Enhancing video quality/synching sound

Eric_L

Can anybody help me make a video look better? It wasn't taken in the best light but I think it might be in 4K. I've got a better angle but there is no sound and it is a musical performance so I need to match up the sound to the performance on the video in post. Can I put up a YouTube link here where someone can see it or can I Google Drive it to someone or something? I appreciate it.

borate

Share your project. Someone will take a look. The process is easy, quick and can be done privately. Just follow these steps...

Back up --- With your project on the timeline, click on MENU at the top-left. Click FILE|BACK UP PROJECT FILES TO FOLDER. Choose a folder and SELECT FOLDER.
Upload --- Use a free server - Google Drive, MS OneDrive, etc.* - to upload the saved, numbered FOLDER. Do NOT upload the individual VPJ or export file.
Get link --- Get a public link. If using Google Drive click GET SHAREABLE LINK. If necessary change "restricted" to "anyone with the link can view"
Share --- Click COPY LINK | DONE. Paste that link here, or click the folder at the top-right of this forum to message it privately to me. It won't be shared.

* Before uploading, right-click the folder, click PROPERTIES. Look at the File Size to confirm that it's not too big for the free space on the server.

Eric_L

Thank you so much! I'll do it first thing tomorrow.

Eric_L

Hi. What are the file size restrictions? Thanks.

borate

Restrictions on the free servers vary. Google Drive limits it to 15GB total usage for all their services, including gMail.

If your project is more than 5GB, you might excise a portion of it and upload what's left, which may still demonstrate the problem.

For protection, Save Project File AS routinely, giving it a unique # or name, so as not to overwrite prior saves. Using Save Project Files (no AS) will overwrite. From the HOME tab, that choice is available by clicking the caret to the right of the Save Project button on the toolbar.

Eric_L

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19WS9nQNFhevrtcD9jA9xbqqhm838-UZC?usp=share_link

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y9mBGQ06i7tjPl2VBSsg5MogCO8Uadzh?usp=share_link

One of these is with the audio. I think the silent video might work better. There's a light flashing in the one with sound. Maybe just enhance that one? There are 13 clips like this I need to stitch together. Thanks.

borate

Place the scratch audio/video clip on the timeline. Audio will go to audio track 1. Place the WAV audio on audio track 2.

Right-click either audio track and SYNC AUDIO. Mute the scratch track as it won't be needed.

Drag the cursor to the start point and click the split button, then the red [ icon. Do the same at the end with the blue ] icon.

Add the no sound video file on video track 2 (an overlay) and manually edit/position it to sync up. This will take some doing as there's no audio.

Higher tracks take precedence over lower tracks, so only the overlay track will be seen unless the multi-cam mode is used to switch between tracks. Experiment.

That mode is available via a right-click in the preview window. Then click Preview Mode | Multicam Mode. Screenshot 2023-04-16 205334.png

Transitions between cams can be programmed by clicking the X at the switch points.

Alternatively, simply split out and delete portions of track 2 where you want track 1 to be seen. Click the caret to the right of the SPLIT button to select a track.

Or...keep it simple and stick with a single track. Don't even load the no sound video clip.

The AUTO FIX effect was added to both video clips. Additionally, COLOR CURVES were adjusted individually for each channel (RGB) on the "no sound" clip. The cams are very different, but juggling various effects may further improve upon what you see here.

Important: At each step Save Project File AS routinely, giving it a unique # or name, so as not to overwrite prior saves. Using Save Project Files (no AS) will overwrite. From the HOME tab, that choice is available by clicking the caret to the right of the Save Project button on the toolbar.

After saving, it's wise to reload the saved project just to be certain that there's no corruption in the VPJ instruction file.

Eric_L

I know you just explained how to do this to me but, wow. That is very impressive. Is it proper for me to ask here if you would consider helping me with the other clips? I don't know how much I could afford but I could certainly pay you something. Do you think I should just use the head on shots rather than the side view? To me it looks better. What do you think? I may be able to figure out how to sync them up but I'm not sure that I will. Lol. Thanks.

borate

It's a learning curve, and you will get the hang of it. If the other songs are similar, just follow the same procedure. Folks here are helpful; save your $$.😊

1. Place the scratch audio A/V clip on the timeline.

2. Place the audio WAV on the timeline.

3. Right-click on an audio track and Sync Audio. As scratch audio isn't needed, mute it. Click the speaker icon at the left of the track.

If you will use only the wide shot video scratch clip, then it's not necessary to load the no sound video. Just add effects and fades, if desired,

Check out blending and color effects. For that camera, Auto Fix and Color Curves look most promising...

Just be sure to SAVE AS at each step, as instructed earlier. If you make a mistake, click <ctrl-Z> to go back, step-by-step. (Same as EDIT | UNDO)

If you do want the no sound video, place the clip on track 2. Drag left or right to sync with audio. This may require splitting out content ahead of the song start point and deleting it, in order to drag the track to the left. For precision, expand the timeline with the slider at the bottom-right...

