newbie question - best way to narate video

bob1739 · Post by **bob1739** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:10 pm

I'd like to play the video and lay a sound take over it as I am watching it. Can this be done inside of videostudio? Or do I need to run a sep recording program?

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:38 pm

Hi

It can be done in video studio using the ‘record voice’ option.

Select the Audio tab at from the top tabs.

Trevor

meshuken · Post by **meshuken** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:31 am

Don't know if this will work for you, but I do it occasionally:

-Turn on your video camera and place it in front of you.
-Press record.
-Press Play on your VS project (with the volume turned all the way down).
-As you watch your video, narrate it to the camera - you can even have the lens cap on still.
-After complition, transfer your clip from camera to VS.
-put your new clip at the end of your project.
-Split audio and video.
-Delete video.
-Place remaining audio track into yoru project.

Voila..

Post by **Ken Berry** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:04 am

Isn't that a bit like cracking an acorn with a sledge hammer?

Not to mention adding to wear and tear on your camera!

I don't know of any voice-over which is continuous or even near continuous, and I am not sure I would want to sit through a video where it is!

I would have thought that the in-built capacity of VS to record voice-overs is sufficient as an entry-level tool.

I personally always do my voice-overs as individual .wav files in a third party audio editing program (Nero WaveEdit in my case). That way I can totally control the output in terms of volume, filters, fade-in or out etc. And it is no big deal inserting the individual audio clips in the right place in the timeline to match up with the video they are supposed to be accompanying.

Trevor Andrew · Post by **Trevor Andrew** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:08 am

meshuken wrote:Don't know if this will work for you, but I do it occasionally:

-Turn on your video camera and place it in front of you.
-Press record.
-Press Play on your VS project (with the volume turned all the way down).
-As you watch your video, narrate it to the camera - you can even have the lens cap on still.
-After complition, transfer your clip from camera to VS.
-put your new clip at the end of your project.
-Split audio and video.
-Delete video.
-Place remaining audio track into yoru project.

Voila..

Hi

I have used this method with great results, with the exception that after capturing to VS, I created a sound file (wav) then deleted the video.
Rather than leaving the lens cap on I record the project as its playing. This allows me to identify the video section and the voice-over. VS does a bad, bad job of naming its captured files.

I used the mic that came with the camera, which also controls the camera start/stop, this allows me to record when I like and not a continuous stream. Capture to Split by Scene and I have my individual voice-overs.

I have previously tried ‘VSs ‘voice record’ using several Mic’s with poor results.
Just don’t have a good enough mic’ of the right type to do the job.

The camera option gave excellent results.

Trevor

meshuken · Post by **meshuken** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:15 pm

Ken Berry wrote:Isn't that a bit like cracking an acorn with a sledge hammer? Not to mention adding to wear and tear on your camera!

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I use my brother's camera. Your mileage may vary...

I should have added that I use this trick for segments of my shows that have had heavy editing and a lot of clips and photos but usually don't go past 2 or 3 minutes - like for example a primer on how to assemble something. Just an idea...