More Audio Surgery
The Audio Channel Mapping filter in EditDV 1.5 is great for animated
pans and stereo level changes, and can be very useful for improving
problematic sound tracks. But it is no match for the power, quality and
sophistication of today’s dedicated audio editing applications.
This Application Note discusses tips for integrating with some of these
applications.
Processing Files Externally
Processing audio in an external application is done differently
depending on whether the audio has already been cut into the sequence.
If the audio has not yet been edited into your program, there is more
flexibility. If you wish to process a portion of the audio program “in
place”, however, there are a few things you need to understand about
EditDV.
Processing Files in Place
When you are editing a project, and find a problematic portion of
audio, you have a few choices. If it only concerns levels and pan, then
most problems can be solved using the Audio Channel Mapping filter
in EditDV. If the finished audio program can all be processed at once
(such as dynamics compression before delivering the master tape), it is
easiest to wait until you have finished the project. If the audio clips
must be processed independently, the process is a little more
complicated.
Finished Audio
At its simplest, you must:
• Create an audio file from the program audio
There are several ways to create an audio file of the program audio.
The easiest way is to use Save Program Movie to export a QuickTime
movie of the AP Track or audio clip. Many applications (such as BIAS
Peak) can import and edit QuickTime audio. If your application does
not import QuickTime Sound tracks, you can use MoviePlayer Pro or
BIAS Peak LE, to save the audio as an AIFF file, a fairly universal
format.
You can also delete all of the clips in the AP track and Clean Up the
Program Bin, and then update the AP track all at once. This will create
a single file of the program audio. Look in the Finder for the file of the
name listed in the AP track render clip.
If you do not have MoviePlayer Pro or Peak LE, there are shareware
utilities (such as SoundApp) that can convert QuickTime audio to an
AIFF file.
• Process it
After importing the clip, process it however you desire in your
application. However, if possible, keep the length and sample rate the
same. This may make replacing the old track easier later.
• Replace the old program audio
Import the processed audio file into the project and cut it into the
Sequencer in a new Audio track, and set the ear icon to that track.
Edited Clip Audio
To process just the audio in an edited clip, you must:
• Export the audio.
Select the clip and place the timeline in the clip. Press the P key to set
the Project in and out points over this clip. Make sure this clip is the
only one with a golden ear icon. Select Save Program Movie.
Many applications (such as MacroMedia SoundEdit) can import and
edit this resulting movie. If your application does not import
QuickTime audio tracks, you can use MoviePlayer Pro to save the
audio as an AIFF file, a fairly universal format.
You can also delete all of the clips in the AP track and Clean Up the
Program Bin, and then update the AP track all at once. This will create
a single file of the program audio. Look in the Finder for the file of the
name listed in the AP track render clip.
If you do not have MoviePlayer Pro or Peak LE, there are shareware
utilities (such as SoundApp) that can convert QuickTime audio to an
AIFF file.
Note: Before processing, you should select the audio render track
and then select “Detach Clip Media” from the Edit menu, without
deleting the files. This may make replacing this track easier later.
Note: (how do you detach media from an edited clip? dragging the
clip into the project window, cutting that secondary over the
original, and then detaching that media.
• Process it
After importing the clip, process it however you desire in your
application. However, if possible, keep the length and sample rate the
same. This may make replacing the old track easier later.
• Replace the old clip audio
If the sample rate and length have not changed during processing, you
will be able to “Attach Clip Media” (from the Edit menu), and point
EditDV at the processed audio file.
If an error is reported, simply import the processed audio file into the
project and cut it into the Sequencer in a new Audio track, and set the
ear icon to that track.
Processing Audio Clips from DV Tape
The easiest way to prepare audio for editing is to capture the audio and
video separately, using Batch Capture. If you already logged the clip
with video and audio together, you can detach clip media, duplicate the
log entry, and use the “Modify Log Entry” menu item to set one to
videoonly, and one to audio-only, cutting in the audio over the original
clip audio.
As long as the sample rate and duration of the file do not change,
processed audio can be reattached in place of the original audio-only-captured
media.
Author: Mike Jennings
Applies to Version(s): 1.5
Last Updated: 11/21/98
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