Best method to include audio to span many video clips?

[jparnold]

What is the best method to use audio from one particular video clip to span many video clips?

Here are the methods I know of -
1) Create an audio file from one video clip, then add that audio clip on the audio track spanning a number of video clips (and mute all the video clips)
2) Use the full length of the video clip and then place the other video clips in the overlay track overlaying part of the video clip on the video track (muting all the video clips in the overlay track)
3) SPLIT the audio from the video clip retaining the original length of the audio and then resize the original video clip to a shorter length and add the other video clips to the video track all sharing the same audio.

I hope I have explained this properly.

The reason I ask this question as I recently experienced VS10+ crashing repeatedly using the THIRD method described above everytime I selected the spilt audio and wondered if I was expecting too much of VS to handle having the same file on two different tracks - the video content in the video track and it's audio content in the audio track. Until I had split the audio I wasn't experiencing any crashes.

[Ken Berry]

Re 3: It is most happening because, as with other aspects of VS, it is a case of smoke and mirrors -- or virtual reality -- when it comes to the so-called Split Audio function.

And I use the term 'so called' advisedly, since in reality, nothing is really split at all. Or rather, a virtual file is created in the audio track and remains virtual till you actually convert it into a separate audio file.

And it is also so-called because the main video track does not lose the audio. It is in fact still there, and all that happens is that the audio in the video track is muted. Look at the mute button and you will see it is active when you have 'split' the audio. If you click on the Mute button to turn it off, the audio is there loud and clear.

So I think what is happening with your third method is that you have the audio from the whole video 'split' and sitting in the audio track. But you are then trying to chop down the main video -- which still contains the same audio data -- and VS can't both retain it all and make it smaller at the same time.

[jparnold]

Thanks Ken,

Do I assume correctly that you advise AGAINST using the THIRD method?

[Ken Berry]

Well, I certainly wouldn't try to use it. My own preference would be for your first method, as being the easiest and potentially the cleanest.

[bop]

Out of interest in your Question i tried method three in a small project, I inserted a DV.AVI in the main video track split the audio shortened the video by at least 2/3rds reinserted it two more times shorted them, put the same clip into the 1st overlay two times, muted all video audio, placed an MP3 in the voice track, no crashes scrubbing the timeline or when rendering to a DVD file, the default transition used is cross fade

Brian

[jparnold]

Thanks Brian,
I was not convinced that using 'method 3' would necessarily produce a crash on the average system but since I purchased VS10+ last October I have experienced crashing (which I have been successful in 'turning off' AUTO SAVE) and although I have posted this forum with my woes and got replies from others who also experience crashes I also received replies from others who claim that they never have experienced a crash which makes me wonder if this is a hardware related problem although VS9 NEVER crashed using the same system (hardware/installed software). Probably some bug in VS10+ which is hardware related.
Anyway it was worth posting this current question as I have one (Ken) who suggests that he would never use my 'method 3' and I can understand why.
One day (hopefully soon) I will upgrade my system (from a P4 2.4Ghz to a P4 Dual channel of at least 3.0Ghz). Hopefully my crashes will disappear into the ether - I will scream if they don't.