Sony Vegas 5 Manual

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To adjust trim levels, click the Automation Settings button   and verify Show Automation Controls is not 
selected. When 
Show Automation Controls is selected, the volume fader and multipurpose slider adjust 
automation settings.
Using the volume fader (audio only)
The fader in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall volume of the track, or it 
can adjust track volume automation settings. For more information, see Volume or pan automation (audio only) 
on page 120.
The trim level is added to the volume automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or 
cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3 dB has the same effect as decreasing every envelope 
point by 3 dB.
1.Click the Automation Settings button   and verify Show Automation Controls is not selected. 
2.Drag the Vo l fader to control how loud a track is in the mix. If multiple tracks are selected, all selected 
tracks are adjusted. 
As you drag the fader, the volume level displays to the left of the fader. Double-click the fader to set it to 
0.0 dB, or double-click the current volume value to enter a specific number.
Tip: Press   while dragging or use the mouse wheel for 
finer control of the fader. You can also move the fader by 
using the right or left arrow keys.
Volume envelopes allow you to automate track volume changes. For more information, see Vo lu m e  o r  pa n  
automation (audio only) on page 120.
Double-click the fader
to set to 0.0 dB. Drag to change volume. Double-click the current level toenter a value.
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Using the multipurpose slider (audio only)
This slider controls several features, including panning, bus 
send levels, and assignable effects send levels. The options for 
the multipurpose slider depend on what your project contains 
(e.g., busses, assignable effects, etc.). You can select what the 
slider controls by clicking the slider label. Each item’s slider 
position is independent from the others.
Tip: If you do not see this slider on a track, increase the track 
height. For more information, see Resizing a track on page 
108.
You can move the slider by pressing  +the right or left 
arrow keys.
Adjusting stereo panning
The multipurpose slider in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall panning of 
the track, or it can adjust track panning automation settings. For more information, see Adjusting volume or pan 
automation settings on page 120.
The trim level is added to the pan automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a boost or cut 
applied. For example, setting the trim control to -9% left has the same effect as moving every envelope point 
9% to the left.
1.Click the Automation Settings button   and verify Show Automation Controls is not selected. 
2.Drag the Pan slider to control the position of a track in the stereo field. If multiple tracks are selected, all 
selected tracks are adjusted. 
You can further control the panning by right-clicking the multipurpose slider and selecting an option from 
the shortcut menu:
The
 Add Channels panning model is most useful for panning 
stereo source material. This model makes the stereo image 
appear to move as a unit between the speakers. As the fader is 
moved from the center to a side, more and more of the signal 
from the opposite side is folded into the side you are panning 
towards, until at the extreme, both channels are fed at full 
intensity into a single channel. This panning model uses a 
linear panning curve.
The
 Balance panning model is most useful for adjusting the relative signal levels of the right and left 
channels in stereo source material. In this model, moving from the center to a side, the opposite side starts 
at a base dB level (either 0 dB, -3 dB, or -6 dB) and decays to no signal level. The signal in the side you 
are panning towards starts at the base dB level (either 0 dB, -3 dB, or -6 dB) and increases to 0 dB. This 
panning model uses a linear panning curve.
The 
Constant Power panning model is most useful for panning mono source material. As you move the 
fader from side to side, this model creates the illusion of the source moving around the listener from one 
side to the other in a semi-circle. This model uses a constant-power panning curve.
You can add a pan envelope to automate panning changes. For more information, see Composite level 
automation (video only) on page 124.
Click the slider
a control label to select
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Assigning audio tracks to assignable effects chains
Assignable effects are only available in the full version of Vegas software.
Assignable effects chains are made up of one or more plug-ins that are used to add audio effects to a track’s 
signal. You can adjust the level of a track that is sent to an assignable effects chain using the multipurpose 
slider in the track list. The multipurpose slider can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall 
assignable effects send level for the track, or it can adjust assignable effects automation settings. For more 
information, see Adjusting assignable effects automation levels on page 121. 
