Sony Vegas 5 Manual

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3.Click the Arm for Record button ( ) on the event’s track. When recording into multiple selected events, 
arm their respective tracks at this time.
4.Click the Record button ( ) on the transport bar to begin recording.
5.Click the Record button ( ) again or the Stop button ( ) on the transport bar to stop recording.
Recording into an event with a time selection
Recording into a time selection allows for a pre- and post- roll during recording. The time selection is 
adjustable to increase or decrease the pre- and post-roll duration. During recording, the selected event’s 
edges serve as the punch-in and -out points. You can create multiple punch-in and -out points by selecting 
more events within the time selection.
You may need to split an existing event into three pieces so that you can select a smaller portion of the event 
to record into. For more information, see Splitting events on page 69. 
1.Click the Arm for Record button ( ) on the desired track(s).
2.Select the event to record into.
Tip: You may record into multiple events by pressing   
and making your selections.
3.On the marker bar, drag a time selection. You may adjust the time selection by dragging the selection 
bar’s starting and ending points. Make the time selection start before the event for a pre-roll.
4.Click the Record button ( ) on the transport bar to begin recording.
If input monitoring is turned on, the track’s original audio is played until the cursor reaches the selected 
event. When the cursor plays through the selected event, you’ll hear your recording input, and the track’s 
original audio is played again when the cursor moves past the selected event.
Using pre-roll
The previous technique allows you to define the playback region with a time selection and sets the punch-in 
and punch-out points in the recording to the event boundaries. When you click the 
Record button, playback 
begins at the beginning of the time selection. The event is then filled with the newly recorded material. The 
audio file that is recorded to your hard disk is the full duration of the time selection. The event only contains 
a portion of the full recorded performance and can therefore be trimmed (both shorter and longer) and 
repositioned within the event.
Ctrl
Pre-roll Post-rollTime selection bar - 
Punch-in Punch-outdefines the recorded
audio file’s duration. 
						

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Triggering from MIDI timecode
Recording can be triggered and synchronized by an external MIDI device that outputs (generates) MIDI 
timecode (MTC). When triggering from MIDI timecode, you should have your audio devices connected 
together via a master digital word clock. The word clock keeps the audio hardware locked together, 
eliminating the need for the software to constantly vary its playback rate to stay synchronized. The incoming 
timecode is only used for an absolute time reference. For more information, see Sync tab on page 299.
1.From the Options menu, choose Preferences and go to the Sync tab.
2.From the Trigger from MIDI Timecode settings drop-down list, select the device that you want to trigger Vegas 
software. 
3.Click OK. The Preferences dialog closes.
4.Click the Arm for Record button ( ) on the desired track(s).
5.Right-click the time display and choose MIDI Timecode In. The time display now shows the timecode 
being generated from your MIDI device. The top of the display reads 
MTC Input Waiting.
6.Begin generating MTC from your MIDI device. The top of the time display now reads MTC Input Locked, 
the time updates from the MIDI device, and recording automatically begins. Typically, there is a short 
delay between when you begin generating MTC and synchronization.
Working with multiple recorded takes
Clicking the Loop Playback button ( ) on the transport bar enables you to continually create takes during 
recording. Takes are different versions of a recorded event that you can quickly switch between to choose the 
best one. Each take within an event references a different source media file.
During recording with loop playback enabled, the time selection continually repeats and starts recording a 
new take until you stop recording. You can preview, select, rename, and delete takes. For more information, 
see Working with takes on page 94.
Specifying where recordings are stored
When you record, the event appears on the timeline while its media source file is written to your hard drive. 
The first time you arm a track to record in a project, you are prompted to identify the location where the 
recordings will be stored. 
Changing where recorded files are stored when arming a track
1.Press   and click the Arm for Record button ( ) on a track. The Project Recorded Files Folder dialog 
appears.
2.Browse for the location where you want to save recorded files.
3.Click OK.
Shift 
						

