Awesome, thanks

Do I then GROUP the duplicate track to keep it in sync with the other two (video and orig audio) tracks?

I would . .simply Unlock Left from Right - Same Track ! No need then to dupe tracks . .. little padlock on that track's monitor .. Grazie

Do I then GROUP the duplicate track to keep it in sync with the other two (video and orig audio) tracks?

That would be a good idea.

Grazie you must be talking about at the buss level unless V5 has this at the track level (I use V4). Doing this at the buss level may be fine if you only have one audio track or you insert a separate buss for the given stereo track but with multiple tracks this method would get messy.

MJ

Yes it would, and I agree. However, my impression was our chum is talking about one track of audio going with a video track. If this is the case then I would have thought my approach, in keeping things "simple", would fit the bill. . .. Now you have lost me! I do understand the need to keep things separate and un cluttered, but if I want to alter left or right levels I unlock the padlock and off I go. Now if I want to subject each and every part of the "right" channel to some other FX or something that I want to have complete control MORE than shifting volume then yes, set up another track and do it from there. I was just hearing our friend wanting a simple way to adjust volume - mention of panning and the like I think Ah! one solution for the same track - no need for the creation of an extra track. An yes, create separate track if needed.

And yes things could/would get messy. Now which track DID I unlock the volume on? Hmmm was it track 36 or track 39?

Best regards,

Grazie

Grazie,
That's what I want to do but I do not see a "padlock" on the audio track. I only see one on the master fader.

"That's what I want to do but I do not see a "padlock" on the audio track." Correct

" I only see one on the master fader. " Correct

Grazie

Why the aversion to one extra audio track?

Audio projects regularly have between 8 and 40 audio tracks. Even a small audio project (4 pc. band) is going to have at least 5 tracks for drums, one track for bass, one for keys, one for guitar and one each for each vocal. That's at least 10 tracks with plugs in each and several busses.

My point is only that just because you're doing a video project doesn't mean you have to fear adding audio tracks. You'd certainly add another video track without hesitation if need be.

If the idea of having a L & R track for a stereo track is uncomfortable, simply make the necessary adjustments then Render to a new stereo track.

Oh, I should have added in my first post to pan each track hard left and right accordingly and you will probably want to right-click the pan faders > Constant power.

MJ

You made an excellent case MJhig :)

Grazie

MJhig:
No fear here just not used to having to ADD another track. In FCP the two audio channels (L&R) come in with the video and can be adjusted independently from the get go. In Vegas - unless I'm missing something - I get a stereo pair and I first have to duplicate and set on to left and one to right. I've been using NLE's since StudioFX (Remember those hybrids?). Both AVID and FCP allow independent volume and pan control of both left and right channels. It seems, from the comments here, that I need to first duplicate the track. Let me explain what I want to do and you tell me how to do it:
1) Drag a clip into the timeline
2) Adjust left channel to be panned center and lower volume to -5
3) Adjust right channel to be panned slightly right and raise to +5

To accomplish this in FCP I can do this as described faster than it takes to read this.
In Vegas, I drag clip into timeline then I have to first duplicate the clip, group it, then do 2 & 3 above. If I want to adjust every clip this way these two extra steps will add considerable time to the process.
Is this correct?

Is the issue that you are recording two mono channels on your camera?

Sidenote: you may find that Vegas can do more with audio than FCP+ the very expensive ProTools.

Vegas was originally a multitrack recording program for studio use, and for this reason it has more advanced audio handling than any other NLE. There is a bit of a learning curve though, just like with any other audio application of this type.

these two extra steps will add considerable time to the process

Not from my point of view, these steps take less than a blink here and offer complete control including buss routing and independent FX. Seems like a small price to pay in the long run considering audio is at least 70% of video. Vegas was a MTR first so it's overview is going to be MTR audio track based.

Unfortunately you will have to adapt to how the software works rather than trying to make the software adapt to you. I just can't get DOS to function like Windows try as I might.

Embrace it's power, it'll set you free.

MJ.