Next problem. Is there a way where I can click on a file, or (preferably) multiple files, and set an exact starting point?

I can move my audio freely, by a sample or whatever, by not the video. Is there a way around this? If not, what a f-ing problem!!!

Why caan't I select two audio cips, group them together and have them move together? Isn't this the point of grouping? Seems to me like I've done this before but now it's not working!!! I'm just a little stressed, sorry about the wildly chaotic posts.

"When I zoom down to the sample level on audio, why can't I put my cursor where I want? I've got snapped and grids off, but it still only lets me put on some kind of invisible grid. Is there a way around this?...please say there is :-("Whoa! Let's slow down a bit and start from the beginning. I believe what you want to do is toggle "Quantize to Frames" alt-F8

...Jerry

Your cursor positioning issue is probably related to the Quantize to frames setting. When this is on the cursor can only be positioned where frames on the timeline start, not within frames. For most video editing purposes this is what you want to have happen. You can disable this on the Options menu in order to line up audio in sub-frame increments, but you should probably turn it back on after you've got the audio aligned.

Quantize to frames should, in general, always be on when working on video clips. You shouldn't be trying to move the video around in less-than-frame increments. For one thing, there's no point to it as each frame of video takes up one frame's worth of time and will start when the frame boundary is reached, not before or after. For another thing, having it off can result in very strange cadences or interlacing issues, cause some ghosting on transitions, etc.

However, this presumes that your project frame rate matches the source media frame rate. If it doesn't, it probably should, unless you know that the purpose of the project is to render to some specific other frame rate, in which case you should probably set the project to that frame rate and leave it there. And in this case, the project frames and source frames are not going to line up, but Vegas will still sample the source at the project frame boundaries so moving the video in less than one-frame increments won't accomplish much.

Grouping only works if the Ignore event grouping button isn't turned on so check that. It's also possible that one of the audio events is still grouped to a video event that can't be moved. For example, if you have a 40 second video event starting at the beginning of the timeline and a 20 second audio event starting at 20 seconds and they're grouped, you won't be able to move the audio to the left because that would require pushing the video back before the start of the timeline.

If you want to group some events to move together you should probably first make sure they're not grouped to other things that you want to leave put.

No. Try this. Zoom in an on audio track all the way, find something you can identify like a peak, move it with all snapping off. Ok, fine it moves. Now try the same thing, but select a video track along with an audio track and it doesn't budge

Ok, Chienworks your're right. When I turn that off the audio and video can move together in very small increments. Now grouping. I don't get it. I thought that I could take two clips of any kind anywhere in the project, hit "g" and then they'd always move together. Is this not the case?

Ok. Sorry, pretty amature questions on my part, but very professional answers on your part Chienworks. I owe you a beer! No for real! I dont' suppose you live in montreal? If you're ever here make sure you claim your prize for patience:-) Thanks Jerry too for trying to help.

"No. Try this. Zoom in an on audio track all the way, find something you can identify like a peak, move it with all snapping off. Ok, fine it moves. Now try the same thing, but select a video track along with an audio track and it doesn't budge"Not snapping, "Quantize to frames" - works for me.

...Jerry

No, you're right Jerry, I'm trying to go too fast. Ok, deep breath. It's all working now. Thanks...

liquid, Please forgive me if the following is pedantic and sounds like I'm talking down to you.

I think you're experiencing something not uncommon to new Vegas users.

I suspect that your problems with grouping and movement of events may also be associated with AutoRipple. The easiest way to understand it is to experiment with it.

1) Create a new Vegas Project.
2) Make sure "Auto Ripple" is on.

2) Drag several (maybe 4) clips to the timeline
3) Select the second clip and drag in a few seconds to the right - notice that the 2nd 3rd & 4th clips all move as a group (even though they have not been grouped).
4) Select the second clip again and drag it back to the left (flush with clip 1). Everything moves back.
5) Now Toggle Auto Ripple Off. and drag the 2nd trip to the right again. Notice the difference - only clip 2 moves.

Another thing to remember. When you place a video clip with the associated audio on the timeline, the audio & video are automatically grouped. If you want to group only the audio with another audio event, you must ungroup it from the video first.

Grouped events move together regardless of whether Auto Ripple is "on" or "off"

Maybe you thoroughly understand this stuff already, but if you don't you'll create yourself all sorts of problems.

Finally (and probably most important!) the Cntl+z key is your friend!

Hope this helps! and don't get stressed too easily. It all flows, once you have worked with it. The Real Estate video you posted a few days ago shows obvious talent - it would be a shame for you to get frustrated early-on.
...Jerry

You know what, one thing about this forum, over and above and beyond all my other experiences with other forums, is that you people, are so generous with your time. Thanks a lot Jerry, and Chienworks, and countless others for all the selfless posts helping me and many others along the way. Seriously, it never ceases to amaze me that people I don't know, will probably never meet, people who owe me nothing and stand to gain nothing from helping me are so giving and share their knowledge so readily.
I will not give up on Vegas, seriously, I love it too much, and I love video too much. Today we did a test for an actual video I'm going to shoot I think probably tomorrow. I tried to figure out the overcranking thing--and I got it! Thanks, again to other posts and advice you people gave me. Here are two samples, one sped up, and one slowed down, the real video will be a combination of both of these techniques. While these one where just shot in my bed room, very soon the real thing will be shot in the metro here, and it should be great. I'm excited.

Sped up version, me in the background just moving. The problems with the lipsync is only because my friend had a hard time singing the song so slowly--he's practicing tonight.
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit

Slowed down version...no major problems.


I was having a hard time lining these up with the original track today, and I thought I'd just discovered some odd limitations of Vegas--that's why I panicked
Cheers

liquid,

Very creative! I like the effect. Whadaya think about a green screen background and some equally creative footage of something that goes with the song?

...Jerry

btw: you have a bad link to the sped up version

Sped up version


we're shooting in the metro and around town, no green screen here. But that would be cool actually, maybe that'll be the next level...