ID:41005895 Avid Liquid Liquid for Pinnacle Studio Users
© 2005 Pinnacle Systems GmbH. All rights reserved. November 2005 / Pinnacle Systems Documentation, Munich, Germany liquid.documentation@pinnaclesys.com Copyright and Protective Rights This manual or the software described herein, in whole or in part, may not be reproduced, translated or reduced to any machine readable form without prior written approval from Pinnacle Systems GmbH.
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Manual Part 1 CONTENT Part 1 Part 2 Upgrading to Avid Liquid.................................... 7 1 Avid Liquid: Brief Overview........................... 8 1 Recording from DV/HDV Video Tapes (Capture) .................................................... 56 2 Initial Contact with Avid Liquid.................... 10 2 Comparison of Recording Instruments....... 58 3 EZ Capture ................................................. 12 3 Recording Clips with Mark-Ins and Mark-Outs............................
Upgrading to Avid Liquid This document was written for Pinnacle Studio users who want to upgrade to Avid Liquid and achieve demonstrable results as quickly as possible. We’d like to help you find the functions you already know from Studio in Avid Liquid. In many cases there is no one-to-one correspondence - after all, they are two different programs. But Avid Liquid can do a lot more than Studio, which we assume is why you purchased it.
1 Avid Liquid: Brief Overview First of all, we’d like to introduce the most important modules in Avid Liquid. To the right you see the user interface after a standard installation (single computer monitor). Timeline The Timeline is where the Sequence (in Studio: Film) is assembled from the clips (scenes). Any type of clip (video, audio, graphic, title) can be positioned on the Tracks.
Menu Bar Source Viewer (Player) Master Viewer (Recorder) Toolbars Timeline Track Header Area Project Browser Taskbar 9
2 Initial Contact with Avid Liquid After installing the program, you’ll find the Avid Liquid icon on your computer’s desktop. Connect your DV or HDV camera to an IEEE-1394 interface (Firewire, DV In) on the computer, switch on the device and insert a tape. STUDIO LIQUID Starting up Starting up Studio is “empty” when you start it up. You can then open an existing project or create a new one.
Project only Timeline only Single Monitor View 11
3 EZ Capture EZ Capture is a file-based capture tool for recording clips from digital sources (DV, HDV) and analog inputs (if you have a breakout box). You can record to various formats. STUDIO LIQUID Recording a movie Recording using EZ Capture Camcorder control via DV and the recording options are described in the record mode field. First check whether the camcorder is properly connected and switched on. 1 Select File > EZ Capture.
Recording format Enter clip name Select directory Player control buttons Extend dialog box Start/stop recording Settings for EZ Capture 13
4 Album and Project The Album and Project serve the same purpose: To manage all the elements necessary for making a film and keep them within easy reach. Avid Liquid does this in the Project window. STUDIO LIQUID Album Project and Tabs Here you can page through your existing material. The tabs on the side separate the areas into video scenes, effects, etc. Click the Eye icon ( , bottom right on the taskbar) and select the view with the large Project Window: .
Trash Tabs Project Window Desktop Click here to show/hide the Project Browser. Drag the separating lines to resize the fields.
5 Collecting, Sorting, Viewing and Finding Clips Even very large Projects with thousands of objects (clips, etc.) can be effectively managed in Avid Liquid. The following are the most important tools: STUDIO LIQUID Windows folders Racks and folders The Studio Album displays the contents of Windows folders, i.e. it directly accesses your computer’s directories. The Racks in Avid Liquid serve as “containers” for clips. You can combine Racks in Rack Folders and move or copy clips from Rack to Rack.
Quick Finder The left-hand area contains the Racks and Rack folders. The right-hand area shows the contents of the current Rack (here in Detail View) To sort the list alphanumerically, click the header of the relevant column. Below is a Rack in Picon View. Double-click a clip to view it in the Clip Viewer.
