Comments

Chienworks wrote on 4/29/2009, 7:58 PM
There's no deliberate function for this in Vegas. However, you can use track motion to shrink each track and position them side by side in the frame. Once you've got your syncing and cutting done you can reset the track motion back to full screen.
jetdv wrote on 4/30/2009, 6:26 AM
Vol 1 #7 of my newsletters explains multiple ways to do multi-cam editing manually. Naturally the process is much easier in the pro versions either using the built-in multi-cam or one of the script options.
MSmart wrote on 4/30/2009, 10:36 AM
Volume 1 Number 7, are you sure? Either I'm blind or it's a different issue.

I zoom in on the timeline then align the tracks using the audio wave form of each track to get them close, then click at the top of the upper track's top edge and drag down to lower opacity to 80ish. This allows you to see both tracks in the preview window then arrow left or right to move frame by frame to watch movement. Drag the upper track as necessary to sync. (in a nutshell)
jetdv wrote on 4/30/2009, 12:28 PM
Sorry. Went from memory. Just looked it up and it's Vol 1 #9. Hey... I was within 2.
richard-amirault wrote on 4/30/2009, 1:15 PM
Yes, assuming both cameras have the same audio, I use the audio waveforms to match up the video ... zoom in.

When you think you have it .. play the video with both audio tracks on .. and see how they sound. If you hear an echo or a delay then it's not quite right.
MSmart wrote on 4/30/2009, 5:21 PM
Ed, you "missed it by THAT much"!! (holding fingers 2-inches apart)

Ah yes, the echo test, quite right.
richard-amirault wrote on 4/30/2009, 7:11 PM
Of course once you've synced the tracks you mute one of the audio tracks for the render. That's assuming that one camera has all the audio you'll need. If both cameras have better audio at certain points of the shoot then you'll need to use both tracks .. but I would put a volume envelope on both and mute one while you use the other. When you need to switch from one to the other do it like a cross fade (bring one envelope up and at the same time bring the other envelope down)

By the way ... this is all a lot more fun when you do "dual system sound" and use neither of the camcorder audio tracks, but have to sync up a recording made from an external digital recorder.
drewU2 wrote on 4/30/2009, 8:02 PM
Thanks everyone for your help. I have been a movie studio user for years now but I am editing weddings now and need to be able to see (at least) 2 tracks at once and be able to switch between them in real time editing. Do I need to go with vegas pro? Or another program?
Chienworks wrote on 5/1/2009, 2:56 AM
"be able to switch between them in real time editing."

Why?

Vegas, even the studio version, will let you perform multicamera editing and switch between various video sources. Once you've found the location where you want to switch you can perform the edit very easily, albeit not in real-time.

I suspect that if you can tell us why you think you need to do a real time edit we can cheerfully explain why you don't really need to. In fact, we can explain why Vegas' non-real-time method is far preferable. For example, with a real time system, if you make a mistake you have to either live with it, or stop the whole process and go back and do it over again. With non-real-time edits you can tweak to your heart's content, and then move on.
jetdv wrote on 5/1/2009, 6:56 AM
Remember that Vegas Pro 8 has real-time multi-cam switching (that is after all is captured and sync'd on the timeline). Same with Vegas 6 and later using the script methods (i.e. Excalibur or Ultimate S). So after capture and placement on the timeline, you *CAN* get real-time switching. But you'll need to upgrade from the "Movie Studio" version to the Pro version.