Sony Vegas 6 Manual

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Double-clicking a media file
This method places the event at the cursor’s position in the selected track. If the selected track is a video 
track, and you double-click an audio event (or vice versa), a new track is created for the event. Once an 
event is placed, you can move it from one track to another or change its position on the timeline.
Inserting a video file with associated audio
Media files with video frequently include associated audio. When you insert a media file into the timeline, 
the associated audio is automatically inserted into a separate audio track below the video track. The two 
associated events are grouped together and behave as a single unit when moved or otherwise edited. You can 
ungroup the events to move them independently. For more information, see Clearing a group on page 180.
Automatically crossfading inserted events
When inserting multiple events across time, the events (both video and audio) may be set to automatically 
crossfade. Two options must be enabled in order to create crossfades automatically when adding multiple 
events. First, verify that a check mark appears next to 
Automatic Crossfades in the Options menu. Second, 
from the 
Options menu, choose Preferences, and on the Editing tab, select Automatically overlap multiple 
selected media when added
. For more information, see Using automatic crossfades on page 112.
Working with MXF files
This feature is available only in the full version of Vegas software.
The full version of Vegas software includes a full-resolution MXF reader for Sony XDCAM that allows you 
to use full-resolution MXF files on the timeline. 
You can use MXF files just like any other supported media type. We recommend the following workflow for 
efficient editing.
1.Copy the files from the XDCAM Professional Disc™ to your local hard drive:
a.Set up your XDCAM device as a drive that your editing computer can access. Please refer to your 
XDCAM device documentation for specific setup information.
b.Using the standard Windows file-copy procedures, copy the entire contents of your XDCAM 
Professional Disc(s) to your local hard drive. 
2.Add the MXF files to the Vegas timeline:
a.Using the Vegas Explorer window, navigate to the Clip folder where you copied your MXF files in step 
1.
b.Select the MXF files you want to use in your project.
c.Drag files to the timeline to create events. 
MXF files will behave like any other piece of media in a project.
Note: Essence markers from the MXF files are displayed as 
named media markers (media markers are visible in the 
timeline events and in the Trimmer window).
Two events that contain the video (top)
and audio (bottom) streams from a single 
multimedia video file; each event is 
inserted on a separate track. 
						

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3.Edit your project as you would any other project — no special treatment of the MXF files is required. For 
more information, see Basic Editing Techniques on page 95.
4.You can now render your project to a file or print to tape. For more information, see Saving, Rendering, and 
Printing Projects on page 305.
Note: The XDCAM deck is not available for external 
monitor or print to tape via iLink® while in file-access mode. 
Click the 
Safely Remove Hardware icon  in the Windows 
system tray and choose your XDCAM device from the menu 
to turn off file-access mode and enable external monitor and 
print to tape functionality.
Project references in rendered media files
When your project uses media that was rendered with an embedded project path reference, you can easily 
open the source project in the associated application if you need to edit the media later. ACID 5.0, Sound 
Forge 8.0, and Vegas 6.0 software allow you to save the project path reference when you render files.
For example, imagine that you have an audio file on the Vegas timeline that was rendered from an ACID 
project. In previewing your Vegas project, you discover that you’d accidentally rendered your ACID project 
with a critical track muted. You could simply right-click the event on the Vegas timeline and choose 
Edit 
Source Project
 from the shortcut menu to reopen your ACID project, unmute the track, and then rerender it.
The project information in the rendered file is a reference to a project file only. If you modify the project file 
after rendering, the project data will no longer match the rendered file. To edit a project using a path 
reference, the project file and all media must be available on your computer.
Tip: For more information on saving project path references 
in rendered files, see Rendering a project on page 307.
Editing a referenced project
1.Perform one of the following actions:
 Right-click a media file in the Explorer window.
—or—
 Right-click a media file in the Project Media window.
—or—
 Right-click an event on the timeline. 
						

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2.From the shortcut menu, choose Edit Source Project. An ACID, Vegas, or Sound Forge window will open 
with the source project.
To edit a source project using a computer other than the computer where the project was created, the 
editing computer must meet the following requirements:
 The software that was used to create the project must be installed and the project file extension (.acd, 
.acd-zip, .veg, or .frg) must be registered on the editing computer. 
 The editing computer must have the same version (or later) of the software that was used to create the 
project.
 The project file must exist on the editing computer using the same file path as on the computer where 
the project was created.
 The project’s source media must exist on the editing computer. If the media files do not use the same file 
path as on the computer where the project was created, you will be prompted to choose a new folder or 
replacement files.
3.Edit the project as necessary.
4.Render the edited project using the same name as the original media file and close the editing application. 
If you’re editing an existing track, your project will automatically be updated to use the latest rendered 
media file. 
						