6 Importing Clips, Titles, Graphics and Stills Avid Liquid lets you import clips in a variety of formats. You can use Racks to organize your Project: Title Rack, Audio Rack, Sound Track Rack, Video Rack, etc. STUDIO LIQUID Select tab, open directory Creating Racks In Studio, you first select the relevant tab and then display the Open dialog box from Windows. With Avid Liquid, you can fill any Rack with any clips. You alone determine the structure.
Right-click here: You can open several Racks simultaneously: Drag them from the Rack area to the desktop and double-click. Importing objects: Right-click to open the Rack’s shortcut menu. Select an import type: Link, Move or Copy. Or use the menu bar File > Import > Media command.
7 DVD Menus, Titles and Effects Video clips aren’t the only design elements of a film. The following is an overview of the options available from Avid Liquid; for more detailed information, see the next section. STUDIO LIQUID DVD menus DVD menus The DVD menus are located in the Album. You can either use standard menus and edit them or load additional menus. In the Project Window or Browser, select the Library tab. The menus are located in the DVD Menus Rack.
DVD menus are located on the Lib(rary) tab in the DVD Menus Rack. Drag a menu to the Timeline. The “DVD” Track is automatically configured at the very top. The new titles are stored in the current Rack. The frame on which the playline is currently positioned (Timeline) serves as the background in the Title Editor.
8 Film Window and Timeline: Basics This section provides the most important information on the Avid Liquid Timeline and on creating a film. STUDIO LIQUID Film window Timeline In Studio, the film window can appear in three forms: Storyboard, Timeline and List. Specific tracks are reserved for certain types of scene. The Timeline is the “foundation” for Sequences (Avid Liquid’s term for films). The Timeline comprises any number of horizontal Tracks on which the clips are positioned.
Edit Mode is enabled Track Header Track Track Track Video and audio playback Track Track Zoom (Timeline scale) Playline Timecode bar Example of a complex Timeline 23
9 Inserting Clips on the Timeline Basically, this function works the same in Avid Liquid and Studio: Drag a clip from the Album/Project to the Timeline. STUDIO LIQUID Assembling scenes Assembling clips As soon as a scene is dragged to the Timeline, the clip dimensions are indicated by green start and end markers. Click to select a screen layout in which you can view the Project (Browser), Timeline and Source/Master Viewer.
These are the “slices” - each edit is assigned a consecutive number. The clip’s audio is automatically positioned on a Track below the video clip. Make sure Film Style is activated (yellow icon). Click the icon to change the style. The clips following the inserted clip are shifted to the right.
10 Inserting/Deleting Clips on the Timeline In contrast to Studio, Avid Liquid has two methods for inserting clips on the Timeline: One method overwrites clips and gaps and the other shifts whatever follows it. STUDIO LIQUID Razor (insert edit with audio) Inserting To insert one scene into another, you must first create an edit with the razor tool. The scene is then inserted and subsequent scenes are shifted to the right.
Insertion in Film Style: The inserted clip cuts the existing clip and shifts the remainder of this clip to the right. Insertion in Overwrite Style: The overall length remains the same; the inserted clip overwrites the center portion of the existing clip. Gap The razor tool cuts the clips at the playline position. A deleted clip (in Overwrite Style) leaves a gap.
11 Trimming Clips on the Timeline The most important work of the editor is to trim the edits between clips: Each frame counts. STUDIO LIQUID Trimming on the Timeline Activating Edit Mode First click the clip you want to trim. When the mouse pointer nears the edit, it turns into an arrow. You can now change the length of the clip. Any gaps produced are immediately closed.
Edit Style Trimming in Edit Style = Overwrite: Red “handle” Trimming in Edit Style = Film: Yellow “handle” Trimming in Edit Style = Overwrite: The clip is shortened. Its mark-in shifts to the right. Trimming in Edit Style = Film: The clip is shortened but its mark-in remains at the master position and the mark-out shifts to the left.