1.Click the Automation Settings button   and verify Show Automation 
Controls
 is not selected. 
2.Click the label on the multipurpose slider to display a drop-down list.
3.Choose the assignable effects chain that the track will use.
4.Drag the slider to adjust the level of the track sent to the assignable effects 
chain.
Note: Assignable effect sends are post-volume by default. 
To change to pre-volume, right-click the multipurpose slider 
and choose Pre Volume from the shortcut menu.
Assigning audio tracks to busses
If your project contains multiple busses, you can assign a track to a specific bus.
Multiple audio busses are only available in the full version of Vegas software.
1.Click the Bus button ( ) in the track list to display a drop-down list of available busses. This button 
appears only if the project contains multiple busses. For more information, see Adding busses to a project on 
page 145.
2.From the drop-down list, choose the bus for the track’s output.
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Adjusting bus send levels
When a track is routed to a bus, you can control the level of tracks sent to the bus using the multipurpose 
slider. The multipurpose slider in the track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall send 
level of the track, or it can adjust bus send automation settings. For more information, see Adjusting bus 
automation levels on page 122.
1.Click the Automation Settings button   and verify Show Automation Controls is not selected. 
2.Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose an assignable effects 
chain from the menu. 
3.Drag the FX fader to control the level of the track sent to each of the 
assignable FX chains that you have created. Dragging the fader to the left 
cuts the volume; dragging to the right boosts the volume. 
You can hold   while dragging a fader to adjust the setting in finer 
increments, or double-click the fader to return it to 0 dB.
If multiple tracks are selected, the trim level of all selected tracks is adjusted.
Note: Bus sends are pre-volume by default. To change to 
post-volume, right-click the multipurpose slider and choose 
Post Volume from the shortcut menu.
For more information, see Adjusting a bus send level on page 149 or Assigning audio tracks to assignable effects 
chains on page 151.
Note: Multiple busses and assignable effects are only 
available in the full version of Vegas software.
Adjusting the composite level (video only)
The Level slider in the track header determines the opacity of the video track. The slider can function as a 
trim control that adjusts the overall opacity of the track, or it can adjust track composite level automation 
settings. For more information, see Adjusting the composite level automation settings on page 124.
The trim level is added to the composite level automation settings so your envelope is preserved, but with a 
boost or cut applied. For example, setting the trim control to -3% has the same effect as decreasing every 
envelope point by 3%.
1.Click the Automation Settings button   and verify Show Automation Controls is not selected. 
2.Drag the slider to control the transparency or blending of each track. Left is 
100% transparent and right is 100% opaque. You can also double-click the 
percent to enter a specific value.
Selecting the compositing mode
Click the Parent Overlay Mode or Compositing Mode button and choose a 
mode from the menu to determine how the transparency in a video track is 
generated. Since lower tracks show through higher tracks, it is the 
compositing mode of the higher track that determines how much of the 
lower track shows though. The compositing mode of the lowest video track 
adjusts its transparency against the background.
For more information, see Compositing on page 214.
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Bypassing motion blur envelopes (video only)
If you applied a motion blur envelope to your video bus track (available only in the full version of Vegas 
software), this envelope affects all tracks. You can select specific tracks to bypass this envelope by clicking a 
track’s 
Bypass Motion Blur button ( ). For more information on motion blur envelopes, see Adding a motion blur 
envelope on page 125.
Using track motion (video only)
Use the Track Motion button ( ) to move a video track over another track (i.e., picture-in-picture). For 
more information on adding track motion, see Adding track motion on page 245.
Phase inverting a track (audio only)
The Invert Track Phase button ( ) inverts the audio track at its baseline, in effect reversing its polarity. 
Inverting a track, while creating little audible difference, is occasionally useful for matching transitions 
when mixing audio on separate tracks or fine-tuning a crossfade. 
You can also phase invert an audio event. If an event on a track is inverted and you invert the track, the 
event is doubly-inverted (restored to its original state). For more information, see Invert phase (audio only) on 
page 134.
