Sony Vegas 9 Manual

							
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Video events are created from video files captured to your computer (typically AVI, 
MOV, or 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. 
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. 
Original track position

New track and position

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 Ctrl 
key, the Shift 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 
32. 
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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. 
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 Scroll box
Zoom 
timeline to draw a rectangle that defines the 	tools 
zoom region. 
Tip: You can also access the Zoom Edit Tool from the lower-right corner of the track 
view ( ). 
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. 
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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. 
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 
Control 
Name 
Minimize 
track height 
Maximize 
track height 
Description 
Minimizes track height. 
Maximizes track height. 
Track Track numbers and colors help organize a multitrack project. 
number and 
color 
Track name Allows you name a track. To name a track, double-click the 
(scribble scribble strip and type the track’s name. 
strip) 
Track motion 
Track FX 
Track 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. 
Adds track effects plug-ins. 
Mute Temporarily mutes playback of the track so that you can focus 
on other tracks. 
Solo Isolates a track for playback. 
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Button or 
Control 
Name Description 
Compositing Determines how the transparency in a video track is generated. 
mode 
Make Creates a parent/child compositing relationship with the track 
compositing above. 
child 
Audio track header

Button or Name Description 
Control 
Minimize track Minimizes track height. 
height 
Maximize track Maximizes track height. 
height 
Track number and Track numbers and colors help organize a 
color multitrack project. 
Track name Allows you name a track. To name a track, double­
(scribble strip) click the scribble strip and type the track’s name. 
Arm for record Prepares a track for recording. You may record 
directly into audio tracks. A track is ready when you 
see the recording meter appear on it. 
Track FX Adds track effects plug-ins. 
Mute Temporarily mutes playback of the track so that you 
can focus on other tracks. 
Solo Isolates a track for playback by muting the other 
tracks. 
Volume fader Controls the audio track volume relative to the 
other tracks. Drag the fader left or right to adjust 
the volume. 
Pan slider Functions as a trim control that adjusts the overall 
panning of the track. 
Playing back and previewing 
You can play back your project in two ways: directly from the timeline from within the 
software or by mixing the entire project to a preview file. 
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Playing your project 
The transport bar allows you to play back your entire project or portions of your project 
based on a time selection or the current cursor position. 
Play from cursor position
Loop playback Stop Cursor to end

Record Play from start Pause Cursor to start 
If your project includes video, make sure the Video Preview window is displayed for 
playback: from the View menu, choose Video Preview or press Alt+6. 
Playing an entire project 
1.	Click the Play From Start button ( ) to begin playback at the beginning of the 
project. 
2.	Click the Stop button ( ) to stop playback. 
Most of the time, you will only want to preview a small portion of the project to perfect 
a section. You can do this by creating a time selection. 
Playing a time selection 
1.	Place the mouse pointer above the ruler on Loop bar 
the marker bar. The mouse pointer changes 
to include a left/right arrow cursor ( ). 
2.	Drag to select the time region. To increase or 
decrease the time selection, drag its start and 
end points. The time selection is highlighted 
and the loop bar appears above the ruler on 
the timeline. 
3.	Click the Play button ( ) to begin playback. Only the non-muted tracks and events 
within the time selection play back. 
4.	Click the Loop Playback button ( ) to continually play back the events within the 
time selection. Click the button again to turn this feature off. 
5.	Click the Stop button ( ) to stop playback. 
By looping the playback, you can repeatedly watch the same section of the project over 
and over as you make changes to filters and effects in real time. You can define 
selection areas automatically, depending on what you would like to preview. For more 
information, see Selecting a time range on page 33. 
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Scrubbing 
Scrubbing is a type of timeline playback that gives you precise control over the speed 
and direction of playback. Both linear and logarithmic scale scrubbing are allowed. 
The use of multimedia controllers is supported for scrubbing. For more information on 
using the software with multimedia controllers, please see the online help. To access 
help, choose Contents and Index from the Help menu. 
Tip: Choose a setting from the JKL/shuttle speed drop-down list on the Editing tab of 
the Preferences dialog to control the scrub speed and range when using the keyboard 
or multimedia controllers. 
Scrubbing with the playhead 
The playhead ( ) above the timeline can be dragged Drag playhead to scrub 
back and forth to shuttle forward or backward from the 
cursor position to locate an edit point. 
Tip: Set in and out points while dragging the 

playhead by pressing the I and O keys.

Note: The playhead is also available in the Trimmer 

window.