12 Moving Clips Horizontally and Vertically Even when clips are already positioned on the Timeline, they can be moved to new positions. STUDIO LIQUID Swapping positions Selecting a clip or clips When you move clips, the gaps created are closed automatically. This is the first step in moving one or more clips. Activate Edit mode ( must glow yellow) and, if necessary, (de)activate linked mode ( ) so that you can select the video and audio clips together or separately.
Select using the lasso: Beginning in an empty area on the Timeline, drag the lasso until it either surrounds the relevant clips or its outline touches them. Edit mode pointer Custom selection: Hold down the CTRL key and click the relevant clips. You can now, for example, move the selected clips as a group. Or open the Clip Properties dialog box (right-click > Properties) in order, for example, to rename multiple clips.
13 Effects: Basics Avid Liquid provides a huge number of effects that you can combine and edit as desired. Using these effects is as easy as it is in Studio. STUDIO LIQUID Album and Video Toolbox Library tab The effects are located on the Album’s Transitions tab or in the Video Toolbox (“Video Effects”). All effects are located on the Library tab in the Project Window (or on the Lib tab in the Project Browser) in various Racks and folders. “Video Effects” are called Clip FX.
Effect Editors View of the “Library” tab with the different effect types. Example of an Effect Editor (Magnify GPU). Parameters such as Size and Position are configured on the left; parameter curves (for dynamic changes) are in the middle; the inlay on the right contains the clip image (here it’s the default preview image because no clip is loaded yet).
14 Effects: Transitions Position a few video clips consecutively on the Timeline so you can experiment with Transitions. Don’t leave any gaps between the clips. STUDIO LIQUID Selecting and dropping Positioning a transition on the edit Regardless of which transition effects you select, they will always be positioned so that the effect ends at the start of the next clip. At the end of the film, a transition effect changes to black.
Transition (Wipe) positioned on an edit. Sufficient leeway (overlap) is available on both clips - therefore, the transition is gray. Not enough leeway available - Liquid automatically trims the transition to the usable length. Transition is partially red: In this case, the clip on the right doesn’t have enough leeway. In Film Style, trim in the direction of the arrow until the red disappears from the transition.
15 Effects: Clip FX (Video Effects) These effects, called “video effects” in Studio, are usually applied to individual clips. However, they can also be applied to entire Tracks and all the clips they contain. STUDIO LIQUID Drag and drop onto a clip Drag and drop onto a clip Here there is hardly any difference between the two applications. You can drop as many effects as necessary onto a clip. At some point, however, the realtime capacity of even the most powerful system will be exhausted.
Simply drag clip FX to the video clip: The purple line and the effect icon indicate that at least one effect is applied to the clip. Right-click the line or effect icon and select the effect to be edited. The Effect Editor now appears. This effect is applied to the entire “Video” Track, i.e. to all the clips on this Track.
16 Effects: Render or Realtime? With Avid Liquid’s intelligent background rendering, this in not really an either/or question. STUDIO LIQUID Render options/preview Yellow and red slices If your system has sufficient capacity, Studio shows you a preview of realtime effects. The color of the Slices above the Timeline indicates the status of clips and effects: You can set various render options in the Setup area. With Avid Liquid, you can activate or deactivate background rendering.
Colored slices mean: Yellow = playback in realtime; Green = already rendered; Red = needs rendering (Classic Effect); Dark red = media data not available. Render menu in the taskbar: Click the sigma character to open the Render Viewer (right). This allows you to monitor the rendering process. Select “Render yellow slices” to activate background rendering (or deactivate if checkbox is empty). To manually re-render, select “Delete Render Files” (Timeline shortcut menu).
17 Timeline Settings Avid Liquid can handle clips in all formats on the Timeline. Consider the output (tape, DVD, stream) and select a specific video format for the Timeline. STUDIO LIQUID Timeline settings as of Version 10 Selecting a Timeline format As of Studio Version 10, you can select advanced settings (for example, for HDV). When you start a new movie (in Avid Liquid: Sequence), select a Timeline Format, such as.
