Multi-camera audio mixing

[joelirwin]

I have three cameras I will be combining together. I want to ignore the audio from one camera until the end of the video where it becomes the sole audio feed. Up until that point I want to specify how to combine the audio two audio feeds together. For example I want to place one camera audio at 30% left and mix at -8 db and the other camera audio at 30% right mixed at -12 db. Can this be done - if so can you point me in the right direction?

[gewb]

Hello Joel -

Need more info.

1) Are you using three cameras, each with separate audio, that you want to sync via the multi-camera editor?
2) Or do you have three video clips (regardless of camars), each with audio, that you want to edit and post process into a completed video output?

In either case I understand you want to edit/interleave/intermix the audio tracks.

#2 above is straight foreward and not too difficult but not a beginner project.

EDIT: think I found a bug in VS2018 while editing the audio - I'll look into it tomorrow. Just makes things a bit more complex as a third party program like Audacity would be needed. Not a big problem, just adds time and complexity.

[joelirwin]

Three totally separate cameras with three separate video and audio. Two cameras in the front shooting backward and one in the back shooting forward. It was a wedding ceremony. I want to ignore the rear audio and use the audio from the front two cameras as the stereo mix by putting one left of center and one right of center.

[gewb]

Hello Joel -

Sounds like multi-camera sync is not really important in your application (as it would be in a ball game or swim meet for example). The three video tracks is not an issue. I'll work on the left-right audio but I think I have it worked out - my brain is clogged up with a cold right now...more in a few hours.

[gewb]

OK, best way for me is to use Audacity to rip each camera audio, set pan percentage then export each as mp3.

Set your VS project to have either 1 video track + 2 overlay tracks or 1 video track + 3 overlay tracks (my preferred track management for this). Set project to 3 audio tracks.

Load videos to overlay tracks and corresponding mp3s to audio tracks. Turn OFF the audio on each video overlay track. Leave video track blank or insert a background.
Edit as needed - pay attention to whether or not you want Ripple Editing for a given track and edit.
Everything else is pretty standard such as trims, moves, transitions, audio track levels, titles, etc.

[joelirwin]

Actually, the three cameras are shooting the same wedding ceremony and so they need to be synced first. I can certainly work with another software product to modify the audio streams separately and then combine them inside a video studio.

In fact, I have been using a different product from Serif called MoviePlus which can do the multicamera edits i need. However,

1. That product is orphoned, that is, it is no longer being developed or supported
2. Visualstudio does a much better and quicker job of synchronizing tracks. Movie plus requires manual synchronization.
3. While both products color correct, visual studio does a much more accurate job

It sounds like from your response that visualstudio has very little control over the audio in the track such as placement volume and other special effects such as switching left and right channel and I will need to use a second software product to create modified sound files with products like audacity which I have, before I can use them inside a visual studio. There are reasons why working outside of visual studio with audio files can be tedious, but that is for a separate discussion.

I was hoping that I could move away from movie plus to a inexpensive software product that can do everything. I hope in the future that visual studio adds functionality that is already available in products like movieplus. I was hoping that I could move away from movie plus to a inexpensive software product that can support the same functionality.

[gewb]

Hello Joel -

VS should be able to handle this simple audio function but that seems to be the bug - no matter what I try I can't get the "audio stage" editing function to work (ie, L-R pan and level control). That's why I use Audacity, a freeware application that is quite good, then import the audio tracks.

As far as syncing three cams when processing your venue, that's your call. I wouldn't have an issue with needing to manually trim a couple frames on a track. However, the multi-camera sync function in VS does work fairly well but the audio tracks will likely be your hangup.

I think Ken has much more experience with the multi-cam function than I have. Perhaps he will chime in.

[Ken Berry]

I think Ken has much more experience with the multi-cam function than I have.

If you're talking about me, I have never -- not once! -- used MCE. So in fact I cannot help at all. I suspect it is really lata (Trevor) you may be talking about...

[gewb]

Ah, yes, sorry my bad.

[lata]

Hi

I think your priority should be the video camera angles.
Get those right then concentrate on tweaking the audio.

I assume your three camera recordings ran throughout the service.

1 / create a new library folder, import your 3 camera recordings, place your main recording as first clip.
2 / set your project properties to match the main recording
3 / select the three clips, right click for MCE
4 / opens the Source Manager with your clips selected, rearrange order if you need to, ok to access MCE
5 / Select the “Sync” icon to arrange the camera angles.
By default Camera 1 will be used for the audio stream, the option can be changed at any time.
Change it now to “Auto”
Note the timeline FPS will use same as Camera 1's FPS

Play the project selecting the camera angles to be used on the top track, the output compilation.
its a bit of a learning curve and a few attempts may be required.

Select OK will return to the timelines, a project file showing in the library.
Drag this to the timelines. Each clip will use its own audio source, now we can adjust the volume level of the clips.

Double clicking the VSP in library will open the MCE to allow us to edit / tweak the selections
Top left for Settings – “save as” to give the project a new name.
Now change the Audio source to “Camera 1” then ok to return to timelines

This project will have the video clips muted with the audio file showing on the music track.
Again we can edit that clip to adjust the volumes.
Take care if editing the audio file to keep things in sync.

Note
The MCE VSP’s are a little special, different to normal VSP’s, they are set to retain sync.
We cannot remove frames just move the cut / camera angle points. Of course removing frames will affect sync.
To remove frames we have to return to MCE to re-edit.