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Changing where recorded files are stored when starting to record
1.Press   and click the Record button ( ) on the transport bar. The Project Recorded Files Folder 
dialog appears.
Tip: You can also press   to specify the 
location for recorded files when starting to record.
2.Browse for the location where you want to save recorded files.
3.Click OK.
Changing where recorded files are stored in the Project Properties dialog
1.From the File menu, choose Properties. The Project Properties dialog appears.
2.Click the Audio tab to display the project’s audio properties.
3.Click Browse. The Recorded Files Folder dialog appears.
4.Browse for the location where you want to save recorded files.
5.Click OK.
Tip: You can select Start all new projects with these settings 
in the Project Properties dialog to store recorded media source 
files to the same location in every new project. 
Monitoring audio levels
While youre recording, a responsive meter is provided in the track 
header to monitor the incoming signal level of the selected recording 
device. It is important that you record with the highest signal possible 
without clipping.
A reading of 0 dB is the maximum for a digital signal. Clipping occurs when the incoming signal is too high 
to be represented as a digital value. The result is distortion in the recording. A clipped signal will be 
indicated by a red Clip warning at the top of the meters.
Right-click the meters and choose a command from the shortcut menu to adjust the display of the meters.
Using record input monitoring
If you want to hear your recording signal with real-time track effects, you can turn on input monitoring.
Input monitoring is only available in the full version of Vegas software.
To turn on input monitoring, click the 
Record Device Selector button (  or  ) and choose Input Monitor 
from the menu, and then choose 
Auto or On from the submenu. During recording, your signal will be played 
back with the current track effects chain, but a dry (unprocessed) signal is recorded.
When 
Auto is selected, you will hear the input monitor signal when playback is stopped and during 
recording. If youre recording into selected events, youll hear the input monitor signal only when the cursor 
passes over the selected events. 
Shift
Ctrl+Shift+R 
						

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When On is selected, the behavior is similar to Auto mode, but you will always hear the input monitor during 
recording—monitoring is not toggled on and off when recording in to a selected event.
Note: Your ability to monitor effects in real time is 
dependent on your computers performance. Effect 
automation envelopes are bypassed during record monitoring. 
						

							11
CHP. 11WORKING WITH 5.1 SURROUND
CHAPTER173
Working with 5.1 
Surround
Vegas® software allows you to create 5.1-channel mixes to prepare audio for DVD-Video.
5.1-channel mixing is only available in the full version of Vegas software.
Note: Vegas software plays and mixes uncompressed 5.1-
channel audio. Authoring software such as the Sony Pictures 
Digital 5.1 Surround Plug-In Pack is required to encode 5.1-
channel audio to AC-3 for use in DVD authoring.
What is 5.1 surround?
5.1 surround is a standard format consisting of three speakers across the front and two speakers in the rear. 
The “.1” is a sixth channel called low-frequency effects (LFE) that enhances the bass levels in the mix.
The LFE channel is commonly used in motion pictures to enhance low audio frequencies for effects such as 
explosions or crashes. Audio in this channel is commonly limited to a range from about 25 Hz to 120 Hz. 
Unlike the five primary channels, the LFE channel adds no directional information. Depending on the 
speaker setup and audio levels, the sound assigned to the LFE channel may be routed among the five main 
speakers or to an additional subwoofer.
Left Center Right LFE
Right
Surround Left
Surround
5.1 surround includes five main channels... ...and a sixth channel for low-frequency effects.
11 
						

