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3170 articles.

Adobe Audition: Automatic Music Ducking

A detailed, illustrated explanation of how to automatically “duck” (reduce levels) of a music clip using a narration clip in Adobe Audition CC. This process is called “Side-chain effects processing.” This works with one or more tracks of music and one or more tracks of voice.

Business: Set Client Expectations

An essay on finding ways to set client expectations, and budgets, on creative projects.

How To Read Video Scopes

An illustrated explanation of video scopes – Waveform Monitor and Vectorscope – and how to read them to better understand your video images. This article applies to all video editing software and images.

Optimize Adobe Media Encoder CC Preferences [Video]

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan shows how to optimize Adobe Media Encoder CC preferences for compression speed.

Faster Video Compression [video]

This short video tutorial, from Larry Jordan, summarizes what you need to know to compress video faster – hardware, software, codecs, and settings – when using a Mac.

FCP X: Optimize Preference Settings

An explanation of preference settings in Final Cut Pro X 10.2.x, along with my recommendations on which ones to change and why.

FCP X: Keyboard Shortcut Secrets

An illustrated, detailed presentation on how to add, modify, and delete keyboard shortcuts in Final Cut Pro X; including two lists: 1. Existing shortcuts that you may not know exist, and 2. Menu options that should have shortcuts, but don’t.

Digital Audio Recorder Overview [video]

In this short video, Larry Jordan explains what digital audio recorders are, how to select the right audio recording format and where to set recording levels.

How to Use a Shotgun Microphone [video]

This short video illustrates how to use a short shotgun microphone.

Apple Compressor: Faster Video Compression

A video compression speed test comparing the iMac with a Mac Pro using Apple Compressor and focusing on whether using multiple instances makes any difference. (It does!!)

Motion 5: Move or Delete Cache Files

This illustrated article explains what you need to know about cache files in Motion 5.x.

Exploring the Motion 5 Interface [video]

In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan provides a tour of the Motion 5 interface, along with several keyboard shortcuts that make working with Motion more efficient.

Blend Modes in Motion 5.2 [video]

Blend modes are essential in motion graphics. In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan explains what blend modes are, why they are so important in motion graphics and illustrates how to use them in a project.

Motion 5: Add and Animate Text [video]

This short video tutorial illustrates how to create, modify and animate 3D and 2D text in Motion 5.2.

Speed Test: Compare Video Compression Software

A detailed video compression speed test comparing Adobe Media Encoder, Apple Compressor, HandBrake, MPEG Streamclip, Telestream Episode and Sorenson Squeeze running on a new Mac Pro and an iMac.

Premiere Pro CC: Secrets of the Media Browser [Video]

An illustrated explanation of why the Media Browser can save you time and effort in Premiere Pro CC.

Premiere Pro CC: Optimize Workspaces [video]

A short video tutorial showing how to add, modify, optimize and delete workspaces in Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

An Illustrated List of Icons, Symbols and Alerts in Final Cut Pro X [u]

More than 60 examples of icons and alerts in Apple Final Cut Pro and what they mean.

Speed Test: Adobe Media Encoder vs. Apple Compressor

This is a detailed, in-depth speed test comparing Adobe Media Encoder CC 2014 with Apple Compressor 4.2 on a new Mac Pro, iMac and MacBook Pro.

Adobe Premiere Pro CC: Media Browser Magic

An illustrated explanation of how to use the Media Browser in Adobe Premiere Pro CC (2014) to access media and projects faster.