Audacity Free Video Editing Software...Opinions?

DAPuke

DAPuke

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I have a digital video cam with bad sound quality and a Tascam DR-1 that records good digital sound.
Should I consider Audacity Editing software? At the moment I can't afford to buy a good software program. I just want to do simple stuff, like put my video and audio together and have a title and stuff. Is Audacity ok. I'm wary of anything free. I would love your opinions. Thanks for your time and input:)
DAP
 
Audacity, although free, can produce great results. I would suggest installing a few different pieces of audio software on your 'puter for comparison and see which shakes your tree.

Audacity (multitrack recorder and editor)
Kristal (multitrack recorder and editor)
Wavosaur (audio editor)

No reason you couldn't leave em all on your computer. The sound card on your computer will have more of an effect on the quality of the recording than the software.
 
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DAPuke said:
I just want to do simple stuff, like put my video and audio together and have a title and stuff. Is Audacity ok. I'm wary of anything free.
Click to expand...
Are you running a Windows OS? Windows Movie Maker is a pretty capable little program for that and it's part of a default install, at least in XP. You might already have it and not know it.
 
Does Audacity handle video? I've used it in the past. I thought it was audio only.
 
Doug W said:
Audacity, although free, can produce great results. I would suggest installing a few different pieces of audio software on your 'puter for comparison and see which shakes your tree.

Audacity (multitrack recorder and editor)
Kristal (multitrack recorder and editor)
Wavosaur (audio editor)

No reason you couldn't leave em all on your computer. The sound card on your computer will have more of an effect on the quality of the recording than the software.
Click to expand...
Thanks Doug W, I won't be using the computer to record. I will have a digital vid file from my camera and a digital audio file from my Tascam, I'll be mating the two with the software. I have no idea what I'm talking about tho, its all new to me. I'll check out your links :)
DAP
 
email (PM) Ken Middleton about audacity. He uses audacity and gets amazing results in sound quality. I am always impressed with the full clarity and reverb sound he gets. It really adds to the quality of the recording. Ken is a really nice person and I am sure he will share with you. He uses a different reverb app than comes with audacity. Ask him about it. For a sample, view his recent video of Fanny power if you want to see audacity in action, and Ken's wonderful picking. Good luck. Lozark Go to our Video forum here and you will see his thread on Fanny Power. Really worth watching!!
 
itsme said:
Are you running a Windows OS? Windows Movie Maker is a pretty capable little program for that and it's part of a default install, at least in XP. You might already have it and not know it.
Click to expand...

I do have XP, I'll check on Movie Maker I've heard good things about it, I just checked my programs and I can't find it. My computer is about 5 yrs old, I think that makes it computer grand dad. It's a dell that came preloaded with stuff.
Thanks for your reply. DAP
 
DAPuke said:
Good question...very good question. I'll check the site to be sure. That's what I need.
DAP
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure Audacity is audio only. You can also try tracAxPC.
 
lozarkman said:
email (PM) Ken Middleton about audacity. He uses audacity and gets amazing results in sound quality. I am always impressed with the full clarity and reverb sound he gets. It really adds to the quality of the recording. Ken is a really nice person and I am sure he will share with you. He uses a different reverb app than comes with audacity. Ask him about it. For a sample, view his recent video of Fanny power if you want to see audacity in action, and Ken's wonderful picking. Good luck. Lozark Go to our Video forum here and you will see his thread on Fanny Power. Really worth watching!!
Click to expand...
Thanks Lozark, any excuse to check out anything having to do with K.M. :) DAP
 
lozarkman said:
email (PM) Ken Middleton about audacity. He uses audacity and gets amazing results in sound quality. I am always impressed with the full clarity and reverb sound he gets. It really adds to the quality of the recording.
Click to expand...

