.
I don't have VPX 13 but do have the same generation of Movie Edit Pro.
Did you select the the correct mouse mode and then draw directly on the audio track with the mouse?
That should alter the volume in relation to where the level is set in the audio track.
If you prefer to the automate The mixers sliders, then staying in the same mouse mode, adjust the appropriate slider in the mixer as you play back the timeline. To record over slider movement once recorded just run the project again while holding the slider in position with the left click of the mouse.
On playback the slider will move with the lowering and increasing of the audio level.
Ray.
Hi Rod,
I'm assuming that you turned on the object Volume Curve and not the track curve. Then you can do as Ray indicated or go to Effects tab, Audio Effects, General, and (with the audio object selected) you'll see volume in the keyframe area and the right hand window shows Volume at the top.
See my tutorials on Everything Audio. What you are looking for is near the beginning of Part 2.
Part 1
Part 2
John CB
Below is the text from the "Help" guide within VPX13.
It's somewhat different to what you describe and demonstrate in your (excellent!) tutorial. I did manage to use your technique on a section of test footage. The one described below does appear to be a simpler way to do it, but unfortunately it doesn't seem to work. Why would it appear within the "Help" guide?
Edit volume curve
You can use volume curves to easily edit the audio track of an object as you wish.
In a project, select an object whose volume you would like to adjust.
Open the volume curve by going to "Effects" > "Audio object effects" > "Volume curve".
You will now see an additional line in the audio track; this is the volume curve.
When you touch this line with your mouse cursor, the cursor is transformed from a hand symbol to an arrow. Now if you click on the line, you will create a point (keyframe), which you can grab with the mouse cursor and drag to a lower position. This lowers the volume of the overall object.
Create another point. Move this point down too and make sure you don't lower the entire volume curve, but simply a section of it.
You can create as many keyframes a you wish, adjusting the volume curve section by section, untill all segments play at the appropriate volume. Check whether the keyframe are positioned right by playing back the track (spacebar starts and stops playback) and listening to hear the effect of the keyframes.
If you would like to move a keyframe to the left or right, grab it with the mouse cursor and move it to the right position.
If you would like to delete keyframes, use the effect overview in Media Pool under "Effects" > "Audio effects" > "General" as described under "Animate objects, effect curves". Select the keyframe that you wish to delete and click on the Delete button.
Hi
You can use volume curves to easily edit the audio track of an object as you wish.
There are 2 types of volume curve possible - an object curve which applies only to one / each clip, and a track effect curve that runs along the whole audio track as in Ray's example.
You need to be careful with the track curve as any effect applied does not stay with the object if you edit upstream of the key framed area or add any extra tracks above the track you have created the curve for.
Peter
Hi Peter,
Thanks for the advice. I've been experimenting with a few clips and I think I've got myself to a position where I'm getting a handle on this feature.
My next (more major) issue is to overcome the freezing I'm getting every time I run VPX13... .. but that's the subject of another thread.
Rod
Hi,
Glad you watched my tutorials.
Looking at the first one, I see that I skipped quickly over the part about turning on the Volume curve, but the other part under Effects, Audio effects, General is the same thing. Anything that you do on the volume curve is shown in the keyframe area and the volume slider, and vice versa.
I will, at some point make a more detailed tutorial about using the volume curve and balancing audio over the entire project.
John CB
Hi John.
There does seem to be bits missing from the manual as well. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
There have been audio improvements which haven't been mentioned in the upgrades or updates either to my knowledge.
One of my original gripes with MEP / VPX was the delay in slider and the volume change being delayed enough to make mixing with the sliders almost impossible for me. That has been fixed. There is no longer a delay between slider movement and what I hear.
There is no mention of being able to link sliders to another chosen slider to act as a master control.
There is no mention of being able to select another colour for the volume control lines shown in the editor if you are not able to see the line clearly.
Ray.
Hi Ray
. . . . There is no mention of being able to link sliders to another chosen slider to act as a master control. . . .
AFAIK there never has been a mention of linking Mixer track controls in the MEP or VPX manuals, the only mention l can find is for the Master volume left/right sliders to be linked or unlinked.
I did this tutorial on linking mixer sliders back in 2019
. . . . There is no mention of being able to select another colour for the volume control lines shown in the editor if you are not able to see the line clearly. . . . .
That is also true, the option has been there for several years.
There are probably several othe hidden features waiting to be discovered!
John EB
Hi Ray,
I see that you still did not watch my tutorials on Everything Audio or you would have understood the difference between Track and Object Volume curves.