New Sequence dialog box (File > New > Sequence) Select Timeline format here Advanced settings - usually, you will not change them. Clip properties (right-click Clip > Properties) All the facts about the clip at a glance. Select an option here to scale one or more clips to a different format (aspect ratio).
18 Audio: Basics When inserting, trimming, deleting, moving, etc. on the Timeline, Avid Liquid handles audio clips exactly like video clips. STUDIO LIQUID Special audio tracks Sorting audio clips by type Certain tracks are reserved for certain types of audio. Although audio clips can be positioned on any Track, we recommend that you set up a particular structure: Separate Tracks for original audio, interview audio, noises, background music, narration, etc.
Example of a useful Timeline structure: “SOT 1” (Sound on Tape) and “2” for interview audio, original audio on tape; “Music” for background music; “Ambient 1/2” for ambient noise; “Sound FX” for special sound effects. Make sure audio playback is activated: The loudspeaker icons must be visible.
19 Fast Audio Fade-ins and Fade-outs This frequently needed application takes just a few clicks in Avid Liquid. STUDIO LIQUID Fading out/in Fade-in and fade-out In the Audio Tool (fader), you can fade sound in and out for each audio Track. In Avid Liquid, as in Studio, the empty Timeline (no clips on the Track) is “silent”. Consequently, fade-ins start with an empty Timeline and fadeouts end on an empty Track.
Louder Constant Softer Fade-in and fade-out with crossfade Mix Audio crossfade: Audio from the two clips is mixed. Automatic audio crossfade: Applied to all edits within the selected range (active Track(s)).
20 Making a Movie: Options Both programs permit numerous output formats for a finished film, from recording to tape to DVD authoring. Overview: STUDIO LIQUID Make Movie Menu bar > File > Record to Tape This area contains all the output options. Tape For output to a DV camcorder. Displays the dialog box for output to a connected recorder that is controllable via i.Link (Firewire). AVI For output to an AVI file.
Export format Select an exporter preset Information on the preset selected Select export source Create a custom preset 47
21 Recording to DV Tape This version is recommended especially for subsequent viewing on a TV or for the long-term archiving of films and raw material. STUDIO LIQUID Make tape Record to Tape Before the tape is made, the film’s effects and transitions must be rendered (wherever necessary). For this function, you need a recorder that is controllable either via IEEE 1394 (DV) or via an RS422 interface (professional version).
Timecode from the tape Recording options Current recording device Record to Tape: If the recording device is controlled via IEEE 1394, the dialog box appears as shown. In the case of an RS-422-controlled recorder, you can also choose to edit in Insert or Assemble mode. Stripe Tape: This function writes a continuous timecode and, if desired, a frame Sequence to the tape. The tape is automatically rewound before recording.
22 Burning Disks / Exporting Files Use the Export to File and Burn to Disc functions to generate files for sharing on the Internet and DVDs. STUDIO LIQUID Make Movie Burning / Exporting This area contains all Studio’s output options. Avid Liquid displays them in three different dialog boxes. 1 Select one or more Sequences or clips that you want to export/burn from the Rack. If you don’t select any, the Sequence currently on the Timeline will be burned/ exported. 2 Select File > Export.../Burn ...
Export format Select preset Select source Burner and medium information Capacity indicator Exporting a file 51
23 The Most Important Settings The presets are enough to get you going the first time you start up the program and when you work with DV/HDV devices. If you need to change them, here’s a brief overview: STUDIO LIQUID Specifying a default directory for recording Use the folder icon in the Diskometer. Specifying a storage location for video/ audio media files You already defined this location during installation. To change it, select: Edit > Settings > Site > Media Management > Media Volumes: Add or Edit.
