@grahamm7

Hi Graham.

The tracks are only locked if they show a padlock on them. To import a clip to a selected track to where you want it, do the following.

A clip on a higher the track number is the one that is going to show, effectively 'covering or hiding' what is ever on the tracks above it.

Each track is a layer if you like but unlike Photoshop each higher numbered layer takes over from the one above it unless you blend it into the other clips by one or other method. You could green screen depending on the effect you want and the type of source files you use. You could lower the transparency of the track, you could place the picture within the main picture. etc.

I'm not sure what you mean by synchronizing tracks. The program doesn't know where anything goes. That's your job. Locking a track is something you do when you don't want to accidentaly move or alter anything on that track while working on other tracks and can be turned on or off as needed. There should be a demo project you can open in MEP that allows you to see how all this works. There are also a lot of tutorials on the Magix website as well as user ones in the links above, labelled Media.

Ray.

@browj2

Hi John.

Regarding your point. "Do not put anything on track 5. If you use any Magix effects containing audio or even import an audio file or sound effect, MEP will try to put them on track 5".

I have never experienced that. Audio has always gone where I placed it and I often place material on track five. I don't know about the Magix effects with sound as I've never used one.

@grahamm7 Welcome to MEP! All software has it's foibles, and it also scares me having to change. That said, we'll get you going in no time. We call them tracks, not channels.

Answer 1. Each track is independent of the others. That said:

• If you import a video, it's audio will be "locked" or grouped with the video and sit on the track below. Audio can be ungrouped from it's video.
• There are 3 "mouse modes". They're on the tool bar. Click whichever one you want to use. The first is to select only one object (and anything grouped with it such as audio below it). The second selects all the objects on the track to the right of the object. The third, which I think you are in, selects all project objects to the right. That's probably why the objects on track 5 moved when you moved the object on track 2.

In MEP, the perspective is UP. That is, the viewer is looking up through the tracks from the bottom. Photoshop works looking down. It does seem counter-intuitive, but it is logical to have the background track as track 1. So, for example, for a title, you'd put your video (and audio) on track 1 (and 2), and then place the title on track 3. You will then be looking up through the title to the video. Similarly, if you want to put a shrunken image "on top of" a video (or a smaller video running on top of another) you'd put the smaller image or video on a lower track.

Re Solo and Mute, they work exactly as named, although you can have two solos if you want! 😉 If you want to check only one track, "solo" it and all others will be muted. If you want to mute a track (or tracks), simply mute it them.

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

You can drag onto any track that you want. However, if you select a song or sound effect from the Audio tab and click on the import button, it will import to track 5 at the location of the playback marker. The same applies to audio with SlideShow Maker, Sound Track Maker and any effects under templates that have audio, including intros and outros. If you have something on track 5, usually the program will tell you this and ask if you want to replace it. Thus, avoid using track 5, leave it for the program.

@AAProds @grahamm7

As an aside, Video Pro X has more buttons in the track header, including separate buttons for video and audio, thus one can turn off just the audio if AV are combined; with MEP Mute means all or nothing.

John CB

@browj2 @grahamm7 Thanks John, that's interesting. I should have mentioned above, Graham, that I have unticked the option (in Program Settings>Video-Audio Tab) to display the video and audio on the same track. We didn't have that option in the early days and I just feel "strange" not being able to see the audio track.

Wow thankyou 'guys'. That will take some time to absorb. So the highest number track say 5 will take visual priority over the lower track numbers like 2. I usually put the overlay/title text on the highest track number lets say 4. If I am doing a song with lyrics and images - then say Images on 1 music (MP3) on track 2 and the lyrics of the songs titles/text on track 3. If I add items to a track I select that track so that is is highlighed then use the down arrow on insert and it should go on that track. But I am sure in a couple of instances it would go on the selected track but the highest number that was unused. Also I had an image on track 1 (say) music on 2 and my text on 3. I'm sure I had track 1 image selected. Selected a particular image highlighted so that I could move or edit and the text tracks on track 3 were highlighted and if I moved the image they responded? I will have to so some more learning and playing. I will look at the videos and absorb them. I am keeping a notebook/log book and writing things down (so I don't get a senior moment and forget them due to my age). So again many thanks I will read all these posts slowly. I have made a project called 'learning' so that I can try things out. I have put some of my songs up on You Tube most of them made with Magix (Essex Blessing) is definitely Magix created. If you would like to look at them: https://www.youtube.com/user/grahamm7

@grahamm7

Hi,

First off, please do not refer to tracks as channels. Audio objects have channels, like left and right, the timeline has tracks. Use the jargon as per the manual.

The protocol for the timeline is not like other programs where they physically show objects that overlay other objects higher on the screen. MEP uses the track numbers, so track 1 is on the bottom, track 2 is higher, track 3 is higher, and so on. You should put the main objects - photos and videos - that are the background on the lowest numbered track - track 1. Titles automatically go on a higher track and will be covered if something is put on a higher numbered track at the same location.

Do not reserve track 1 for something like green screen as that would be backwards. When you apply chromakey green to it, the green part will become transparent and show what is on a lower numbered track, and the only thing below track 1 is black.

There are other reasons to always use track 1 for the background objects, like applying objects lengths to all, transitions to all, etc. You can always move objects to another track.

I automatically have audio and video on separate tracks, so I put nothing else on track 1.

Do not put anything on track 5. If you use any Magix effects containing audio or even import an audio file or sound effect, MEP will try to put them on track 5.

Solo for a track means just that, the track plays solo with nothing else. Mute, in MEP, will mute or not play back whatever is on that track, meaning audio, video or both if the audio has not be split from the video onto a separate track.

To get a very good understanding of the basics, watch my 3 tutorials on getting started and basic editing, and read the Quick Start chapter in the manual.

These are old but still mostly relevant. You can skip over the installation part of the first one, but watch the rest. The other two are very important.

John CB

Watched you first tutorial - very helpful. Every since I purchased Magix video editor I have kept a note book/log book. And writing notes in it on controls etc.. Made notes from your tutorial. Now going to look at the second tutorial on editing - time line etc. Interesting that you seem to import into storyboard then go to Timeline. Though I know you can import into Timeline. But very helpful video - is what I needed. Keep up the good work.

@grahamm7

HI Graham,

Actually, I only imported to Storyboard to show that it could be done, and then to show the result on the timeline. I never use Storyboard mode. However, for someone who is just importing a lot of photos or video clips and may want to rearrange them before doing more editing, Storyboard mode is an excellent and easy way to do this. When I import, I usually have already determined the sequencing.

I am pleased that you find the tutorial useful.

John CB

The second video basic on editing is excellent. I am taking notes and then intend to try these things out. I have created a project 'learning'. I will have to find some short video clips to play with. So as one is looking down one sees the highest tracks first. So the titles should be on the hightest track relative to images. Audio like a music track can go anywhere. So if the audio was on a higher track than the images/titles I am assuming that it would effect the video aspects. I tend to put my music track below the titles as it is helpful when adding the lyrics to be just above the music track re positioning. Hope I have picked that up. But thanks for the effort you put into these videos. I am slowly learning the editing aspects.

not effect the images

@grahamm7

Hi Graham

Can you please avoid cryptic posts which are difficult to comprehend and can result in totally wrong answers for whatever you are referring to.

If you are asking how to do something please give an example if you have seen one or describe what it is you are trying to do.

If it is a problem with the program describe what you are getting, seeing or is not happening, a screenshot also helps in many cases.

Thanks

John EB
Forum Moderator