New Vegas book

Spot|DSE wrote on 1/9/2004, 1:25 PM

Hey gang,
I've been asked to do another book on Vegas, this one will be graphically oriented (lotsa pics, less text) and so I wanted to invite you all to comment on what you'd like to know more about, or like to see spelled out in tutorial formatting. This will be a smaller book, about half the price of the 'big book' and I'd prefer to not have it be quite as basic as some of the bigger book is.
Please if you've got any specific ideas or requests. I found the last book much easier to do with input from you all.

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Comments

PDB wrote on 1/12/2004, 10:56 AM

Well having read the audio chapter in " workshop ", I confess I'm still mostly/completely lost on audio side of things...I got the feeling that I really needed to do some reading on audio basics before going into the audio part of "workshop"; I didn't get that feeling at all on the video side, but there again there is a huge amount to read about Vegas and video online as it is which helps...par example: just how many kinds of equalizers do I need to equalize, you know, the graphic, paragraphic, paramedic even ? (whatever that actually means to begin with...) and why would I need to?? See? told you, audio neophite here....

Another real help for non-After effects users would be to understand more deeply the power of the different compositing modes: I now tend to just do the "lets try the options and see which delivers what I'm loking for"....(if at all!) Normally I look at the options (you know, add, subtract, mutliply etc...) and feel that either I was taught some weird maths or I am missing something here bigtime....

I Just wanted to say however that the colour correcting in "workshop" really opened my eyes...incredible how powerful those tools really can be...(just begun to understand them....) Mind you I still haven't quite got my hands round the second colour corrector yet....

I guess those are my first 2 which come to mind...

Thanks again for your interest,

regards,

Paul.

epirb wrote on 1/12/2004, 7:18 PM

Spot,
How bout a Pop Up book! When we have a question or want to learn something, we open it up and you Pop out and show us how its done!

Seriously though,I'm with alot of the other posts,
Compositing or understanding the theory behind the different modes, as oppossed to the "lets see what happens when I used subtract or burn method"

As I asked in another post maybe somemore in depth discussion/explaination on some of the adjustment tabs,sliders and selections ie;the properties tab of events what is exactlythe diiference between an alpha channel thats premultiplied or straight.
(you mentioned that might be included in a budget book)
also the sliders in some of the effects ,maybe something like a glossary with some of the more advanced terms.

I think things like you did in your last book with a cd with examples are great .I sometimes learn as much by reverse engineering or disecting examples.

I'll send my complete"wishlist" to your link at the beginning of the post, I figured thats where you really would like the suggestions,so you can compile them

Lanzaedit wrote on 1/12/2004, 7:48 PM

What's the timetable for the book?
Will it come out after version 5 is released? (Whenever that will be...)
If so, in addition to the tips/tricks aspect, you could focus on the new features.

John

garo wrote on 1/13/2004, 4:29 AM

Three Things:
1. The one specific type of Index could contain common terms one might use to find steps for simpler actions I noticed that "Auto Rippeling" is not in the Vegas Worksop Index for example.
2 A large colred Poster you can put up on the wall with "10 Easy Starting Steps in Vegas" so you don't have to wreasle with the book in your lap or on cluttered desk.
3. A "Key card" lettersized cardboard thick sheet with Icons and other relevent illustrations showing important Keystrokes in Vegas - you tage it up on the side of your screen. Would also make great mouse pad?

// Garo

DavidMcKnight wrote on 1/13/2004, 4:58 AM

I would imagine any inserts like that would add to the cost of the book, something SPOT and the publishers are trying to keep down. (thank you). Maybe some of the CD-requested features could be made available as a download, but there is also the cost of bandwidth associated with that.

Good call about audio. You could do a pretty in-depth book on the audio functions of vegas, and while it might not be most beneficial to the users of this board, it is a powerful aspect of Vegas. No offense intended - videographers don't usually record 8 channels live at one time and then mix 20 overdubbed tracks, etc. When people see what I do with vegas and video, they are impressed (with vegas, not me! ) I'm also a musician, and I've gotten into conversations about Sonar and ProTools, and when I mention Vegas does a lot of that, they are bumfuzzled.

Maybe that could be Book 3 in the Trilogy!

- David

MyST wrote on 1/13/2004, 1:35 PM

Don't know if this has been suggested (threads getting long and I've got to go shovel snow), but how about having a veg file that would be downloadable from the Sundance site as a base project. No transitions applied, no fades, no fx's, nuttin'.
It could be basic stills on the timeline and an audio track that also doesn't have fx's applied.
Every HOW TO section would go back to that basic veg and modify it to show the results of each modification.
Having screenshots in the book would show us what settings you were using to get your results.
Black and white pictures wouldn't matter because we'd have it in colour in front of us.

Another idea I thought I'd mention.

M

JJKizak wrote on 1/13/2004, 3:10 PM

MyST:
Thats a kool idea.

JJK

MyST wrote on 1/13/2004, 4:17 PM

Thanks.
I figure that way there's no need for colour (pardon the "u" in colour...I'm Canadian, eh!) or an included CD.
Costs are kept to a minimum AND we get the hands on approach.

What ya think, Spot?

M

zemote wrote on 1/13/2004, 4:50 PM

Get the Publisher to foot the bill to have a website to compliment the book, have .veg files and media used in the book. You can also use it for errata to the book or anything that you couldn't put in the book due to time constraints or money ie. Color examples. One thing I do like is when books provide an electronic copy also with a hard copy, hard decision with piracy I know but it's a thought. Some times I like an electronic copy for easy searching and sometimes I just like a good old fashioned book, depends on my mood.

-zemote

Spot|DSE wrote on 1/13/2004, 5:22 PM

Already in place, so I'd have to agree that it's a brilliant idea.
for instance, on the Vegas book,
www.sundancemediagroup.com/training/errata.htm

We're launching a new book site to complement our very soon release of "Photoshop for Non-Linear Editors" DVD featuring Rich Harrington.

garo wrote on 1/14/2004, 12:22 AM

A more subject related INDEX would be cool - are we excpected to RTFM entirely? - I was looking for "REGIONS" in the Index for example - wasn't there. I would like to see - ah ha, Regions - then Basic Concepts and In Depth

I don't kow how many actually read the book or Manual and THEN use the program?

:-)

//Garo

Stiffler wrote on 1/14/2004, 2:25 AM

How about adding a few words about this message board?

I think that this forum is a hidden extra feature of Vegas, and a great asset!

kingarthur wrote on 1/14/2004, 3:20 AM

HI All I am new to Vegas 4 and would like to get the first book,where can i get it the
UK. On Sony Mediasoftware site from the US. It is $76.95. whitch is much to much
Fred.

MyST wrote on 1/14/2004, 5:53 PM

Here's a place for you, Amazon. Only 3 left in stock (but more on the way).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1578202191/qid=1074131533/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/026-2320547-2873245

M