I used to double-click on an event to generate a loop region and get 4 key points in the audio volume envelope track below close to the edges of the event. I can not remember how this is done. Can anyone please help me?
Hi @Peter_P,
- Highlight a region or selection where you wish to add the envelope
- Dragging the envelope line up or down should add the four interpolation points
If you just want to attenuate (lower) an audio event, dragging the top edge of the event downward will adjust the event's gain (aka, trim).
Vegasaur?
Several options are available for creating envelope points:
Four Points: Provides an easy way to add a group of four points at once. It is one of the most requested features when working with envelopes. This option will add four points to the selected envelopes based on the current selection area.
Interval: Adds a point at regular intervals.
Evenly Distributed: Creates the specified number of points, adding them at even intervals across the timeline.
From Markers / From Media Markers: Creates envelope points based on the marker positions and labels. To use this feature, place markers where you wish to add a point. In addition, a marker's label can be used as a value for the point.
Under Cursor: Creates a point at the cursor position.
- Highlight a region or selection where you wish to add the envelope
- Dragging the envelope line up or down should add the four interpolation points
Thanks very much!
I knew it was simple. But I had forgotten that the envelope points only appear when you move the envelope area.
Hi @Peter_P,
- Highlight a region or selection where you wish to add the envelope
- Dragging the envelope line up or down should add the four interpolation pointsIf you just want to attenuate (lower) an audio event, dragging the top edge of the event downward will adjust the event's gain (aka, trim).
Thank you. As someone who uses audio envelopes a lot, this (highlighting and dragging) is something I never knew about, but will be using a lot from now on.
Yes, it is a very handy tool that I used very often but unfortunately not documented in the help file where it should be under '(audio) ducking'.
P.S. I have added (audio ducking) to the subject.
FWIW, 'ducking' is typically when using a side-chaining with a compressor. Unfortunately, Vegas never supported native side-chaining (despite requests). Otherwise there only two or two of three compressor plug-ins available that can be triggered by a secondary track or bus. I tried the FabFilter and dBAudio side-chain compressors, but neither worked very well in my opinion, even with a 'dummy' track for a look-ahead trigger track Volume envelope automation is the best bet but can be time consuming. I sometimes additionally automate a multiband compressor to attenuate frequencies that interfere with the dialog but that takes even more time.
I think there are auto-ducking scripts available from the 'usual suspects' that I have not tried.
One additional hint. The length of the fade can be set in Preferences / Editing. I have set it to 1 second Centered.
Old-school board jockeying with automation is still possible in Vegas, as in this ancient post. It's kind of a lost art.
@rraud I do not know what I am doing wrong, but it does not work for me, not in Vegas 20 nor in Vegas 21. I did not know it was possible to generate 4 points as it possibly never worked on my system. I checked the preference setting, I can add an envelope for volume, but the 4 points are never generated when highlighting and dragging the envelope. I can only add individual points. What am I doing wrong or missing in a setting?
For audio ducking I used vegasaur, it can automatically add them all over the timeline, but it would be nice if I can do it the Vegas way as you mention it myself, as vegasaur sometimes messes up automatic audioducking.
Did you try to enable 'Automatically overlap ...' as shown here?
@Peter_P @rraud I found out what the issue is, I was using the envelope edit tool (sounded the right tool to use when working with envelopes😏) - however the 4 points do not appear when you drag the envelope when using the envelope tool.
It works when using the normal tool. Not sure if it that is a bug or it is working as intended.
I added the volume envelope with right clicking when the envelope tool is active, then highlight a section and then drag the envelope. This results in total drag of the envelope over the whole track rather than adding 4 points within the highlighted selection.
however the 4 points do not appear when you drag the envelope when using the envelope tool.
I am not sure what you mean and cannot duplicate the behavior. An envelope points string remain visible when dragging (at least in VP-21, bld 108).
I found out what the issue is, I was using the envelope edit tool (sounded the right tool to use when working with envelopes😏) - however the 4 points do not appear when you drag the envelope when using the envelope tool.
It works when using the normal tool. Not sure if it that is a bug or it is working as intended.
@bitman That stymied me too till I realized that when I mark a region containing points with the Envelope Edit tool, it instead lights up all the points in the region so I can move them together. Which is a useful functionality. Personally, I think multi-point selection functionality would be more flexible if moved to the Selection Edit tool using box-select. One of my other daws does it like that. That would allow the Vegas 4-point insert function to be moved to the Envelope Edit tool which seems more logical.
however the 4 points do not appear when you drag the envelope when using the envelope tool.
I am not sure what you mean and cannot duplicate the behavior. An envelope points string remain visible when dragging (at least in VP-21, bld 108).
Your method for a quick audioduck (generating 4 points by dragging the volume envelope in a highlighted area) does not work if the envelope tool pointer is enabled. It works fine if the normal tool pointer is enabled.
Not sure it is a bug tough, maybe this behavior is intended by design...
(generating 4 points by dragging the volume envelope in a highlighted area) does not work if the 'envelope edit tool' is enabled
Normal behavior. The same with Vegas 9 and 16.
Hi.
I need voice over in Vegas Pro 21. And I have a lot of comments. I can't get used to the Vegas method of envelopes. What's wrong with Vegasaur or something similar if it's cheaper but still works well? I just need the ducking. Thanks for any answers.
Hi @EricLNZ.
Thanks for the quick response. Well, I just can't find the way to start the process, or more precisely, I'm missing a step-by-step guide that I can't find 😴. I don't have a bad relationship with compressor/sidechain because I know it well from Resolve. But as I mentioned, with Vegas I just don't know where and how to start.
Unfortunately, Vegas Pro doesn't have audio sidechaining.
My understanding from some years ago is that Vegasaur can only assess the VO track against one other audio track at a time, so if there are 10 audio tracks in addition to the VO track, that will then require 10 separate Vegasaur runs to achieve ducking for the project. If that has changed, I will be very happy.
What I haven't liked so far about automated ducking is that the fade down / fade up periods are preset and don't take into account the nuances of the audio of the sound from the various audio tracks; thus I do ducking manually using envelopes. Time consuming even on a 2.5 hours' long project? Sure. But a better result IMO.
In the new world of AI, it would be great if there were an AI ducking feature in Vegas Pro that would smooth out audio ducking including intro and outro periods.
Would Vegasaur work on a bus? I.e. send all the background tracks to the bus, then duck the bus.
Hi.
That would be a great solution. But as far as I could see in my test version, there is no (collective) bus. Only a single audio track.