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Working with Auto-Render

Understanding how auto-render works can save you hours on each project. Here’s a step-by-step that explains it.

Authoring Blu-Ray Discs

With Blu-ray winning the DVD format war, attention has now turned to the costs of creating a Blu-ray DVD. This article explains that the cost of replicating one of these new format discs isn’t cheap.

Creating Burned-In Timecode for Audio Clips

It’s easy to create burned-in timecode for video clips. But what about visible timecode for audio clips? The answer is “maybe,” but probably not.

Slipping Audio Keyframes

Here is a great trick to solve one of the features of FCP that drives me nuts — we can’t slip keyframes. But, here, in this article, I’ll show you an undocumented way to slip audio keyframes. Very cool and very quick.

Setting Audio Record Levels

Setting the correct audio recording levels on a video camera is crucial to obtaining the best sound during production. This short article explains some of the choices and what you need to know.

Sending Audio to ProTools and Back Again Using OMF

Using Pro Tools to mix your Final Cut Pro project is a great way to achieve excellent audio. However, there are some tricks you need to understand in this process, as explained here.

Audio Problems with MP3 Files

Final Cut Pro hates compressed audio. This article explains the problems you will having working with it, as well as providing a simple conversion process that solves the problem.

Audio Metering

Ever wonder what levels to set your reference tones to? Should you output tone at 0 dB, -12 dB,-18 dB, or -20 dB. In this discussion, Larry is joined by Woody Woodhall, president of Allied Post, to get a better understanding of the issue. And, yup, it’s just as confused as we thought!

Changing Audio Levels

Audio in FCP is clip-based, rather than track-based. This article describes a variety of ways to change the levels of more than one clip at once.

Automatically Keyframe your Audio Filters

This is a quick simple technique to automatically create keyframes for an audio filter. Basically, audio key-framing in real-time.

Solving Audio Issues with Speed Changes

Here’s a neat trick to make a constant speed change to a video clip without changing the sound of the audio.

Exporting Audio for Post-Production Sweetening

This article shows the best way to get audio out of FCP so you can finish your mix in your favorite audio program.

Audio Drift with Capture Now

When capturing from tape, Capture Now should always be your last choice, not your first. Sometimes, when using Capture Now, your audio may drift. If that happens, read this article.

Audio Mixing to Improve the Clarity of Speech

One of the signs of getting older is that our hearing is not as sharp as it once was. So one of the things I do in my mixes is to be sure that I make things as clear and easy to understand as possible. This article walks you thru the specific steps you can take in Soundtrack Pro to make your audio as clear and distinct as possible.

Audio Checkerboarding and Setting Audio Levels

There are very few things that cause as much confusion to video editors as working with audio. In this technique, I show you a very efficient technique for structuring where to place audio in your timeline and suggest audio levels that can make your project sound GREAT! If you read only one audio article this month, this is the article to read!

Changing Audio Capture Settings to 32 kHz

Final Cut expects all cameras to shoot audio at 48 kHz. But, what happens when they don’t? Well, you get audio drifting out of sync, or no audio at all. Many low-end cameras record audio at 32 kHz. This technique shows you what you need to know to capture your audio accurately.

The Ten [ Audio Recording ] Commandments

These ten suggestions on ways to improve your audio recording are excerpted from The Sound Effects Bible written by Ric Viers. If you are having problems getting your recording to sound the way you want, check out these tips.

Asymmetric Trimming in the Timeline

Asymmetric trimming allows you to trim the audio and video in opposite directions at the same time. I’m still not sure if this is a good or bad thing. Here’s how it works.

The Quest for an Archiving Codec

As we move away from tape and into tapeless video, questions about how to best archive our projects take on a new importance. For many, the issue revolves around the hardware we use to archive. But there is a second question: what video format do we want to use to store our files for the long-term. In this dialog with Philip Hodgetts, we examine this very complex issue and provide some guidance.

Organizing and Archiving Your Projects

The best way to archive your project is to organize it before you even start. This article provides a host of tips on getting organized, what to save and how to go about it.