Audio tracks amplitude on screen

cbreemer

Hi All,

One major issue I have with VideoPad is that wave forms are rendered so tiny. When I need to sync the video with my external audio recording I need to see the wave forms loud and clear, but it does not seem possible to make them any bigger on the screen. If I maximize the bottom pane (as far as it will allow, anyway...) only the drop areas get bigger, not the wave forms. Especially at low volumes, this makes it impossible to see where it begins. Here's a link to a screenshot I hope will explain my problem.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Am3hcPuh7NatgbhQ_RI-wzDgOIl4bw?e=LT2ZTH

Thanks for any ideas !
Chris

[deleted]

Sorry, can't pick up your image. However where I need to get a precise sound point on the track I usually zoom in to the track. This spreads out the peaks so they become more distinguishable but their amplitude doesn't alter. Clicking the track also places the waveform in the preview pane which may be of some help. The peaks don't spread out in this case (get more squashed in fact) but they are higher.

Nat

borate

Your image is visible here - almost a flat line. That's not normal, unless audio gain is very low. What VP version is being used?

Try this one. For licensed users upgrades are free for up to six months from purchase date. After that, VP will continue to fully function but a fee will be required in order to register the newest. Retain your old install file and registration info.

You can also submit your low volume clip for analysis. Someone will check it out. Upload the file/s to a free server, such as Google Drive or MS OneDrive, get a shared (public) link, copy the link and paste it here or to me in a Private Message via the mail envelope in the top-right corner of this forum. When using Google Drive, if necessary change "restricted" to "anyone with link can view."

cbreemer

Thanks for your reply, funny you could not open the image, while Borate could apparently. Ah well. Yes I zoom in a lot but when the amplitude is so low this only makes things worse. Previewing could be useful, I'll see if that helps me a bit.

borate

Share a low-audio file. If we can work with it, that may generate more suggestions.

Here's a little trick you can use, to increase the waveform and bring the gain up to normal levels...

Right-click on the audio track. If Edit With Wavepad is offered, click on it.

In Wavepad, under the Levels tab, raise the amplitude. Or normalize the file.

Click the red X at the top-right and Save.

The file will be replaced in videopad, and the amplitude will be reflected on the waveform.

cbreemer

Thanks for your replies ! I use VP Professional v 10.24 64bit. Not quite the latest, but I did not want to have to pay for a new license yet again (you may remember that from a recent thread). But I had the same with all my earlier versions too.

My sound tracks come from my smartphone camera (Cinema FV-5 Lite) and from my digital Kawai CA59 piano (directly to USB). My wave editor (not WavePad, sorry) has no problem showing the audio loud and clear (but of course I can zoom in here, unlike in VP), the gain is just enough so as not to clip. So I'm not sure if I should increase the gain just for the sake of visibility in VP. I'll share one of the audio files.

borate

You can increase the gain to normal levels and Save AS, so the original is unaffected. When that's brought into VP, the waveform should reflect your changes.

cbreemer

I've done this once or twice, but it's cumbersome. I don't want a higher sound level in my video, as it is adequate and comparable to other YouTube videos. I'd have to replace back the unamplified file after syncing, and all that bother because VP won't let me zoom in and insists on keeping the audio windows very low (when there are more than one, that is, with only one the visibility is good).

borate

If the gain in your editor editor is just under clipping then when imported into VP the waveform should be suitable.

You can reduce gain in Videopad, the waveform won't change.

Share a typical sample.

cbreemer

The wavefile is really not the problem, borate. I have linked 2 screenshots to show (hope you van view them).

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Am3hcPuh7NatgbhUi-UlQoiNg-cBQA?e=8NNk2D

This is after importing just the external audio track (WAV file). No problem with the gain, as you see, and the waveform is large enough to work with, even though it cannot be enlarged vertically.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Am3hcPuh7NatgbhTdkEHbSK5TqU_uw?e=N2Mhp6

Here I've imported also the video track (MP4 file). Both waveforms now apparently have to share the same area, and things get very small indeed. I appreciate VP is not an audio editor, but why can these areas not be expanded ? I can try to slide things around but only area that gets bigger is the bottom drop area. I can't fathom the logic behind that...

borate

If there's more than a single audio track, your second image is what you get.

It appears that audio track one is not being used (muted). UNlink it from video and delete it. Then audio track two will expand, as in your first image.

cbreemer

Yes... but muted is not the same as unused ! I need both tracks so I can sync the external audio with the video. Only then I mute audio track 1 and create the video.

Don't you agree it should be possible to vertically enlarge the audio tracks ? Or am I the only one doing this kind of thing ?

borate

Likely a limitation of available screen space, but you are not the first to request this.

Put in your two cents worth here... https://www.nch.com.au/suggestions/index.html

cbreemer

Haha, don't tell me these guys are developing on 14 inch screens !
I didn't know there was a suggestions form. Will drop my two cents there. Thanks for listening anyway.

[deleted]

"......(hope you can view them)....."

Afraid not! I just get ....

The other link gave the same message with an inverted ice cream cone instead of a bicycle.

Not sure if the fault is on my end or on One-drive. I may try a system restore and try again later.

Nat

cbreemer

That looks like an issue with your browser's DOM support. I would try with another browser first, before doing a system restore.

Regarding the image shown, Microsoft has the annoying habit of showing 'creative' icons and texts in their Outlook.

Cocoroboss

Dear all,
Sorry for this topic undigging. Is there an improvement of this issue ?

borate

There's have been recent changes in the ability to expand audio waveforms. See page two in this thread.

A right-click on the audio track offers the SYNC AUDIO option. Try it. See an example here, a few posts later.

Cocoroboss

Thanks for the answer. Do you mean a right-click in the audio track in VideoPad or in WavePad ? Because I can't see them in any case.

borate

Right-click on VP audio track. May not be available in all versions. Try the latest.

For licensed users upgrades are free for up to six months from purchase date. After that, VP will continue to fully function but a fee will be required in order to register the newest. Retain your old install file and registration info.