Your friend might find the following helpful:

List of Vegas shortcuts

It's really helpful to know where all the editing features are hidden... i.e. s = split/razor/blade edit (not sure what VT calls that).

The list doesn't include:
slip and roll editing. Hold Alt or Crtl+Alt while the mouse is over an event to get those edits.

Covering those shortcuts would probably get him mosts of the way there, and then just get some other materials for whatever else he needs to do.



Other than that, I can't really comment on what DVDs to get since I haven't seen the non-VASST titles out there.

Glenn

Thanks for the shortcut to the shortcuts page. It's very well laid out. I'll pass it on.

Mark

Hi Spot -

Could you please post a link to the tour schedule & prices?

I'd love to attend if at all possible!

Tnx

Bruce

I've purchased (but haven't watched/worked through completely) these two sets:

The Vasst.com "Absolute Training Vol. 1-3" and
The Seminar Series: Vegas 6 and DVD Architect 3 from
https://www.sonymediasoftware.com/shopping/item.asp?PID=373&cid=112&disp=1

Briefly (not much time for a full review):

The Sony set is more truly tutorial in that the viewer is invited to follow along, doing the steps using the provided sample project files. As such, it goes along slowly & methodically. I found the approach very useful for learning the basic tools quickly (much more quickly than what I'd gained from my year of trial & error plus textbook approach).

The Vasst set is more like a series of lectures -- rapidly going over much more material (hints, tips, essentials). Interesting & informative, even sort of entertaining -- something that bears multiple viewings to digest.

Side question to Spot re: the production of this series: is there something about the way the files were rendered such that when viewed on a CRT television, shots of the computer screen show lots of flicker vs. no flicker when viewed on the computer's LCD screen?

Also -- 1) I wish the menu screen wasn't such a garish yellow/orange, flickering piece -- very distracting; 2) the opening sequence with the talking head "manager" is o.k. for 1 DVD but tiring for all three (and the switch showing him black/white then color seems hokey). I had production complaints about the Sony series, too.

In truth -- my disappointment with the production quality of these sets, which I presume were created using Vegas/DVDA (?), made me leery of what can be done using these tools: if the teachers creating it make it look slightly amateurish, how can I have any hope? Perhaps I've been spoiled by watching too many Hollywood DVDs?

Side question to Spot re: the production of this series: is there something about the way the files were rendered such that when viewed on a CRT television, shots of the computer screen show lots of flicker vs. no flicker when viewed on the computer's LCD screen?
The DVDs are acquired and delivered as progressive scan media. Progressive to television monitor will usually flicker. To bring down the flicker, you can insert blur in the post process, but the problem there is that a great deal of detail is already lost from the high resolution computer screen. How much flicker you see is more relevant to the display than to the media.
Now that HD is more possible for delivery, we'll be there soon. You'll still get flicker on your television, but it is less noticeable.
I'd submit that our series, Sony's series, and the COD series are on par with training DVDs from anyone. Give us a multi-million$$ budget and we'll make it look like Hollywood.

****.:. Maybe your friend doesn't want to know about advanced DVD Architect, so he won't want that DVD in the series.:. *****

Of course he wants to get the advanced DVDA disc. Jeesh. He just doesn't know how much fun he can have yet. He will be glad that he got after he learns that stuff.

I wouldn't be predjudice or anything like that ; )