Muting a track
The Mute button ( ) in the track list temporarily suspends playback of the track so that you can focus on 
another track. When a track is muted, it appears grayed out on the track view. You can mute more than one 
track at a time. The 
Mute button can mute a track or change its mute automation state. For more information, 
see Mute automation (audio and video) on page 119.
To mute a track, click the 
Automation Settings button   and verify Show Automation Controls is not 
selected. Next, click the 
Mute button. 
To mute several tracks, select the tracks and click the 
Mute button on any of the selected tracks. Click the 
Mute button again to restore the track(s).
Tip: Press   and click the Mute button to mute only the 
selected track (and restore any other muted tracks). If the 
selected track is already muted, press   and click the 
Mute 
button to restore all tracks.
Muting all audio or video tracks
You may mute either all audio or all video tracks in a project. From the Options menu, choose Mute All 
Audio
 or Mute All Video.
Soloing a track
The Solo button ( ) in the track list isolates a track’s events for playback. This allows you to focus on a track’s 
contents without the distraction of other tracks. You can solo more than one track at a time.
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To solo a track, click the Solo button on that track. To solo several tracks, select the tracks and click the Solo 
button on any of the selected tracks. Click the 
Solo button again to restore the track(s) for playback.
Tip: Press   and click the Solo button to solo only the 
selected track (and restore any other soloed tracks). If the 
selected track is already soloed, press   and click the 
Solo 
button to restore all tracks.
Setting default track properties
You can use the settings of a selected track to determine the 
default settings for all new tracks in your project. Properties 
that can be set appear in the Set Default Track Properties 
dialog.
1.Set up a track in your project with the properties to use as 
default settings for new tracks.
2.Right-click the track number and choose Set Default Track 
Properties
. The Set Default Track Properties dialog 
appears. 
3.Select the check boxes that you want to set as defaults.
4.Click OK.
Any new tracks created in the project will have these defaults. To return to the original settings for new 
tracks, select the 
Restore original defaults check box in the Set Default Track Properties dialog.
Track automation envelopes
Track automation envelopes allow you to control volume, audio panning, opacity, and fade to color effects of 
a particular track over time. For more information, see Working with track envelopes on page 126.
Using audio bus tracks
Audio bus tracks are only available in the full version of Vegas software.
From the 
View menu, choose Audio Bus Tracks to toggle the display of audio bus tracks at the bottom of the 
track view. An audio bus track exists for each bus or assignable effects chain in your project and serves as a 
timeline representation of each bus or assignable effects chain.
You can use bus tracks to automate volume, panning, and effect parameters using envelopes. For more 
information, see Bus automation (audio only) on page 122.
Adding envelopes to an audio bus track
Adding volume, panning, and effect automation envelopes to a bus track is just like adding an envelope to a 
standard track. For more information, see Composite level automation (video only) on page 124.
Adding effects to audio bus tracks
Click the Bus FX button ( ) in the bus track header to add or edit bus effects. If there are no effects on the 
bus, clicking this button displays the Plug-In Chooser. If an audio bus already has effects assigned, clicking 
this button displays the Audio Plug-In window.
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Clicking this button has the same effect as clicking the button on a bus control in the Mixer window or the 
Video Preview window.
If the bus effects chain includes plug-ins with automatable parameters, the 
Bus FX button is displayed as a 
.
Muting or soloing an audio bus track
Click the Mute () or Solo ( ) button in the bus track header to mute or solo a bus.
Clicking these buttons on a bus track has the same effect as clicking the buttons on a bus control in the 
Mixer window.
Resizing audio bus tracks
You can drag the horizontal splitter between the track list and bus tracks to increase or decrease the space 
allocated to bus tracks. Perform any of the following actions to resize individual bus tracks:
Drag a bus tracks bottom border to set its height.
Click Minimize ( ) to minimize a track vertically.
Click Maximize ( ) to zoom in vertically so a bus track fills the lower portion of the timeline.
After minimizing or maximizing a bus track, click either button again to return a bus track to its previous 
height.