I have to take one small issue with this. :) If Ken gets great sound with Audacity, Ken deserves all the credit. Audacity is a tool just like a hammer or a screwdriver. Thinking otherwise is the first step toward spending 10 grand on guitar gear in order to "sound like" Stevie Ray Vaughn. Believe me, I know. ;)

-Pete
 
knadles said:
I have to take one small issue with this. :) If Ken gets great sound with Audacity, Ken deserves all the credit. Audacity is a tool just like a hammer or a screwdriver. Thinking otherwise is the first step toward spending 10 grand on guitar gear in order to "sound like" Stevie Ray Vaughn. Believe me, I know. ;)

-Pete
Click to expand...
Totally true. The right tool in the right hands:)
 
of course!! we all agree with that. It is just a tool. But you better believe that all the professionals that sell millions of their recordings use any "tool" they can get to enhance their talent. Certainly wasn't trying to lessen the innate talent Ken possesses. That is obvious in everything he does, tool or no tool. Lozark
 
Hi DAP, Audacity is audio only. I use a digital recorder from the sound board at our band gigs. Then use Audacity to split out each song and export to a file so I can burn a CD so the band members can critique ourselves. I like the "normalize" function that allows you to get max volume without distortion.
I have also used Windows Movie Maker to combine the digital recorder track with a video from a digital camera, and once to make a slide show with audio from my recorder and a series of pictures synced to the music.
I am also using Windows XP. I found Movie Maker under

All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment>Windows Movie Maker

I downloaded a trial version of Sony Vegas video editer to try to replace the audio from the video camera in the audience with the audio from my digital board recording at one of our shows. It looks like it has potential, but I'm still struggling with the learning curve thing.

HTH
Bill
 
KamakOzzie said:
Hi DAP, Audacity is audio only. I use a digital recorder from the sound board at our band gigs. Then use Audacity to split out each song and export to a file so I can burn a CD so the band members can critique ourselves. I like the "normalize" function that allows you to get max volume without distortion.
I have also used Windows Movie Maker to combine the digital recorder track with a video from a digital camera, and once to make a slide show with audio from my recorder and a series of pictures synced to the music.
I am also using Windows XP. I found Movie Maker under

All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment>Windows Movie Maker

I downloaded a trial version of Sony Vegas video editer to try to replace the audio from the video camera in the audience with the audio from my digital board recording at one of our shows. It looks like it has potential, but I'm still struggling with the learning curve thing.

HTH
Bill
Click to expand...
Hey thanks KamakOzzie, sounds like you are doing what I'd like to be able to do. I record gigs and rehearsals on my DR-1 and have an mp3 splitter to cut my recordings up. What I'm missing is a way to mate video and audio. I'll double check for Movie Maker per your directions when I get home. I am interested in Sony Vegas too all though I don't think it totally free? Thanks again.
DAP
 
DAPuke said:
Hey thanks KamakOzzie, sounds like you are doing what I'd like to be able to do. I record gigs and rehearsals on my DR-1 and have an mp3 splitter to cut my recordings up. What I'm missing is a way to mate video and audio. I'll double check for Movie Maker per your directions when I get home. I am interested in Sony Vegas too all though I don't think it totally free? Thanks again.
DAP
Click to expand...

They have three levels of Vegas. The 30 day free trial I am using is about $50 to buy.. Several people on here are using it, including Sebi, I think. I don't see where this version will make the four simultanious video screens. I also cannot burn a DVD format from it. I may be that the trial version is limited, or I would need the higher levels to do what I want, but at this point, I don't think I will purchase it.
Bill
 
KamakOzzie said:
They have three levels of Vegas. The 30 day free trial I am using is about $50 to buy.. Several people on here are using it, including Sebi, I think. I don't see where this version will make the four simultanious video screens. I also cannot burn a DVD format from it. I may be that the trial version is limited, or I would need the higher levels to do what I want, but at this point, I don't think I will purchase it.
Bill
Click to expand...
Good info. I'm in the middle of watching the intro video on the tracAxPC Website, http://www.trakax.com/software/pc/ it looks good, It is $24.95. I'm still gonna check my home PC later for Movie Maker.
DAP
 
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