Audio capturing with Vegas at DVinfo.net

Donald Blake · December 21st, 2008, 10:48 PM

Hi everyone,

I'm a Vegas 7 user, and I've been doing some small projects, mostly short movies, in my last short I've used "voice-over"

I don't have a studio or anything, so I used my DV camera to record the sound, and then I captured it in vegas like any other video, I deleted the video track and only kept the audio, but the basic files are very big for nothing.

Is there a way that I can only get audio while capturing??

thanks!

Mike Kujbida · December 21st, 2008, 11:23 PM

Feed the audio output of your camcorder to your sound cards line inputs.
You won't have camcorder control but at least you'll get audio-only tracks.

Ian Stark · December 22nd, 2008, 02:34 AM

Mike, good idea. Am I right in thinking this method assumes you are recording directly into Vegas rather than using Vegas Capture?

Jeff Harper · December 22nd, 2008, 06:33 AM

Another approach:

Videotape your audio. Then render the audio only into a .wav file or whatever you choose. THEN Delete the entire original source file. No more large files.

Mike Kujbida · December 22nd, 2008, 07:51 AM

Ian, yes, you would treat this like you were recording a voice-over.

Ron Chau · December 22nd, 2008, 07:59 AM

Can you plug a mic into the PC and then somehow record directly ?

Mike Kujbida · December 22nd, 2008, 09:02 AM

Ron, you most certainly can.
I do this with students all the time.
Plug your mic into your sound card's mic input, make sure it's activated in the sound card properties and launch Vegas.
Insert a new audio track, click "Arm for Record" in the Track header, set the record path to the appropriate path, right-click in the Track Header area and select "Record Inputs - Stereo, Left or Right", press "Record" on the Vegas timeline control and start talking.
When you're finished, press "Stop", rename the file to something appropriate and then press "Done".
That's all there is to it.

edit: Most consumer mics are stereo while pro mics (what I use at work) are mono.
Since you (ideally) want your voice-overs to be a mono track, select either "Left" or "Right" as the "Record Input" and record it.
Once it's on the timeline, click the event, right-click and select "Channels - Left Only", "Channels - Right Only" or "Channels - Combine", depending on what's on your timeline.
If you want, you can wait until you get all your voice-overs done and then select all of them and then so this globally.
The other issue is to make sure you get a good level while recording.
i.e. make sure that you are close to the maximum without going into the red.
It's easy to lower the voice level later but, if it's too low to begin with, increasing it will also increase the noise and you don't want to do this.

Jeff Harper · December 22nd, 2008, 09:10 AM

Wow, thank Mike. That is great info!

Mike Kujbida · December 22nd, 2008, 09:22 AM

My pleasure :-)

Edward Troxel · December 22nd, 2008, 12:53 PM

The typical solution in Vegas would be to connect via the sound card, arm the audio tracks, and record directly to the timeline. If you have it on MiniDV and wish to simply CAPTURE the audio off the tape, you might look at Scenalyzer live. It has several capture options including audio only to WAV and 4-track audio in one pass!

Ken Campbell · December 23rd, 2008, 12:49 PM

I keep seeing these USB powered mics by various manufacturers, for example Audio Technica has a USB version of the AT2020. I don't know what quality you can expect out of them but this might be an easy way for now. Most mics have XLR connectors and many need phantom power, both of which the typical computer doesn't have. Another possibility is the Rode VideoMic. I also suggest you check out the dedicated audio section of this site, there are many truly helpful people who have posted some great advice there.

December 21st, 2008, 10:48 PM	#1
Donald Blake Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 142	Audio capturing with Vegas Hi everyone, I'm a Vegas 7 user, and I've been doing some small projects, mostly short movies, in my last short I've used "voice-over" I don't have a studio or anything, so I used my DV camera to record the sound, and then I captured it in vegas like any other video, I deleted the video track and only kept the audio, but the basic files are very big for nothing. Is there a way that I can only get audio while capturing?? thanks!

December 22nd, 2008, 02:34 AM	#3
Ian Stark Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,237	Mike, good idea. Am I right in thinking this method assumes you are recording directly into Vegas rather than using Vegas Capture? __________________ www.vit-media.com www.classicmachinefilms.co.uk

December 22nd, 2008, 07:59 AM	#6
Ron Chau Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: ny, ny Posts: 204	Can you plug a mic into the PC and then somehow record directly ? __________________ https://www.ronchauphoto.com/

December 22nd, 2008, 09:02 AM	#7
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	Ron, you most certainly can. I do this with students all the time. Plug your mic into your sound card's mic input, make sure it's activated in the sound card properties and launch Vegas. Insert a new audio track, click "Arm for Record" in the Track header, set the record path to the appropriate path, right-click in the Track Header area and select "Record Inputs - Stereo, Left or Right", press "Record" on the Vegas timeline control and start talking. When you're finished, press "Stop", rename the file to something appropriate and then press "Done". That's all there is to it. edit: Most consumer mics are stereo while pro mics (what I use at work) are mono. Since you (ideally) want your voice-overs to be a mono track, select either "Left" or "Right" as the "Record Input" and record it. Once it's on the timeline, click the event, right-click and select "Channels - Left Only", "Channels - Right Only" or "Channels - Combine", depending on what's on your timeline. If you want, you can wait until you get all your voice-overs done and then select all of them and then so this globally. The other issue is to make sure you get a good level while recording. i.e. make sure that you are close to the maximum without going into the red. It's easy to lower the voice level later but, if it's too low to begin with, increasing it will also increase the noise and you don't want to do this. Last edited by Mike Kujbida; December 22nd, 2008 at 09:37 AM.

December 22nd, 2008, 12:53 PM	#10
Edward Troxel Sponsor: JET DV Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 7,953	The typical solution in Vegas would be to connect via the sound card, arm the audio tracks, and record directly to the timeline. If you have it on MiniDV and wish to simply CAPTURE the audio off the tape, you might look at Scenalyzer live. It has several capture options including audio only to WAV and 4-track audio in one pass! __________________ Edward Troxel [SCVU] JETDV Scripts/Scripting Tutorials/Excalibur/Montage Magic/Newsletters

December 21st, 2008, 11:23 PM	#2
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	Feed the audio output of your camcorder to your sound cards line inputs. You won't have camcorder control but at least you'll get audio-only tracks.

December 22nd, 2008, 06:33 AM	#4
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Another approach: Videotape your audio. Then render the audio only into a .wav file or whatever you choose. THEN Delete the entire original source file. No more large files.

December 22nd, 2008, 07:51 AM	#5
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	Ian, yes, you would treat this like you were recording a voice-over.

December 22nd, 2008, 09:10 AM	#8
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Wow, thank Mike. That is great info!

December 22nd, 2008, 09:22 AM	#9
Mike Kujbida Inner Circle Join Date: May 2005 Location: Windsor, ON Canada Posts: 2,770	My pleasure :-)

December 23rd, 2008, 12:49 PM	#11
Ken Campbell Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Milan, Italy Posts: 140	I keep seeing these USB powered mics by various manufacturers, for example Audio Technica has a USB version of the AT2020. I don't know what quality you can expect out of them but this might be an easy way for now. Most mics have XLR connectors and many need phantom power, both of which the typical computer doesn't have. Another possibility is the Rode VideoMic. I also suggest you check out the dedicated audio section of this site, there are many truly helpful people who have posted some great advice there.