Remember, higher tracks take precedence, so that's the track you will see if you don't use the multi-cam feature, or split and delete parts of track 2, per the above.

Next time, try to record audio on both cams. That makes syncing a breeze.

Eric_L

Hi. I'm able to sync audio to the video with sound and do basic fades etc. The blue and red start and finish icons were a game changer! I am completely lost on how to sync footage that has no sound up with the other footage. I think, because of the background mainly, that the front angle view with no sound looks much better to me. I put the no sound footage on the project but I have no idea how to get them to sync up. I will post it here and maybe you can see where I'm at and how to help me. I really appreciate this very much. Maybe I've gone too far on this one and need to start over? Or is this fixable?

Here is the link

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1G1m2aUVtKz9oE-yOKVr3YbqZ18qmHKXO?usp=share_link

borate

Two missing video files... Please upload them.

Eric_L

Uploading the originals now. I don't think I did this last time but you somehow got the video. Please forgive my ignorance but how did you get all the pertinent files last time but not this time do you think?

borate

Last time all files were in the zipped package; this time only the VPJ control file and the WAV were.

Have the project on the timeline. Go to Menu | FILE | Save Portable Project As. Upload the numbered folder that results.

Eric_L

Also on the first one I synced the good audio to the video and exported that video. Should I do that with all of them? Go ahead and get the good audio on the side view video or keep them all raw and original?

Eric_L

Let me know if this is right. Thanks

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1m0Zhp7hFDyGidIwDKnSdRQ4V-R1dScfL?usp=sharing

borate

If the same routine was used for the other songs, import the WAV and the scratch w/audio, then right-click on the audio track and Sync Audio.

Mute the scratch audio track. Then trim the INs and OUTs, enhance the scratch video with effects and export. That's it - if only that video is to be used.

As mentioned earlier, if you want to use the no sound video, add it as well it to the timeline on (track 2) where it alone will take precedence over the scratch video.

Then trim and drag it until it matches up with the audio. As mentioned earlier, if there's extra video prior to the song on the no sound clip, it may have to be deleted prior to sync, so the clip can be dragged to the left if necessary. Adjust color and balance, add fades, etc.

To sync the track 2 video, first find the spot in the audio where singing begins and use the SPLIT button for audio track.

Then try to locate the same spot on the no sound video and make a split on that track alone. Then drag the no sound video split so it's directly above the audio split. Syncing a track that has no audio will be made more precise by expanding the timeline. When sync gets close, drag left/right in very small increments.

If the desire is to utilize both video sources, follow the multicam, or split/delete instructions above. And yes, those are the missing files.

Eric_L

I appreciate this so much. I'm meeting with a guy tomorrow who knows a lot more about this kind of stuff and maybe he can show it to me. I know I should be able to follow instructions but if someone showed me how to do it I think I could get it. I've got what I believe to be a complete portable file uploading now. If you could look at that for me when that gets done and let me know if I did that correctly that would be wonderful. Thank you.

borate

Neon Moon was very easy, as the 'good' (side) video had the audio. Simply ignore the front video only file, which is poor. Save space; don't even import it.

1. Import both the WAV and the side video.

2. Right-click on an audio track and Sync Audio. Mute audio track 2.

3. Trim the IN and OUT points as desired with the red/blue brackets.

4. Add fades. Likely there's no need to use effects. Export.

That's it.

Eric_L

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cGser36gP6LyESsqdkIvDP2ubELapaF1

Hi. I completely understand what you're saying that the side view is better quality than the front. Unfortunately, the background looks pretty bad in the side view. From the front I could probably crop a little and make it look a little less like we're in a basement. The people hiring us want to know what we sound like and the video doesn't make that much difference. That being said, I think the front view looks more professional. I know how to sync audio to video that has sound in it, which is why I tried to use a slate. It's the video with no sound I'm having a problem with. Is the above file the correct type of portable folder? Thank you so much.

borate

The portable folder is okay. Follow the four steps in my first post above when creating those.

Syncing video that has no audio is tedious, but can be done by following the procedure outlined...

Split only the audio track when singing begins. Then visually locate the same spot on the no sound video and make a split at that point. Drag the no sound video split so it's directly above the audio split. This can be made more precise by e-x-p-a-n-d-i-n-g the timeline. When sync looks close, drag left/right in very small increments. You may have to delete some no sound lead-in video to be able to drag the clip to the left. Had the hand clap been recorded in the silent clip, this would have provided a good sync point.

For a short time, here is your Just the Two of Us project with all tracks in sync, and multicam switches. (The silent audio track was UNlinked from video and deleted.)

Download, UNzip and run the VPJ to load it. A close examination will give clues to how it was done. You and your friend will soon get the hang of it. Good luck!