Define or verify the storage location of the media files Select player and verify connection Select analog monitor output 53
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Part 2 Learning More about Avid Liquid
1 Recording from DV/HDV Video Tapes (Capture) In Avid Liquid, transferring images from tape to the hard disk of the editing computer is called “capture” or “digitizing”. This process generates media files and clips, which are the most important elements of your film. STUDIO LIQUID Recording mode Logging Tool (Capture) In Studio, you work with the Record tab. You can use the Logging Tool to view tapes and digitize audio/video. 1 Select File > Logging Tool.
Important: Enter a different reel name for every tape in a project.
2 Comparison of Recording Instruments This set of pages describes the most important areas of the Logging Tool as compared to the capture area in Studio. STUDIO LIQUID Scenes and Album Clips, Racks and Project Browser Each time a new scene is created, it’s stored in the Album. In Avid Liquid, a scene is called a “clip”. Each new clip is placed in the currently active Rack. The current Rack is highlighted in yellow on the bottom left in the Project Browser.
Timecode display Player status display Current player/source Current Reel and Rack Video Inlay Player control buttons Media format/capture format Capacity available on the current drive Active Rack in the Project Browser 59
3 Recording Clips with Mark-Ins and Mark-Outs You can also use the Logging Tool to view tapes and separate the successful scenes from the failures. Then you won’t have to transfer the entire tape to the hard disk. STUDIO LIQUID Starting capture Setting a mark-in Using the Camcorder controls, rewind the tape to the beginning and click Start Capture. Then enter a file name and click Start Capture once again. The mark-in identifies the beginning of a clip (scene, setting, etc.).
Mark-In: Beginning of clip Clip length Mark-Out: End of clip Log: Clip is placed in the Rack but not saved to the hard disk Digitize: Clip is placed in the Rack AND saved to the hard disk Active Rack in the Project Browser 61
4 Recording or Logging Clips “on the Fly” With this method, mark-ins and mark-outs are set while the tape is running or recording (Capture) is in progress. STUDIO LIQUID No comparable function. Logging “on the fly” 1 Start tape playback. Click the Log button once to set a mark-in. 2 At the end of the scene click the Log button once again to set the mark-out and transfer the clip to the Rack. ... and so on ... Digitizing (recording) “on the fly” 1 Start tape playback.
Status: Digitizing in progress 2 1 Direct Insert function: If activated, all the clips are sent directly to the Timeline (and to the Rack) and are available for immediate editing (but not in the case of clips that have only been logged).
5 Automatic Scene Detection Scene detection saves you from having to define all the clips manually. Avid Liquid recognizes two types: Scene detection based on DV timestamps and scene detection based on video content (although the latter is not available in the Logging Tool). STUDIO LIQUID Selecting the scene detection type Scene detection based on timestamps You can select various types of scene detection under Setup > Capture Source.
Following scene detection, the detected clips are numbered and stored in the Rack.
6 Recording Audio: Stereo/Mono and Level While recording, you can’t adjust DV audio but you can adjust analog audio signals. STUDIO LIQUID Audio faders in the Diskometer Audio tab in the Logging Tool During analog recording, the Diskometer sprouts two “ears” with the appropriate faders. This tab is always visible but, as in Studio, you can’t adjust the audio during DV recording. Audio can be adjusted for playback by means of the Audio Playback fader.
At the digital audio input (e.g. DV), you can adjust only the Audio Playback, meaning the volume at which the clips will later be played back on the Timeline. Stereo/Mono button Analog audio can already be adjusted at the input. The clips are written to the hard disk at a higher or lower volume. When recording audio only, the V button is deactivated. The loudspeaker icon appears in the Inlay.
7 Naming and Numbering Clips while Recording Avid Liquid has several options for naming and adding comments to clips while recording. STUDIO LIQUID File name is the clip name Clip name is independent of the media file name After selecting the Start Capture command, enter a file name that also serves as the name of the clip and is stored in the Album. You can find the clip under this name in the Windows Explorer. Avid Liquid’s Media Management automatically name files and manages file names.
