Best Self Training / teaching book/vid/web

kraz wrote on 10/22/2006, 5:23 AM
I have been using versions of Vegas Studio for about 2.5 years and have taught myself a lot. I make many videos usually persentations for parties - some minor corporate work - non-profit etc.

I just bought the $100 version 6.0 vegas and have 8 days to decide if I want to go with Vegas 7 for $150.

I was able to self teach a lot by one of 2 ways - stumbling over it and finding cool features, or REALLY needing a specific feature and knocking my head to get it.

I am sure there are many features just sitting and waiting for me and once I know they exist I will find them valuable. I am also sure there are much more efficient ways of using the SW -

So the question is what is the best CHEAP way to learn as much of these kinds of things as I can - and as efficiently as I can.

(and yes I actually printed out the manual but it is not a great way to learn features rather a way to check technicla things)

Any thoughts or suggestions (of course now that I am ready to upgrade from Studio to regular -they are now giving a training video with Studio.)

Thanks
Allen

Comments

Jim Harring wrote on 10/22/2006, 7:32 AM
In addition to a number of websites out there, I really like Douglas Spotted Eagle's book: "Vegas 6 Workshop".

Great reference, holding up well even though i recently upg. to V7.0b. It does a pretty decent job of explaining WHY you want to use method "a" vs "b". Presently I am trying to get my head around masking and parent/child relationships.

Also did Sony's own "Seminar Series" on Vegas+DVD. Very helpful for a "Premiere 1.5 refugee" to quickly get up to speed. I was clueless on DVDA until I saw the video seminar.

For reference guide, I find it much easier going (via index) to a chapter in a book than back to the dvd series though. I would pick the book if I had to choose just one.

I strongly recommend you go to V7/DVD4 (and pull the updates off the web). It's a much more refined product IMO and handles HDV much better, should you want to go that way. (you will).

PS I am just a hobbiest, no financial ties to either (other then giving them money for their respective products!)
kraz wrote on 10/22/2006, 9:50 AM
thanks -

it is a bit frustrating the studio comes with a DVD tutorial but vegas doesn;t
DavidMcKnight wrote on 10/22/2006, 4:41 PM
Ditto Spot's book. I have the Vegas 5 version and I still refer to it at least once a month if not more. That's probably the dirt cheapest method, but I prefer dvd training, which is a little more expensive. But worth it. VASST has a whole slew of training videos on Vegas as has been mentioned here many times; check them out here:

Vegas Training at VASST Website
busterkeaton wrote on 10/22/2006, 6:32 PM
As you check out the VASST videos look at the sticker on the DVDs. Seems like the elves at VASST have been up to something.

NAB is in NY this week, so I suspect we will see annoucements soon.