OK, I like that approach. But there is no way to fade from one scene to another unless they are on the same track (as far as I know), I'll just have to use clean transitions.

Of course you can crossfade. They just aren't automatic between two tracks.
1. Adjust your overlap length.
2. Drag the fade offset on the A and B events to snap at the overlap boundaries.
3. Done.

Or look up Compositing in Help.

OR ... just fade the ends of the top clips .. it won't be as good as a "real" fade (like musicvid suggests) but it might be good enough and at least you can keep the second track whole.

You can also drop in the "fancy" transitions to the "faded" ends of the top clips. Just choose a transition and drag it over and place it in the "faded" part.

I routinely use three cameras when I shoot my train videos. Synced up later in Vegas Studio on separate tracks. Editing is a cinch when you keep in mind, as has been stated, that the top track will be eventually rendered.

Take a look at this screen grab of a video edit from last year. It may help.
http://flic.kr/p/9sgD5E

Bill

Can you describe "multi-cam mode", it's functions and features, in laymens terms please? Because I want to produce music videos, and am looking into more advanced video software. I currently use VMSP9.

Actually fading only the top track is preferable to fading both. When you fade both, the effect is to start crossfading to black, instead of crossfading into the next clip. There can be a noticeable drop in brightness caused by fading both.

multi-cam mode

Well, it's only available in the Pro version of Vegas.

Briefly, you drop in your various clips on seperate tracks, sync them, then activate the mulit-cam mode. Vegas then combines them and shows you a single box with each of those (two, three, four or more) tracks as small windows in that box.

ONE of those small windows will be highlighted. That is the track that will be rendered. As you play the video you can click on a box to choose THAT box, or any other box, and Vegas will automatically make an edit to switch to that track..

It's a LOT easier than doing it in the non-Pro versions of Vegas.

Old thread I realize, but I wanted to chime in that TOG62 was right about compositing.

In VMS11 it's no trouble to put several cameras on several tracks and fade using the compositing lines. Learned how to do it in a youtube tutorial. VMS can do up to 5 video and 5 audio, right? And you can put multiple source media clips on one video track as long as they don't overlap.

I align them visually by eyeballing the audio (understanding that you can't align exactly because the cameras aren't gen-locked or whatever you call it plus the audio isn't guaranteed to be synched to the video anyway in consumer grade cameras). I fade video using the compositing lines, fast fades, slow lingering fades, half fade to black, whatever works best. Could stick in transitions probably but haven't found transitions to look any better than fades. Almost always put a shotgun mic on the static camera, use its audio, fading in and out handheld audio as needed, again using the compositing lines.

I have a VideoMic Pro mono on my DSLR and a Canon Stereo mic on my HDV. But would like to have a cordless unit that can get close to the action even if the camera is back a ways. What I need to do is buy a stereo mic/recorder, to use on a stand or boom, and learn how to import an audio only track. I'm guessing that's easy, too.

I just want to say that for home movies, two cameras totally rocks over one. Totally. I set up the DSLR on a tripod, then walk around with the HDV. (Downside is that the blasted DSLR quits running spuriously due to overheating.) The home vids with fades (e.g. mom playing guitar while daughter runs across the yard) just is so cool. I got the Canon HV20 from ebay for 1/8 of one month's rent and it gives so much happiness in return for the short money. Tempting to buy several cams (though I'd go solid state) and hand them out at family gatherings, sort of like the way they put disposable film cameras at every table at wedding receptions.

10 tracks of each audio and video.