Lap Dissolving Musical Clips into Each Other

[frank1492]

I am currently doing this by placing one clip on the music track and the second on the voice track, but I suspect there's a more elegant way to
do it.
As usual, help much appreciated!
Frank

[Black Lab]

Nope, if you want to crossfade music that is the way to do it (within VideoStudio). There is no crossfade transition for audio.

[Ken Veal]

I presume that you are also fading out the end of the 1st track and then
fading in the start of the next one.How much you overlap them by moving the 2nd track along (or underneath) the one on top will also give a different result depending on the content and what effect you want.
Regards Ken

[frank1492]

Thank you Ken and Jeff! I got one right on my own for a change!
One problem. The amount to which audio clips are overlapped is rather critical to produce the right effect. It appears you cannot start an audio clip other than at the end or the beginning of a video clip. The configuration of video clips thus determines audio clip placement to a degree and prevents (in some cases) precisely correct audio crossfade. Or am I missing something here?
It's not a huge problem, but I wish there was an answer!
Frank

[Black Lab]

Not sure what you mean. You can put an audio clip anywhere on the audio/voice timeline.

[heinz-oz]

...The amount to which audio clips are overlapped is rather critical to produce the right effect. ...

It appears to me that you are putting the cart before the horse here. VS is a Video editor, at consumer level as that too, it's certainly not claiming to be an audio editor, is it.

I suggest you get yourself an audio editing program to do what you want.

[NoM.O]

It appears you cannot start an audio clip other than at the end or the beginning of a video clip. The configuration of video clips thus determines audio clip placement to a degree and prevents (in some cases) precisely correct audio crossfade.

This isn't necessarily true. With a bit of pre planning you can usually get where you need to go.

For Example, say you have clip 1 fading into clip 2, but you want the audio from clip 2 to start fading in before the picture from that clip starts.

The solution:
1. When first inserting clip 2, trim it so that the audio starts where you want it to, don't worry about extra video footage at the start, you can trim that later.

2. Now split the audio from clip 2 (right click>split audio).

3. Go back to the video from clip 2 and trim those extra frames/seconds from the start.

4. Line up THE ENDS of the audio and video from clip 2. This should put A/V back in sync. If it's background music or something without talking, this step may be less critical.

5. Fade out audio from clip 1, fade in audio from clip 2.

You're Done.

Having said all that, I'd second Heinz's comments. You can use "tricks" and "workarounds" in VS to achieve many things, but when it comes down to it, VS is an entry level video editor, it isn't an audio editor and probably never will be.

peace.

[frank1492]

Thanks all. I have noted this procedure. It is rarely much of an issue, but I am glad to have the explanation.
I realize VS8 or any other program of the sort cannot do all things really well. For me, for the mostpart, it is more than adequate.