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Working with events
Events are the most basic objects in a project. An event is something that happens in time, has a specific 
duration, and can be video or audio. 
Understanding files and events
The objects you work with are referred to as media files and events. 
Files are objects that are stored on your hard disk. In Vegas software, you will work with media files, such 
as music and video files. These files are neither operated on nor changed. You can access files from the 
Vegas Explorer window.
Events are periods of time on the timeline that act as windows into media files, either whole or in part. 
When you drag a media file onto the timeline, you automatically create an event that contains that file’s 
contents. An event can contain video, audio, still images, or generated media. The event window may 
contain only a small portion of a much larger media file. A single media file can be used repeatedly to 
create any number of different events, since each event can be trimmed independently.
Audio events are created from audio files on your computer (e.g., WAV, MP3) or can be a part of a video 
file (e.g., AVI). You can change many characteristics of an audio event, such as speed, volume, and 
equalization. Audio events can be mixed with other audio events.
Video events are created from video files captured to your computer (typically AVI, MOV, QT) or images 
(BMP, JPEG, PNG, or TGA). You can change many characteristics of a video event, such as speed, color, 
and size. Video events can overlay other video events and are visual elements that appear on top of a 
background video, image, or color. 
Moving events along the timeline
You can move events along the timeline individually or as a group. Events may overlap each other or be 
placed on top of each other. You can crossfade overlapping events automatically or with envelopes.
Moving an event
You can move an event along the timeline within a track or move it to a different track.
1.Drag the event along the timeline. 
If you move the event along the original track’s timeline, the event’s appearance (color) remains the 
same.
The original media file.
An event trimmed from the original media file.
The event as it appears in the Vegas timeline. 
						

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However, you may move the event to a different track. When you do, the event appears as a simple 
outline and you will see its original track and position on the timeline. Once you release the mouse, the 
event assumes the new timeline position and track color.
2.Release the mouse to place the event.
Moving multiple events
You can move multiple events along the timeline within a track or move them to a different track. Selected 
events do not need to be within the same track. Use the 
 key, the  key, or the Selection Edit Tool 
(
) to select multiple events and drag them. To select all events on the track after a given event, right-
click the event and choose 
Select Events to End. For more information, see Selecting multiple events on page 96.
Moving events by small increments
To move an event more precisely, click the event and press 4 or 6 on the numeric keypad to nudge it by 
small increments. The amount of movement caused by each nudge is determined by how far the timeline is 
zoomed in or out. You can also click the event and press 1 or 3 on the numeric keypad to nudge the event by 
frames.
Moving grouped events
Groups allow you to move multiple events within their tracks as a single unit. While you can create your 
own groups as needed, groups are automatically created for you when video files with associated audio (e.g., 
AVI) are added to a project. When you add these video files, the audio portion of the video file is inserted 
into the timeline as a separate audio event. The video and audio events are grouped and can be moved as a 
single unit within their respective tracks. 
To move grouped events, drag any event in the group to a new position. For more information, see Grouping 
events on page 179. 
Original track position
New track and position
CtrlShift 
						

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Working with tracks
A project consists of multiple audio and video tracks. The track view is the timeline in which all events 
appear. The track list provides information about the track and contains controls that affect all events in the 
track.
Using the track view
Numerous options are provided for viewing and navigating in track view.
Scrolling and zooming
There are several ways to scroll and zoom in the track view. 
 Click the scroll bar arrows or drag the scroll bars to move up and down the tracks or to move forward and 
back along the timeline. 
 Click the Zoom buttons () to reveal more or less of the timeline. 
 Drag the edge of the scroll box, found on the scroll bar, to zoom.
 Press  and  to zoom in and out along the timeline.
 Click the Zoom Edit Tool () button or, from the Edit menu, choose 
Editing Tool and then choose Zoom. In this mode, drag on the 
timeline to draw a rectangle that defines the zoom region.
Tip: You can also access the Zoom Edit Tool from the lower-
right corner of the track view ().
Mouse wheel control is also supported. The default behavior of the wheel is to zoom horizontally.
+wheel scrolls horizontally (through time).
+wheel scrolls vertically.
++wheel moves the cursor in small increments.
+++wheel moves the cursor in one-frame increments.
 Clicking the mouse wheel turns auto-panning on and off.
Zooming directly controls the accuracy of your editing. Each video event has thumbnail representations of 
the frames within the event. Depending on how far you have zoomed in on a video event, a thumbnail can 
represent the entire event or a single frame in the event. 
Tip: You can choose to display frame numbers, time, or 
timecode on video event thumbnails. For more information, 
see Displaying frame numbers on page 329.
Scroll boxZoom
tools
Shift
Ctrl
CtrlShift
CtrlShiftAlt  
						

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Changing track height
You can change the height of individual tracks by dragging their borders in the track list. In the example 
below, the main video track is fairly large to show the details of the scene while the two tracks above it, 
which are overlays, have been resized to a shorter height. For more information, see Changing track height on 
page 143. 
						