Manual and automatic numbering The clip name is formed by combining the activated fields. This button positions the cursor in the title field (if necessary, retrieve it from the Tool Library) Use textual clip presets so you won’t have to fill in all the fields every time.
8 Recording/Digitizing Tips With these tips, you’ll have no problem importing clips to the system. STUDIO LIQUID Timecode and reel name Avid Liquid’s Media Management, i.e. the management of clips and their media files, is based on timecode data and Reel names. This is why it’s important that all tapes have a continuous timecode without breaks, the same Reel (=tape) name never be used more than once in a Project. The Reel description together with TC data is part of the media file name.
The timecode options in the Logging Tool options define what will happen when timecode breaks occur. Another possibility for problematic tapes is LIVE capture.
9 Scene Detection in the Clip Viewer This section describes how to split your recordings into scenes/clips in Avid Liquid, either manually or using automatic scene detection. STUDIO LIQUID Detect Scenes by Video Content Scene detection in the Clip Viewer Select this command under Album > Scene Detection. A clip with lots of different takes can be divided into scenes (clips) automatically in the Clip Viewer. 1 The clip must be digitized.
Detected scene clips Green marker for each new scene A subclip is part of a larger clip. Be careful when deleting the media file for a subclip: This will cause all the other subclips and the master clip to lose their media data.
10 Protecting and Muting Tracks In Avid Liquid, you can make Tracks immune against almost all operations. You can also deactivate audio and/or video playback. STUDIO LIQUID Inserting a video-only scene Inserting a video-only clip The original audio Track is disabled. If you’re working with a video-only clip without original audio: Simply drag the clip to the Timeline video clip. The video clip’s original audio is unaffected.
The monitor icon represents video playback. The loudspeaker icon represents audio playback. Simply position a video-only clip on the existing video clip. Because the “Name 4” Track is protected, the audio of the existing clip is unaffected. Only the video portion of Clip 3 [Sub (1)] is inserted. Protected tracks are behind a “gray shroud”.
11 Trimming with the Trim Editor The Trim Editor is the ideal tool for precision trimming, especially of transitions (edits), because you always have both frames in view. This section provides a brief introduction. STUDIO LIQUID Clip Properties Tool Opening the Trim Editor This tool is opened from the Video Toolbox and allows you to trim the mark-in and mark-out of the scene currently selected. In Avid Liquid, on the other hand, both clips are always trimmed at the selected edit.
This is the last frame of the left-hand (=outgoing) clip. Trim tools and frame counters (above) This is the first frame of the right-hand (=incoming) clip.
12 Trimming Video and Audio: Split Editing What are known in Studio as “L-cuts” and “J-cuts” are no problem for Avid Liquid. You simply need to unlink the video and audio clips. STUDIO LIQUID Performing L- and J-cuts Unlinking audio and video clips To perform these cuts, lock the audio Track. Until now, you’ve been editing video and audio together on the Timeline (for example, when trimming). Now click the button so it’s no longer yellow.
Edit mode is activated, clips are unlinked L In this case, the audio from the left-hand clip was simply dragged to the right, over the audio of the right-hand clip (just like an L-cut in Studio). However, this does mean the audio of the right-hand clip is simply deleted. L J First the right-hand audio clip is shifted on the bottom Track. The two audio clips are then extended in opposite directions so that the audio overlaps. This is a combined L- and J-cut including overlap.
13 Moving Clips Horizontally and Vertically Even when clips are already positioned on the Timeline, they can be moved to new positions. STUDIO LIQUID Swapping positions Selecting a clip or clips Simply drag a clip to another position. The overall length of the film remains the same and no gaps are created. This is the first step in moving one or more clips.
Select using the lasso: Beginning in an empty area on the Timeline, drag the lasso until it either surrounds the relevant clips or its outline touches them. Edit mode pointer Custom selection: Hold down the CTRL key and click the relevant clips. You can now, for example, move the selected clips as a group. Or open the Clip Properties dialog box (right-click > Properties) in order, for example, to rename multiple clips.
