Menu Background music volume

[Davidk]

The Issue: adjusting the volume of a DVD menu background music (and only that), How to.
Problem statement:
Running X5 pro. Preparing a DVD disk with an introduction and 6 clips, with one main menu. Having chosen the smartscene menu template to use, the items on the menu are adjusted (sometimes the menu item needs a simple name rather than the clip file name, and specifically the name/spelling on the menu item should match whatever is in the clip it relates to), and finally the Edit tab selected to choose a different music track for the menu. The option button here allows a variety of tweaks to the music - the music selection, fade in/out, duration etc, but NOT the volume of the music when played as the menu background.

The previewed end result has significantly (twice the volume at least) louder music that the remaining clips. Disconcerting to a viewer. Now, I know there is a normalise audio button at the final burn stage to (supposedly) even out the sound variations, but I've found an issue with that (separate post on this forum recently. The short term fix is to manually even the sound levels of clips out before burning the DVD with that normalise audio button OFF). That approach does not cover the sound level of the background music for the menu, which by default is rather loud, and with no apparent means of turning the volume of it down without impacting the rest of the disk.

Also noted in preview, there is a speaker symbol permitting volume control, but by experimentation that appears to manage the volume of everything, rather than just the menu.

The question: Is there a way of adjusting the menu music sound level ONLY?

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

As far as i know there is no facility for adjusting the volume of the music when creating the disc menu.

You would be best creating a new sound file with a lower volume level.
Are you using the samples provided by video studio or your own sound files.
The VS samples using Windows XP can be found here:-

C:\Program Files\Corel\Corel VideoStudio Ultimate X5\Content\Audio

[Davidk]

Hi there.

Thanks for the response. I sort of suspected that - given that there are controls for almost everything else. Be nice if Corel added that in the menu audio features panel - one more item to add to the wishlist.
The menu background music is not one of the X5 samples - it is in fact an mp3 tune (Scoop de doo) downloaded from Freeplaymusic.com.

I can play that tune in both media player and the VLC scanner, but in either application I can't see how I can change the volume settings for the file and re-record/save it under a new file name. Do you have any suggestions on how to do that?

Davidk

[BrianCee]

you need to use an audio editor - media player and VLC are just players and do not have functions to edit the audio.

try using the excellent FREE audio editor from Audacity - available here :- http://audacity.sourceforge.net/


......

[Davidk]

Thanks for the tip. I've downloaded Audacity, and an Mp3 encoder file it asked for when saving an mp3 filetype, and experimented. But altho I can modify the sound level of the tune being played, it recorded at the same level as the original file. I think I'm missing something, but a review of the various toolbar components and what they do hasn't told me what to do to just reduce the recordable volume level (eg, record it at 30% of the original sound level) of the tune

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Davidk

[lata]

Hi David

Use Video Studio, start a new project
Add the mp3 tune (Scoop de doo) to the library.
Right click this clip and insert to Voice or Music track, this will insert to timeline from the first frame.
Double click clip in timeline will open Options Panel.
Adjust the 100% clip volume level, use -fade in out if required.
Cut the clip to the size you require.

Play in project playback and compare with clip in library, readjust volume levels
happy with result
Share Create Sound file
Save type as Microsoft Wav files.
Press Options for additional settings

Note:-- You will be able to play the full clip if you deselect motion menu.
Motion Menu limits to 30 seconds max.

[Davidk]

Works like Magic - many thanks.

I had wondered about using VS - after all, within a video one can do a fair bit of sound modifying. However, I'd completely missed the create sound file option in the Share panel - largely I suspect for two reasons:
1. My main focus was on either DVD or disk image results; and
2. the practice of Corel almost hiding options by greying them out against a dark/black background. This option was next to invisible unless you knew it was there by virtue of past use.

I've argued against that 'greyed out' characteristic and the black funereal background - but to no avail.

Some playing with this sound editor mechanism, and then a re-authoring of the disk, and its all done.

Thanks again.

Davidk