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WORKING WITH 5.1 SURROUNDCHP. 11
Setting up surround hardware
Before you create surround projects, you should set up your system to provide 5.1 surround playback. To play 
a 5.1 surround project, you must have an appropriate speaker setup such as:
Six powered speakers
Six passive speakers with a six-channel amplifier
Your system must also have an appropriate sound card setup such as:
5.1-compatible sound card
Sound card with three stereo outputs
Three stereo sound cards
There are several ways to set up your system, depending on the sound card and speaker setup you are using.
Setting up surround projects
You can configure a Vegas project to use 5.1 surround in the Project Properties dialog. You can also choose 
to apply a low-pass filter for the LFE channel. Applying a low-pass filter approximates the bass-management 
system in a 5.1 decoder and ensures that you’re sending only low-frequency audio to the LFE channel.
1.From the File menu, choose Properties.
2.Click the Audio tab.
3.From the Master bus mode drop-down list, choose 5.1 surround.
4.To limit the audio sent to the LFE channel, do the following:
Select the 
Enable low-pass filter on LFE check box and enter a value in the Cutoff frequency for low-pass filter 
box. The low-pass filter isolates the audio sent to the LFE channel by limiting it to frequencies lower 
than the value entered in the 
Cutoff frequency for low-pass filter box. 
Choose a setting from the 
Low-pass filter quality drop-down list to determine the sharpness of the filter’s 
rolloff curve. 
Best produces the sharpest curve. 
Note: Before rendering your surround project, check your 
surround authoring application’s documentation to determine 
its required audio format. Some encoders require a specific 
cutoff frequency and rolloff, while other encoders require that 
no filter be applied before encoding.
Six powered speakers Six passive speakers with a six-channel amplifier
5.1-compatible 
sound cardConnect powered speakers to your sound card’s 
outputs as indicated by your sound card’s 
documentation.Connect your sound card’s front, rear, and center/subwoofer 
outputs to the appropriate inputs on a six-channel amplifier/
home theater receiver. Connect front, rear, center, and LFE 
speakers to the amplifier.
Sound card with 
three stereo 
outputsConnect powered speakers to your sound card’s 
outputs where you have routed each of the pairs of 
channels. The left channel of the Center/LFE pair is the 
center channel; the right channel is the LFE channel.Connect your sound card’s outputs to the appropriate inputs on 
a six-channel amplifier/home theater receiver. Connect front, 
rear, center, and LFE speakers to the amplifier.
Three stereo 
sound cardsConnect powered speakers to your sound cards’ 
outputs where you have routed each of the pairs of 
channels. The left channel of the Center/LFE pair is the 
center channel; the right channel is the LFE channel.Connect your sound card’s outputs to the appropriate inputs on 
a six-channel amplifier/home theater receiver. Connect front, 
rear, center, and LFE speakers to the amplifier. 
						

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5.Click OK.
The track list and Mixer window switch to 5.1 surround mode. The Master bus becomes the Surround 
Master bus, which contains faders for each of the six surround channels. Surround panners appear on 
tracks and mixer controls. Tracks routed to mixer controls (busses or assignable effects) do not have 
surround panners; panning for these tracks takes place on the mixer control.
Routing to hardware in the mixer
You must route the surround audio to the correct output in the mixer.
1.From the Options menu, choose Preferences.
2.Click the Audio tab.
3.From the Audio device type drop-down list, choose an audio device type other than Microsoft Sound Mapper 
(such as 
Windows Classic Wave Driver).
4.Choose the playback devices for the six surround channels:
From the 
Default Stereo and Front playback device drop-down list, choose the appropriate device for the 
front left and right surround channels.
From the 
Default Rear playback device drop-down list, choose the appropriate device for the rear left and 
right surround channels.
From the 
Default Center and LFE playback device drop-down list, choose the appropriate device for the 
center and LFE surround channels.
5.Click OK.
Overriding the default device routing
By setting up the device routing in the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog, you have set the defaults for 
surround routing. However, you can override the default device routing at any time using the Surround 
Master bus in the Mixer window.
1.In the Mixer window, click the Audio Device Selector button ( ) on the Surround Master bus. A menu of 
surround channels (
Front L/R, Rear L/R, and Center/LFE) appears.
2.In the submenu, match a surround pair with the appropriate output. 
3.Repeat steps one and two to match each surround pair to the appropriate output.
Track list in 5.1 surround mode Mixer in 5.1 surround mode
Track routed
to Bus Track routed
to LFE Surround
panner
Front L/R  Rear L/R  Center LFE  Surround panners 
						