14 Good to Know... Here are three more functions frequently used in Studio that have corresponding functions in Avid Liquid. STUDIO LIQUID Find Scene in Album Match Frame This command from the shortcut menu for a Timeline scene lets you find the scene in the Album. This command loads a Timeline clip into the Source Viewer. 1 Position the Playline on a Timeline clip and right-click this same clip. 2 Select the Match Frame command.
The clip TC on the Timeline and in the Source Viewer are identical Snapshot from the playline position Match Frame loads a Timeline clip into the Source Viewer and displays the exact same image as the Master Viewer. Clips used in the current Sequence are identified by a checkmark in picon view.
15 Effects: Working with Key Frames Key Frames can be used to dynamically shape the course of an effect, such as initiating an abrupt change but ending it more slowly. STUDIO LIQUID Key frames in Studio 10 Inserting key frames This option has become available as of Studio version 10. With key frames, the course of the effect is defined for the duration of a clip or transition. First you need a clip with a clip effect as described on page 36.
Curve for the change in size Key frames Clip effect with key frames: The image becomes smaller and then larger. Each of the four key frames was defined at a specific size - the curve precisely defines the course of the change between the key frames. You can also insert key frames directly in the curve (by clicking it) and move existing key frames. Each key frame in a curve has a shortcut menu (right-click to open).
16 Audio Scrubbing One of the key features in Avid Liquid is precision audio editing. This section introduces an extremely useful tool. STUDIO LIQUID Scrubbing as of Version 10 Audio scrubbing Audio scrubbing is available in Studio Version 10 and later. To listen to audio frame by frame (e.g. to cut an “ummm” from an interview), use the Audio Scrub function in Avid Liquid. 1 Press the SCROLL LOCK key (this key also deactivates Audio Scrub).
The SOT 1 and SOT 2 tracks are activated for audio scrubbing (as indicated the transparent loudspeaker icons). Press SCROLL LOCK and select one of the two scrub modes: Digital or Analog. You can toggle between the two in the Audio Tool menu at the bottom right on the taskbar (first right-click, then left-click). Digital audio scrub can be precisely customized (Edit > Settings > User > Audio). A small auxiliary level on the taskbar helps you keep an eye on the audio level. Click it to open the Audio Tool.
17 The Audio Editor Avid Liquid’s counterpart to Studio’s Audio Toolbox is the Audio Editor. This module must always be open during complex audio editing. STUDIO LIQUID Audio Toolbox Audio Editor The Audio Toolbox contains the faders necessary for your four audio tracks. The Audio Editor (press F4 or click comprises three areas: to open) Mixer When Audio Playback is activated (loudspeaker icon visible), a Fader is configured here for each Track.
Volume line (clips) Audio Editor with Mixer: A fader unit is displayed for every Track for which audio playback is activated. “Stereo” is the output bus. All audio signals are finally mixed together on this dual-channel bus (in this example).
18 Audio Mixer and Volume Lines As in Studio, Avid Liquid lets you to edit the Volume Lines while the Audio Editor is open (F4, using the mouse. This is called “rubberbanding”. ) STUDIO LIQUID Volume lines Rubberbanding These lines represent the rise and fall of the volume in a clip. As a balance indicator for a stereo audio clip, the lines identify the left/right dominance in the signal. Normally, the clip Volume Lines are immediately visible as light-blue lines when the Audio Editor is opened.
Mute/Solo: Mutes Track/ plays audio for this Track only. Track balance: Distributes audio between the left and right output channels. Stereo output bus: Sum of Key frame buttons in the the audio signals from Audio Editor. active Tracks. Key frame and fader are linked Drag Key frame with the mouse Green line: Track balance The Audio Mixer is the most important audio editing tool in Avid Liquid.
