Movie soundtrack: how can I overlay part of it with a diff

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ChicagoLarry
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2012 3:59 pm

Movie soundtrack: how can I overlay part of it with a diff

Post by ChicagoLarry »

Given: because this is a movie soundtrack, I can't change the length of it.

I want to delete a few flaws in the soundtrack and replace the space with a different portion of the soundtrack.

(For example, during a section of nondescript background noise, I hear someone say "Okay." I want to copy some of the background noise and replace the word "Okay" with it.)

The problem is, I don't know how to do this overlay without changing the length of the soundtrack. I tried copying a section of background noise that was just a little longer than the section I highlighted, hoping it would crop off any portion longer than the highlighted area I was pasting into. Of course I should have realized that wouldn't work (a highlighted portion is always replaced by the selection on the clipboard, no matter what its length).

Is there a way to tell Amadeus to crop off any portion in excess of the portion I'm replacing?

Alternatively, is there an easy way to know the EXACT length of a highlighted area, and then be able to select another section of EXACTLY that same length? It would be quite tedious to make calculations on the beginning and ending points along the time scale at the bottom.

I don't find anything related to this in the Help, so any help anyone on the forum can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Gerard Bik
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:04 pm

Movie soundtrack: how can I overlay part of it with a diff

Post by Gerard Bik »

Hi Larry

The safest way is to leave the original as it is. That way the length
stays the same.
Copy a part and choose Edit> Paste to New Track from the menu
Now you have the pasted fragment in its own track ready to be moved.

Use the envelope to fade out one track and fade in the other. That
way you have control over the entire process.
Maybe use markers as guides to make the fades line up exactly.

Have fun.
Gerard
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ChicagoLarry
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Nov 10, 2012 3:59 pm

Post by ChicagoLarry »

Thanks!

Although I don't understand "envelope," I think you're saying to add a short new track with the desired background noise and then fade both the new track and the original track(s) in and out so that the paste won't sound abrupt. Then when playback sounds find, merge the tracks.

Sounds like a workable plan. THANKS!

But wait! Since typing the above, I tried it. Getting the edited sound worked great, but alas, after I closed and saved the file, I re-opened it to watch the movie with the edited soundtrack, and the movie was gone! All I had was the soundtrack. This must have something to do with merging my "patch" track into the real, main track? It seems to be wiping out the picture part of the movie, leaving me with only a soundtrack.

I've made editing of different sorts on movie soundtracks (such as increasing the volume, for example) and I've never had this problem that I end up with no movie, just a soundtrack.

Any advice on this?

Many thanks.

Gerard Bik
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:04 pm

Movie soundtrack: how can I overlay part of it with a diff

Post by Gerard Bik »

When you check "Show Volume" under the "View" menu, the envelope line
will be visible at the top of every track. It is intended to locally
adjust the volume of the sound. Click on the line and a point
appears, click some more points and drag those points to adjust sound
level.

I have no advice on how to keep the movie. (Other than choosing the
right format to save inof course.)
My personal workflow dates from the time when Amadeus was just for
sound. I copy a soundtrack from iMovie or FCE to Amadeus, edit, and
paste it back afterwards.

Gerard


--
______________________ _
Gerard Bik grafische vormgeving
Van Aerssenstraat 263
2582 JM Den Haag
070 3554081

Website: http://www.biknewz.nl
IEDP gecertificeerd
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