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Assigning audio to the LFE channel
Once the project is in 5.1 surround mode, you must decide whether a track will provide the “5” (surround 
panning) or the “1” (LFE channel) in 5.1 surround. Initially, all tracks in a surround project are set to 
provide surround panning, but you can assign a track to the LFE channel instead.
You can assign an individual track to the LFE channel or you can route the track to a mixer control (bus or 
assignable effect chain) and assign the mixer control to the LFE channel. 
To assign audio to the LFE channel, right-click the surround panner on the track header or mixer control 
and choose 
LFE Only from the shortcut menu. The track or mixer control is assigned to the LFE channel.
To change a track or mixer control back to surround panning, right-click the 
LFE indicator and choose 
Surround Pan from the shortcut menu.
Note: Before rendering your surround project, check your 
surround authoring application’s documentation to determine 
its required audio format with respect to the LFE channel. 
For more information, see Setting up surround projects on 
page 174.
Adjusting volume
Adjusting track volume for 5.1 surround projects behaves almost identically to stereo projects. The controls 
in the track headers and Mixer window can function as trim controls that adjust the overall volume of the 
track, bus, or assignable effects chain, or they can adjust volume automation settings. For more information, 
see Track automation on page 119.
Adjusting track volume
You can adjust track volume using the Vo l fader in the track header the same way you do in stereo projects. 
Click the 
Automation Settings button ( ) on the track header and verify Show Automation Controls is not 
selected if you want to adjust trim levels.
Select 
Show Automation Controls if you want to adjust volume automation. The fader handle is displayed as a 
 in automation mode.
Right-click the surround panner and choose LFE Only... ...to assign the track or mixer control to the LFE channel.
Track header in trim mode
Track header in automation mode 
						

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Adjusting assignable effects send or bus send levels
You can adjust send levels for busses or assignable effects chains using the multipurpose fader in the track 
header. Click the fader label and choose an assignable effects chain or bus from the menu. The fader in the 
track header can function as a trim control that adjusts the overall send level of the track, or it can adjust 
send level automation settings. 
Click the 
Automation Settings button ( ) on the track header and verify Show Automation Controls is not 
selected if you want to adjust trim levels.
Select 
Show Automation Controls if you want to adjust volume automation. The fader handle is displayed as a 
 in automation mode.
Adjusting channel levels
Use the Surround Master bus control in the Mixer window to adjust the individual levels of the 5.1 
channels. The faders in the track bus control can function as trim controls that adjust the overall level of 
each channel, or you can automate the master volume of the Surround Master bus (individual channel levels 
cannot be automated). 
Click the 
Automation Settings button ( ) in the bus control or bus track and verify Show Automation 
Controls
 is not selected if you want to adjust trim levels.
Select 
Show Automation Controls if you want to adjust volume automation. The fader handle is displayed as a 
 in automation mode.
Mixer controls in trim mode
Mixer controls in automation mode 
						

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Panning audio
You can pan audio in a 5.1 surround project in two ways:
Pan tracks individually using the Surround Panner window.
Route tracks to mixer controls (busses, assignable effect chains) and pan the mixer controls using the 
Surround Panner window.
Panning tracks
1.Click the Automation Settings button ( ) on the track you want to pan and verify Show Automation 
Controls
 is not selected.
2.Double-click the surround panner on the track you wish to pan. The Surround Panner window appears.
3.Adjust the panning settings. For more information, see Using the Surround Panner window on page 180.
4.Close the Surround Panner window. 
Tip: You can also use the surround panner in the track 
header to pan your track.
Double-click to display
the Surround
Panner window