Previewing to media player 
A project can be previewed in a media player by mixing and rendering the project 
according to the project’s properties and playing back using the media player 
associated with the file type you select. 
1. From the Tools menu, choose Preview in Player. The Preview dialog appears. 
2. Select the file type from the drop-down list. 
3. Click OK to begin the mixing and rendering process. A progress dialog appears 
indicating the percent complete of the new file. 
When mixing is completed, the associated media player opens and begins playback. 
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Basic Editing Techniques Chapter 3 
Vegas® Movie Studio™ projects are multitrack compilations of events that 
occur over time. The events in your project are references (pointers) to 
source media files. Vegas Movie Studio software is a nondestructive editor, 
so editing events in your project does not alter the source media files in any 
way. 
Getting around 
When editing and playing back the project, the cursor identifies where you 
are along the project’s timeline. 
Moving the cursor 
Use the following keyboard commands to move the cursor in the timeline. 
Description Keys Description Keys 
Go to beginning of Ctrl+Home Move left/right to marker(s) Ctrl+Left/Right 
project or W Arrow 
Go to end of project Ctrl+End Move to marker # 0-9 keys (not 
or E numeric keypad) 
Go to beginning of Home Move left/right to event edit Ctrl+Alt+Left/ 
selection points including fade edges Right Arrow 
or view (if no selection) (see figure below) 
Go to end of selection End Nudge cursor on timeline Left or Right 
or view (if no selection) Arrow 
Move right by grid Page Down Move left/right one frame Alt+Left/Right 
marks Arrow 
Move left by grid marks Page Up Move left/right one frame Ctrl+Alt+Shift+M 
ouse wheel 
Go to Ctrl+G Center in view  
Event edit point cursor jumps 
Changing focus 
Focus is used to describe which objects have the attention of a program. 
For example, when you click a file in the Project Media list, the Project Media 
window has focus. To instantly switch the program’s focus to the track view 
(timeline), press Alt+0 or, from the View menu, choose Focus to Track View. 
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In Vegas Movie Studio software, it matters which track has focus when you perform a 
task. For example, when you double-click a media file in the Explorer, it is inserted into 
the track that has focus. You can click a track on its track number to make it the focus 
track. A blinking white line under the track number and shading in the track list 
indicates a track has focus. 
Making selections 
You have the flexibility to select one or more events, a time range, or events and a time 

range. All selection options can apply to a single track or to multiple tracks.

To select an event, click it.

Selecting multiple events 
You can select multiple events in your project using several methods. 
Tip: Once you have selected multiple events, you can group them together. 
Note: You can select multiple video events, multiple audio events, or a combination of 
both video and audio events. However, you can only use commands and operations 
that apply to both types of events for selections composed of both audio and video 
events. 
Selecting nonadjacent Selected events events 
1.	Hold the Ctrl key. 
2.	Select the events by 
clicking them. 
To deselect an event, simply 
click it again to toggle the 
event selection on or off. 
Selecting a range of events 
1.	Hold the Shift key. 
2.	Click the first event that you want to select. 
3.	Click the last event that you want to select. 
All events between the first and last selected events are highlighted and selected. 
Selected events 
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Selecting a block of events 
1.	Click the Selection Edit Tool button ( ). 
2.	Position the cursor in a corner of the area that 
you want to select. 
3.	Click and hold the left mouse button. 
4.	Drag the cursor to the opposite corner of the 
area you want to select. A rectangle is drawn on 
the workspace. All events within this rectangle 
are selected. 
Hold the left mouse button and right-click to toggle through the three types of 
selection boxes: free, vertical, or horizontal. 
Tip: You may include or exclude events from a selection area by pressing Ctrl and 
clicking an event. To deselect all events, click anywhere in the workspace outside of the 
selected events. 
Selecting all events to the end of the track 
1.	Right-click an event. A shortcut menu appears. 
2.	From the shortcut menu, choose Select Events to End. All events on the track after 
the selected event are selected. 
Tip: To move large blocks of events, you can use Select Events to End with events

selected on different tracks. Press Ctrl and click to select events on different tracks, 

and then right-click to access the shortcut menu.

Selecting a time range 
Time selections are indicated by a shaded 
box and a bar that appears on the top of the Time selection 
timeline. You can use the time selection bar 
for playing back a smaller portion of your Only theproject or to apply cross-track edits. events within 
the time 
Note: Unless an event is locked, a selection are 
selected time range affects all events, or affected by 
portions of events, that occur within the edits or 
played back. range. 
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Dragging to select a time range 
1.	Position the mouse pointer above the ruler (on the marker bar). The mouse pointer 
changes to a left/right arrow cursor ( ). 
2.	Drag to select a region. All events, or portions of events within the region, are 
highlighted. 
3.	Drag the yellow handles on either end of the time 
selection to increase or decrease your time range 
selection. 
Tip: You can move the entire selection range by

dragging the time selection bar.

Looping playback 
If you want to play back the time range, click Play ( ) to play only the events within 
the time range. Click the Loop Playback button ( ) or press Q to toggle loop playback 
on and off. Vegas Movie Studio software continually plays back the portion of the 
timeline within the time selection when loop playback is on. 
Selecting events and a time range 
Selecting a time range does Time selection 
not automatically select 
events. Excluding locked 
events, all items within the 
Unselected time range play back and are Selected 
event affected by Edit menu event 
commands. However, you may Unselected Selected 
select specific events to edit, event event 
and then select a time range. Unselected Selected 
1.	Select the events you wish event event 
to edit. For more

information, see Selecting 

multiple events on page 32.

2.	Place the mouse pointer above the ruler (on the marker bar). The mouse pointer 
changes to a left/right arrow cursor ( ). 
3.	Drag to select the region. Notice that events that were not initially selected in step 
1 remain unselected (not highlighted). 
Selecting tracks 
Click a track header to select it. Hold Ctrl or Shift to select multiple tracks. 
34 | BASIC EDITING TECHNIQUES