. . . . There is no mention of being able to link sliders to another chosen slider to act as a master control. . . .
So, how did you link the sliders in the Mixer for automation? Edit: To be clearer, how did you link track 2 (Control track) to track 3 and 4 for automation?
There is no mention of being able to select another colour for the volume control lines shown in the editor if you are not able to see the line clearly.
To change the colour of the Object Volume curve and the colours for all curves for all effects, audio and video, can be changed by clicking on the colour swatch beside the effect. I guess that this is not specifically mentioned as it should be obvious. See the image under Keyframe Interpolation in the manual.
When you change the colour of the Object Volume curve, it also changes the colour of the Track Volume curve for that track only; same with Panning. I can find no way to change the colour of the Track curve independently.
John CB
@johnebaker @Scenestealer @browj2 @johnebaker
One feature I have used is to use the mixer for automating the sound position of a mono track in a mix. I find moving the pot live during playback more accurate than drawing in the timeline now that I have no audio / video lag. Sometimes curves will work in a project and sometimes won't work. I can't figure ot why yet.
Ray.
@browj2 @Scenestealer @Rod-L @johnebaker
Hi John.
So, how did you link the sliders in the Mixer for automation? Edit: To be clearer, how did you link track 2 (Control track) to track 3 and 4 for automation?
I could quote you.
I guess that this is not specifically mentioned as it should be obvious.😉
But I'm one who believes nothing is obvious to everyone as obvious to me means prior experience or exposure to a subject, hence the need for clear instruction within a well written manual. I only knew of this group channel trick because of a reply made by John EB in an earlier topic. As he says above, he did a video about it. I have just played with it a bit more.
So, all channels to be selected including the track chosen to be the master channel should first have the auto button applied in its channel strip.
Then hold down Ctrl and left click on each channel on the mixer panel you want to select. I tend to go left to right. If I click on one particular channel first, that becomes the master channel. Each successive left click of the mouse while holding down Ctrl should select what will become a slave channel and get the light blue rectangle around it to show it has been selected. The channel which is the master gets a similar very light grey thin rectangle around it. It is very hard for me so see on my screen. It maybe easier to see on other monitors.
Hi Ray,
Thanks for that.
However, I had trouble getting it started using track 2. I could start it by selecting other tracks, but not track 2 the first time. Strange.
Also, with the 3 tracks Ctrl+L-Clicked, any of the sliders causes the other 2 to move. The rectangle is removed from the selected slider, so you can select track 3 and 1 and 2 get a rectangle and move together.
Lastly, I selected, Ctrl+L-Clicked, tracks 5, 6 & 7 without Auto being active. The sliders moved in tandem, but, of course, there was no automation. Sometime, track 2 would also move with them without me having selected it.
I think that there is more to learn here and it may not be ready for prime time, but we can use this undocumented feature.
Good find!
John CB
Hi John.
Once selected, if I use any other slider other than the one I selected first it has always ended with the link between tracks being severed. Sometimes a left click is not registered. The only conformation is the appearance of the blue rectangle.
Another thing I had not tried before that seems to have changed.
The external editor.
If I open a an audio track in the external editor (it has to be a proxy file) and alter it I can choose to replace the file and it then appears altered on the timeline on exiting the editor. I don't remember being able to do that before. I find it useful for leveling voice tracks that have been linked together on a track or momentarily removing an unwanted background noise. The audio can be opened as one track. The track does not turn red. The original clip is still not altered.
Ray.
Hi John, Ray
Did you look at the tutorial I linked to again, most of what you have said about linking the 'rectangle disappearing and whch becomes the group master is seen in it.
The only time I have come across an unselected control moving with the grouped ones was when I did not click a single ungrouped control to release the grouped controls.
I must redo that tutorial - there should have been no background sound on the Intro/Outro video - however that will have to wait as I do not think I have that project with me.
John EB
Hi John.
I hadn't revisited the video.
I've been looking at the new patch (111) to see if there is any improvement on my system.
Can't say I have noticed much difference.
Ray.
Hi Ray
. . . . I've been looking at the new patch (111) to see if there is any improvement on my system. . . .
Most of the fixes are 'under the hood' - I cannot remember you ever saying you had issues which ahve been fixed in the patch.
John EB
Hi John.
I didn't but have had the odd behaviour such as the nvidia GPU being being 'replaced' by the CPU by the program when the 'driver was not recognised' with the Processing setting at odd points for no apparent reason. Sometimes there have been odd improvements due to how the memory has been remapped or whatever they do to things.
Ray.