19 Output Mapping You can have any number of “audio Tracks” on the Timeline but at some point, all the audio signals must (for example) end up on the left/right channels of the DV output. STUDIO LIQUID Stereo output From clip to fader Studio has no advanced configuration options. The signal is output in two-channel stereo, regardless of whether it’s to DV tape, to DVD or exported to a file. The clip’s audio signal is routed to the Fader belonging to the Track on which the clip is positioned.
Audio Tool (master output) Fader Output bus Output bus Track DV and analog* output Timeline audio clip * Optional The audio signal’s path through the Mixer, output bus and Output Mapping.
20 Audio: Settings Tab This tab is important mainly because it lets you determine the appearance of the Mixer. In other words, it lets you enable and disable certain segments of the Faders. STUDIO LIQUID Fixed user interface Activating Mixer segments You can’t alter the appearance of the mixer tool. Click the checkbox to display the desired segments in the Faders, such as Input Level (Track).
Settings: On this tab, you can change the functions and appearance of the Audio Editor. For greater clarity, activate only as many segments as you need for your purposes. You can hide the detailed tooltips as soon as you’re familiar with the functions. All the vertical sliders can also be displayed as knobs, but then you lose the level indicators. To change, right-click the +/- area.
21 Recording Voice Over This tool, which records a voice over in sync with the image, is also available in Avid Liquid. To record sound, you need a microphone and a sound card. STUDIO LIQUID The Voice-over Tool Checking audio settings Make yourself comfortable behind the microphone of your virtual sound recording studio ... Click the menu bar > Edit > Settings > User > Audio Settings. Look under Preferred device to see whether it contains the soundcard to which the microphone is connected.
Audio Properties: Here you can test the microphone input, select the soundcard to be used (if more than one is available) and define the preroll and postroll for recording.
22 Live Mixing of Audio Tracks In Avid Liquid, this function is called Audio Mix Automation. As in Studio, you can use it to set the various audio sources to the correct volume ratio during playback. STUDIO LIQUID Playing and changing settings Audio Mix Automation Start playback and alternately adjust the various sliders. This sets audio Key Frames that you can later edit manually. 1 Open the Audio Editor (F4, ).
Fader Name4 controls the live mix. When mixing is completed, define the density of Audio Keyframes for the volume line.
23 Sound Effects Avid Liquid lets you apply sound effects directly to the Timeline clips or as “insert effects” in the Audio Mixer. STUDIO LIQUID Audio Effects Audio clip effects This area of the Audio Toolbox is your gateway to audio effect editing. Some of the Studio VST effects can also be found in Avid Liquid. These effects are applied in the same way as video clip effects (see page 36 and Library tab > Realtime Clip FX > Audio, etc.) Insert effects 1 Open the Audio Editor (F4, ).
Track Output Level Insert effects Send effect and Send FX bus Insert effects are applied to the entire Track Audio effects in the Mixer: Insert audio effects can be applied to each channel (=Track) (signal path from bottom to top). Because some effects (such as Equalizer) amplify the signal, you can compensate using the Track Output Level. “Send-FX” are used to send the signals of multiple tracks to a special send bus.
24 Surround Sound All you need is Avid Liquid and a six-channel soundcard or the Pro Breakout Box to produce a genuine surround experience. Dolby Digital 5.1 Creator® writes surround sound to DVDs. STUDIO LIQUID Surround with Dolby® Pro Logic® Generating a surround mix (overview) Studio generates surround sound using a Dolby Laboratories® encoder that produces a virtual spatial impression on DVD players capable of decoding ProLogic®. On normal players, it produces a normal stereo impression.
Surround Panner Surround 5.1 bus Track input type Surround pan lines One surround channel per Track Audio Mixer configured for a surround mix: Five special Tracks are configured on the Timeline. The gray dot in the surround panner indicates the position of the audio signal with relation to the listener (“+” sign). The colored lines on the Tracks indicate that the audio source “roams” during the course of the Sequence. You can also see how the gray dot moves during playback.
