11. FINAL CUT PRO: ADVANCED SOUND DESIGN [6:15 min]
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What You'll Need: Final Cut Pro
TRANSCRIPT
Hi I’m Kiarra Drew with We Make Movies.
In our Sound Design Intro-FCPX video, we went over the basics of sound design in Final Cut.
We have just started to scratch the surface of what is available and what is capable in sound design.
In this tutorial we are going to go over Advanced Sound Design in Final Cut Pro 10.4.9.
Before we get started, let’s snapshot our Audio Design Basic and name the new project Audio Design Advanced. You can snapshot a previous project to follow along.
(Shift-Command D)
Rename Project (Sound Design Advanced)
Expanding Audio Channels and Components
Your timeline clip contains both audio and video. In order to work more efficiently with your audio waveforms you can expand the audio components of your clip. Allowing you to work more precisely with your audio.
Expand Audio Components
Right-Click the clip > Expand Audio Components (Control-Option S)
The Audio waveform is now expanded in your timeline.
Click the Audio Waveform.
In the Inspector under Audio Configuration, click the pop-up menu to see your audio channel configuration.
If the clip is in Stereo, you can expand and view the individual audio components in the Inspector and Timeline.
Select Dual Mono.
The individual audio components have been expanded, allowing you to see and edit the left and right audio channels separately.
You can listen to the audio of the waveform by selecting a channel and pressing the Spacebar to play the clip and audio.
You can also mute the Audio Channels from the Inspector or Timeline.
MUTING/DISABLING AUDIO CHANNELS
From The Inspector.
Uncheck the box in either one of the individual audio channels to mute the selected track.
Unmute the channel by clicking the checkbox.
Mute the Entire Audio Clip by unchecking the Master Audio Waveform checkbox.
From the Timeline.
Click on one of the audio tracks.
Clip > Disable (Keyboard Command V key)
Re Enable the Clip by hitting the V key.
Collapse Audio Components back by using the keyboard shortcut (Control-Option S)
SOLO CLIPS
To play only one clip at a time.
Select a clip.
Click the Solo Selected Items (Headphone icon) between the audio skimming and snapping icons.
Keyboard Shortcut (Option-S)
Reenable all clips again by clicking Option-S
ROLES
Clips can have Roles assigned to them.
Clip roles will help organize clips, enabling you to do more advanced sorting and editing.
To see the roles of your clips.
Select the clip.
Right-Click the clip
Select Assign Audio Roles
The Default Roles for Audio is:
Dialogue, Effects, Music.
A checkmark will be next to the Role the clip is assigned.
The Role also is color coded.
Change A Clips Role.
Select The Cave and Wind clips.
Right Click > Assign Audio Roles > Music Keyboard Shortcut (Control-Option M)
The two clips turn green. And move below the Effects clips.
Verify the Clips Role by selecting the clip and viewing the Audio Roles label in the Info Inspector.
(You can also change roles here.)
Audio Clips in the Timeline Index
You can do a variety of organizing and searching in the timeline index.
For the purpose of this tutorial we will show you the Roles Panel of the Timeline Index.
Clips that have roles applied to them can be viewed in a variety of ways with the Timeline Index.
Click Index Button Keyboard Shortcut (Shift Command 2)
Select Roles
Move The Audio Roles.
Select a lane and move it to the top or bottom.
Show Audio Lanes
Creates “Lanes” for the clips based upon their roles.
Focus the timeline on this role.
Selecting this button (Third from right) will minimize all other roles. Allowing you to concentrate on the clips in the Role Lane you selected.
Creating a Compound Clip/ Audio Components
You can create one Compound Clip by selecting all the clips in the timeline.
Select All Items (Keyboard Shortcut Command-A)
Right-Click > New Compound Clip (Option-G)
Name your Compound Clip.
Click OK.
Right-Click > Expand Audio Components (Keyboard Shortcut Control-Option S)
Expanding a Compound Clip’s Audio Components you can change the overall volume of the specific compound clip audio role as you would a regular audio clip.
To Collapse Audio Components Right-Click > Collapse Audio Components (Keyboard Shortcut Control-Option S)
Break Apart Clip Items
Clip > Break Apart Clip Items (Keyboard Shortcut Shift-Command G)
CONCLUSION:
We have covered quite a few topics and techniques in this lesson. There are many ways to edit and organize your audio clips in the timeline, as well as the browser. Use the techniques we have shown in these tutorials to craft your sound mix.
With any workflow in Post-Production, maximize your time by organizing your workspace and the clips at the beginning, and have an idea on how you want your story to sound.
Set yourself up for success by remembering the audio theories and practicing the skills we have introduced in these last two lessons. Plan a project where the audio drives the narrative. Experiment, Create and Have Fun!