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Using the track list
This section describes the different controls in the track header of each track. Some controls are specific to 
either video or audio tracks.
Video track header
Button or 
ControlNameDescription
Make 
compositing 
childCreates a parent/child compositing relationship with the track above. Used when creating 
masks. For more information, see Understanding the parent/child track relationship on 
page 248.
Track number 
and colorTrack numbers and colors help organize a multitrack project. For more information, see 
Managing tracks on page 141.
Minimize track 
height Minimizes track height. For more information, see Changing track height on page 143.
Maximize track 
heightMaximizes track height. For more information, see Changing track height on page 143.
Expand track 
keyframesDisplays track keyframes on the timeline. For more information, see Working with 
keyframes in track view on page 276.
Bypass motion 
blurBypasses motion blur envelope for a track. For more information, see Using video bus 
tracks on page 152. Available only in the full version of Vegas software.
Track motionTrack motion is used to move a video track across a background. Picture-in-picture 
effects and scrolling title sequences are two simple cases where this tool is important. For 
more information, see Adding track motion on page 281.
Track FXAdds track effects plug-ins. For more information, see Using video effects on page 241.
MuteTemporarily suspends playback of the track so that you can focus on other tracks. For 
more information, see Muting a track on page 149.
SoloIsolates a track for playback by muting the other tracks. For more information, see 
Soloing a track on page 150.
Track name 
(scribble strip)Allows you name a track. To name a track, double-click the scribble strip and type the 
track’s name. For more information, see Naming or renaming a track on page 142.
Composite 
level sliderDetermines the opacity/transparency of the video track. Drag the slider to control the 
transparency or blending of the track. Left is 100% transparent and right is 100% 
opaque. You can also double-click the label to enter a specific numeric percentage.
Compositing 
modeDetermines how the transparency in a video track is generated. For more information, 
see Selecting compositing modes on page 249. 
						

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Audio track header
Button or ControlNameDescription
Track number 
and colorTrack numbers and colors help organize a multitrack project. For more information, 
see Managing tracks on page 141.
Minimize track 
heightMinimizes track height. For more information, see Changing track height on page 
143.
Maximize track 
height Maximizes track height. For more information, see Changing track height on page 
143.
Track name 
(scribble strip)Allows you name a track. To name a track, double-click the scribble strip and type the 
track’s name. For more information, see Naming or renaming a track on page 142.
Arm for recordPrepares a track for recording. You may record directly into audio tracks. A track is 
ready when you see the recording meter appear on it. For more information, see 
Arming the track for recording on page 201.
Bus assignmentAssigns an audio track to a specific output bus. This option is available for projects 
being mixed for multiple stereo busses. For more information, see Assigning audio 
tracks to busses on page 186. Available only in the full version of Vegas software.
Invert Track 
PhaseInverts the audio track at its baseline, in effect reversing its polarity. For more 
information, see Phase inverting a track (audio only) on page 148. Available only in 
the full version of Vegas software.
Track FXAdds track effects plug-ins. For more information, see Using audio effects on page 
189.
MuteTemporarily mutes playback of the track so that you can focus on other tracks. For 
more information, see Muting a track on page 149.
SoloIsolates a track for playback by muting the other tracks. For more information, see 
Soloing a track on page 150.
Volume faderControls the audio track volume relative to the other tracks. Drag the fader left or 
right to adjust the volume. For more information, see Using the volume fader (audio 
only) on page 144.
Multipurpose 
sliderControls several features, including track panning, bus send levels, and assignable 
effects send levels. Select what the slider controls by clicking the label. Each item’s 
slider position is independent from the others. For more information, see Using the 
multipurpose slider (audio only) on page 145. 
						

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Nesting projects
This feature is available only in the full version of Vegas software.
With Vegas software, you can simplify and organize complex projects by adding multiple projects to the 
timeline of a single Vegas project. Using project nesting, you can:
 Create a single element that can be used in multiple locations or projects. If you update the project, it is 
updated everywhere.
 Create a complex composited element that can be used as a single media event in multiple locations or 
projects.
 Create a transition across multiple events by placing the events in a nested project and applying the 
transition to the nested events project.
 Create a musical composition with its own tempo and bus structure that can be used in another project.
 Create an individual project for each scene in a video and place those projects in a master project. You 
can apply color correction to each project individually, and then apply color correction to the master 
project as well.
 Use master projects to deliver a single project in multiple formats without time- and disk-consuming 
intermediate renders: for example, you could add your 24p, 16:9 HD (high-definition) project to a master 
project to reformat the project as widescreen SD (standard definition) for DVD, letterboxed SD for VHS, 
4:3 pan-and-scan SD, or 25p.
Note: In order to use network rendering with nested 
projects, the nested project must contain only media from 
folders that do not require remapping. Before nesting your 
Vegas project, update the project so that all media in the 
project is added from a network folder or a local, shared folder 
that is mapped to the same drive letter on all renderers and the 
render host.
Adding a project to the Vegas timeline
Use one of the following methods to nest an existing project in your current timeline:
 From the Explorer window, drag a Vegas project file (.veg) to the timeline. The project is added to the 
timeline where you drop it.
Tip: You can also drag files from the Windows® Explorer 
and drop them on the Vegas timeline.
 From the File menu, choose Import and then choose Media to browse to the .veg file you want to nest.
Using any of the methods above, the Vegas project file is also added to the Project Media window. Once a 
nested project is in the timeline, you can then edit the its events just as you would any other event in your 
project.