Background Music and Pacing

Hello All-

I have gone through a number of Ripple Tutorials, just finishing "Sound Editing". I have yet to really grasp how to "Pace" (if I'm using the correct term), that is, setting background music to the video. On many of the edits shown there may not be any handle frames at the head or tail of a clip.

I want to sync music to a number of areas over the project. I would think you would want to leave a number of handle frames to both ends of most clips in order to adjust timing to fit music more easily.

I have also looped music to lengthen it in spots, but that is allot of work it seems. Is it best to leave the music to the end? It doesn't seem to flow well if I try to cut video to the music as I proceed downstream, that dictates too much. I guess I'm thinking it best to add music when I'm thinking the video is mostly in the final cut phase.

Any comments? Thanks
Robes

Hi Robes
When and how to add music varies. You don't say what type of video project you are working on.
If a music/dance video, I would definitely "Cut to the Music"
For other types of video, in general I do at least a rough cut and maybe even the final before adding music. But if there is a clip that I know needs certain audio effects or a particular music clip, I would add before the final cut edits in order to add drama or "flow/pace" to match the video and audio.
So IMHO everyone needs to find the workflow that will work for the project.

Not sure what you mean by handles? You can always lengthen clips if the source has extra content. Yep, adding loops or duplicating music to lengthen can be time consuming. If doing it in FCPX, try adding by overlapping the clips and then aligning the timing or using the waveforms in expanded view. Remember, in FCPX you can edit/nudge Audio to a subframe level. You could also create your lengthened music in a DAW program like Logic/ProTools/Live/Reaper or Garage Band and then bring into FCPX.

Happy Editing
Hope this helps, Greg

Hey Robes
I was once advised to do a rough edit then cut to that exactly, it is timing consuming but thats editing hehe also I find it helps to use the trim tool between clips especially if you don't want to lose your timing. Also use (M) to mark all the spots in the song where you want your transitions.

Hope this helps a little.

I think there's no generic answer to that.

It varies on character of project:
there's ambient, or 'elevator' music, which adds an overall tonality to a scenery, but, imho, has no effect on editing

there's now for some years this trend to 'epic' music, where music comes first and dictates the pace of pics (remember last years "Watchtower of Turkey"? mute audio and watch again... a random stream of non-related pics ...)

there's beats based music, any sports movie relies on - here, you have to do both: edit the video to create action, then adjust to the markers in music

.... it's told, that Enio Moricone composed his music based upon script (!) and Sergio Leone played the music while filming (!!) then ...

Finally, I notice quiet often, when applying 'any' music to some done edit, it fits -somehow! ... guess, because a good edit has beat or rhythm or pace, so, music will fit anyhow.... :silly:

Pacing your edit means not cutting between shots too fast, or too slow, to relay the story and emotion the audience should perceive. It isn't the same as beats in music.

A fight or chase scene will cut between shots fast, and a love scene will cut between shots slower, holding each shot longer. That's pacing in a visual edit.

There is an out of print book that I used to teach a class from, which was the best "how to edit" training I've ever seen. If you can find a copy, worth getting. It is based on FCP7, but the concepts and exercises can still apply to any NLE.
www.amazon.com/Apple-Pro-Training-Series-Editing/dp/032152036X

Thanks Everyone-

Lots of good tips for me, appreciated! I bought the book Ben, $4 including S/H, like new, couldn't beat that, the reviews sounded good, like you mentioned.
Robes

Well this is slightly off topic, but I found it a well done tut on cutting and audio is definitely a big part of the cuts in this video.
Just a refresher, but I came up with an idea for a video I am working on.
Finding well done video instruction on YouTube is often the challenge. These folks do some pretty good ones.


Happy Editing, Greg

All covered in the book I recommend, plus the book in "hands-on". You actually make the cuts to learn them. Plus it covers a wider variety of scene types. Demo videos are as dime a dozen, real in-depth training, well, nothing touches that book.