Press  + + /  when the bus track area has focus to resize all bus tracks at once.
Using video bus tracks
Video bus tracks are only available in the full version of Vegas software.
From the 
View menu, choose Video Bus Track to toggle the display of the video bus track at the bottom of 
the track view. A single bus track exists as a timeline representation of the main video output.
You can use bus tracks to animate video output effects using keyframes, add motion blur envelopes, or video 
supersampling envelopes.
Adding keyframes to the video bus track
Adding keyframes to the video bus track is just like working with any other video track. Use video bus track 
keyframes to animate video output effects. For information on adding keyframes, see Using keyframe animation 
on page 237.
Adding envelopes to the video bus track
You can add fade-to-color, motion blur amount, and video supersampling envelopes to the video bus track to 
affect your video output. For more information, see Working with track envelopes on page 126.
Adding effects to video bus tracks
Click the Video Output FX button ( ) in the bus track header to add or edit video output effects. If there are 
no video output effects, clicking this button displays the Plug-In Chooser. If youve already set up video 
output effects, clicking the button displays the Video Output FX window.
Muting the video output
Click the Mute button ( ) in the bus track header to mute all video output. 
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Bypassing video effects and envelopes
Click the Bypass FX and Envelopes button ( ) in the bus track header to bypass all video output effects and 
bus track envelopes.
Resizing video bus tracks
You can drag the horizontal splitter between the track list and bus tracks to increase or decrease the space 
allocated to bus tracks. Perform any of the following actions to resize individual bus tracks:
Drag a bus tracks bottom border to set its height.
Click 
Minimize ( ) to minimize a track vertically.
Click 
Maximize ( ) to zoom in vertically so a bus track fills the lower portion of the timeline.
After minimizing or maximizing a bus track, click either the 
Minimize or Maximize button again to restore a 
bus track to its previous height.
Press  + + /  when the bus track area has focus to resize all bus tracks at once.
Rendering to a new track
Rendering to a new track is only available in the full version of Vegas software.
Rendering or mixing multiple tracks to a single track can be a good method of decreasing the complexity of a 
project and speeding up future renders. The original tracks and their events are unaffected when you render 
(mix) to a single track.
Typically, you would use this feature when you are finished refining a few tracks and want to combine them. 
When you render multiple tracks, any envelope or track effects that you have applied are rendered into the 
new track. The original source files remain unaffected and the new track(s) are saved to a new file.
When working with DV files, select a DV template to avoid any loss of quality. For more information, see 
Working in DV format on page 200.
Note: Every video render that uses compression results in a 
loss of quality from the original source material. To minimize 
loss of quality, minimize the number of video renders that use 
compression.
1.Select the tracks that you want to combine. To mix specific events, make a time selection.
2.From the Tools menu, choose Render to New Track or press  . The Render to New Track dialog 
appears.
3.Complete the dialog as follows:
From the 
Save in drop-down list, select the drive or folder to save the new media file.
Type a file name in the 
File name box.
From the 
Save as type drop-down list, choose the file format (e.g., .wav for audio or .avi for video).
From the 
Te m p l a t e drop-down list, choose a format from the template list. Alternately, click Custom to 
set custom rendering settings. For more information, see Customizing the rendering process on page 275.
Select 
Render loop region only if you only want to render the time selection area.
Select 
Stretch video to fill output frame size (do not letterbox) to adjust the aspect ratio so the output frame is 
filled on all edges. When the check box is cleared, the current aspect ratio is maintained and black 
borders are added to fill the extra frame area (letterboxing).
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4.Click Save to render to a new track.
As the tracks are being rendered (mixed down), a small dialog appears displaying the progress of the 
render. A status bar also appears in the lower-left portion.
Tip: You can cancel the rendering process by clicking the 
Cancel button on the status bar.
After the new track is rendered, it appears at the top of the track view. If you render the entire project, 
you may delete (or mute) the other tracks from the project, since they are all contained on the new track. 
						

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