Forums » Sony Media Software

1. newmovies
   Member

   

   Hello,

   I've toyed around for a year or so with moviemaker and my Hi8 camcorder and decided to step up a bit. I bought a  Canon XL2 and Vegas Pro 8. I'm new to this level of video. Question: if I have two separate video tracks and want to do a quick switch to the second track, how do I do this in Vegas? I'm completely lost, and frankly, the stuff that came with it isn't helping much. To clarify, I'm toying with the XL2 and my old Hi8 shooting a conversation between 2 people. video track #1 is subject #1 talking. Video track #2 is the Hi8 taking a close up of subject #2 for facial expression and so on. I have both tracks in vegas with the Hi8 video being the second video and want to switch to that video for a moment. I can't seem to figure it out. Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

   Posted 4 months ago # Login to Send PM

2. chrisColorado
   Member

   

   Hey! I'm sort of a Vegas pro, at least I edit with it for my job.

   The answer to your question: Which ever track is on top in the timeline, is the track that will be played. when there's nothing on the top track, what will play is on the 2nd track or 3rd track and so on. 

   This is fairly easy to understand, when you think about it, and it's actually how most video editors work (except Movie Maker, with it's one track) but I understand your pain. Tried to learn a new software myself today. Thing was a piece of junk. It might work the way it was intended, but i can't understand it!

   So, the clip on the higher track in the timeline is the one that will show in the viewscreen. To get the one on the bottom track to play, split or trim the top clip and move it out of the way where you want the bottom one to play. You'll probably have the top clip chopped up in little bits so that the bottom track can play often.

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3. film814
   Member

   

   Use the key "s" on the keyboard to splice a clip.  Place your cursor on the first track where you want to cut the clip in and press "s".  Do the same for where you want to cut it out.  Just imagine a little camera sitting above the timeline looking down on the tracks.  If you creat a gap in the 1st track, a portion of the second track will be visible,  and will play.  Hope this helps.

   Jeremy

   Posted 4 months ago # Login to Send PM

4. newmovies
   Member

   

   Thanks a lot guys! That helps a bunch. Now off to edit...

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5. Johnboy
   Member

   

   if these two tracks are synced, select the video tracks and go to multicam editing and make a multicam track.  you can then make camera swithces via clicking on the tracks in the preview window. just simply play the file and click the number of the track you want to cut to and it's done, if you want a crossfade, hold the control key while clicking, done.  if any of the tracks need to be color corrected, you need to do that at the project level in the media pool.

   John

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6. newmovies
   Member

   

   Thanks for all the help. I've learned some about the multicam editing and also 'punch-in's'.

   Posted 4 months ago # Login to Send PM

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