to clarify;
when I click on a track header ( on the left side of the workspace where the track controls for solo, mute, etc. are located) I thought it would select that one track only, and that if I wanted to select multiple tracks for an edit I would hold down shift and click on the tracks I wanted to include in the edit (say a selection cut). What's happening is that even if I select only one track for editing the other tracks are being edited too.

thanks

With regard to splitting (cutting), the number of tracks currently selected is a non-issue. What matters is which events are selected.

If you have one or more events selected, and those events are beneath the cursor when you make the split, those events will be split. The tricky bit is that if you have no events selected (notice I said events, not tracks), then every event beneath the cursor will be split. To limit the edit to a single (or specific selection of) event(s), make sure that the events you want to edit are selected.

Also, for the record, tracks cannot be grouped. Only events can be grouped.

Rob

say I have one finished audio track and I want to edit the video to match the beats of the soundtrack. I want to be able to edit just the video and not the finished audio track. As of now the edit highlight region includes both the audio and the video so that when I delete a region of the video the audio portion is deleted too, messing up my finished audio track(s). Sorry I'm having such a hard time explaning this.

Are these video and audio events created from the same file or were they added separately? If they were created from the same file, then the video event and audio event are automatically grouped. You would need to either a) ungroup them or b) go to Options > Ignore Event Grouping. Note that this second option will affect all groups in your project.

If they were created separately, then just follow the instructions Chienworks and I already gave you: make sure that you have selected the event you want to edit before you make a split. As I said, if no event is selected, every event beneath the cursor is affected.

Rob

"As of now the edit highlight region includes both the audio and the video so that when I delete a region of the video the audio portion is deleted too, messing up my finished audio track(s)."

This sounds like another grouping / ungrouping question to me.
Many ways to ungroup the video from audio. A forum search will lead you to dozens of answers.

OK, I see what's going on. Thanks for your help.

just in case someone else is looking for an answer, the way I'm isolating the audio track from accidental editing is by locking the track.
right click on the track >select 'switches' > 'lock'.

there are probably other ways to do this but this one is working for me.

If I'm duplicating that right, you're locking the event, not the track.

<edit> If that's the case, you might want to select all the events on that track and lock them all.

Rob Mack

Are you certain that you're not using the word "track" to refer to an event? An event is a single piece of media on the timeline (this means video as well as video). A track is the looooooong area on which an event sits. Tracks are stacked on the timeline, and each one has a header on the left that gives the track number, track name (or a blank space if you haven't given it a name...except Vegas Movie Studio which has default names), and a bunch of icons and a slider or two.

I ask because tracks do not have a "Lock" option. If you right-click a track header, and go to "Switch," you will have the options "Mute," "Solo," and (for audio tracks) "Invert Phase." If you right-click the track itself, there is no Switch option. The only way you're going to get "Switch > Lock" is by right-clicking an event, and that locks only that event.

Honestly, I don't know much more simply I can say it than I already have. To avoid splitting the wrong event(s), just make sure you have selected (clicked on) the one(s) you want to split. It's really that easy.

Rob

I think he's right clicking in an event and locking it, but thinks the track is getting locked.

The ability to lock a track in other NLEs is so ubiquitous that I can see someone never imagining that it might be impossible in Vegas - because that's just absurd.

But it's true.

What I usually do to select an event to split (without risk of moving the play head) is to ctrl+click the event. The only problem with that is that also allows you to select multiple events. You might not notice that more events are selected if they're off screen. This wouldn't affect a split but plays hell if you are deleting events and accidentally delete multiples.

Rob Mack