User manual APPLE FINAL CUT EXPRESS 4

[. . . ] Final Cut Express 4 User Manual K Apple Inc. Copyright © 2007 Apple Inc. Your rights to the software are governed by the accompanying software license agreement. The owner or authorized user of a valid copy of Final Cut Express software may reproduce this publication for the purpose of learning to use such software. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this publication or for providing paid for support services. [. . . ] The bit depth of a digital audio sample determines how closely the rungs are spaced. The more rungs available (or, the less space between rungs), the more precisely the original signal can be represented. Quantization errors occur when a digital audio sample does not exactly match the analog signal strength it is supposed to represent (in other words, the digital audio sample is slightly higher or lower than the analog signal). Quantization errors are also called rounding errors because imprecise numbers represent the original analog audio. For example, suppose an audio signal is exactly 1. 15 volts, but the analog-to-digital converter rounds this to 1 volt because this is the closest bit value available. While quantization noise may be imperceptible, it can potentially be exacerbated by further digital processing. Always try to use the highest bit depth possible to avoid quantization errors. The diagram on the far right shows the highest bit depth, and therefore the audio samples more accurately reflect the shape of the original analog audio signal. Analog waveform Audio sample For example, a 1-bit system (a ladder with only two rungs) can represent either silence or full volume, and nothing in between. Any audio sample that falls between these rungs must be rounded to full volume or silence. Such a system would have absolutely no subtlety, rounding smooth analog signals to a square-shaped waveform. Sine Square Chapter 40 Setting Up for Audio Mixing in Final Cut Express 595 When the number of bits per sample is increased, each sample can more accurately represent the audio signal. 1-bit 2-bit 4-bit 16-bit To avoid rounding errors, you should always use the highest bit depth your equipment supports. Most digital video devices use 16- or 20-bit audio, so you may be limited to one of these bit depths. However, professional audio recording devices usually support 24-bit audio, which has become the industry standard. Bit depth 32-bit floating point When used This allows audio calculations, such as fader levels and effects processing, to be performed at very high resolution with a minimum of error, which preserves the quality of your digital audio. This has become the audio industry standard for most audio recording formats. Most professional audio interfaces and computer audio editing systems can record with 24-bit precision. Used in some video formats such as Digital Betacam and audio formats such as ADAT Type II. DAT recorders, Tascam DA-88 and ADAT Type I multitracks, and audio CDs all use16-bit samples. Many digital video formats, such as DV, use 16-bit audio. 1 In the past, 8-bit audio was often used for CD-ROM and web video. Today, 16-bit audio is usually preferred, but available bandwidth and compatibility with your target user's system are your chief considerations when outputting audio for multimedia use. 24-bit 20-bit 16-bit 8-bit 1 Many consumer DV camcorders allow you to record four audio channels using 12-bit mode, but this is not recommended for professional work. 596 Part VIII Audio Mixing VIII Audio Signal Flow in Final Cut Express When you play a sequence, you also need to hear the audio. Audio signal flow is the path audio takes from tracks in the Timeline to your speakers. Understanding signal flow helps you to properly set up audio equipment for output and monitoring. Your ability to follow the audio path also helps you to troubleshoot silent sequences or tracks that are routed to the wrong channels on an output deck. Here is the basic audio signal flow in Final Cut Express:  Audio tracks in the Timeline  Output busses  Hardware audio outputs  Speakers, devices, or exported files Output busses 1 2 1 2 1 2 Speakers Timeline Configuring External Audio Monitors The following section describes how to connect external audio speakers to your editing system and how to make audio level adjustments in Final Cut Express and Mac OS X. Connecting Speakers to Your Editing System When you add audio speakers to your editing system, you need to make sure that the speakers are properly connected to your audio interface or built-in computer audio output and that the interface is properly configured in Final Cut Express. [. . . ] See render files sequences 905­911 settings 912­913 testing 917 tips 916 unrendered effects 997 rendering process described 568 nested sequences and 576 render files 568 transitions 568­569 Render Only command 907 render status bars 125, 884 replace edits 96 described 364 In and Out points and 371­372 keyboard shortcuts 363 performing 371­377 resynchronizing audio/video clips 374 rules for 372 Replace Find Results option 256 Report Dropped Frames setting 974 resampling rendering audio 908 render status and 903 Reset button 460, 562, 623, 663 Reset Match Color button 715 Reset Time Display checkbox 291 resetting filters 683 resize edits 516­517, 561, 565 Resize pointer 514 Resize Window pointer 139 resizing items Browser columns 71 windows 137 resizing tracks in Timeline 346­348 resolution display monitors 140 graphics clips and 795 images and 795 rendering and 913 still images 1049 Restore Project command 292, 940 restoring projects 291­293 Results option 256 resynchronizing items replace edits 374 Reveal in Finder command 254 Reveal Master Clip command 589, 947 reverberation 601, 660 Reverb filter 660 Reverse Alpha command 831 Reverse option 999 reverse playback 104, 789, 790 Reverse Transition button 561 Revert Project command 292, 937 RGB color space 302, 1061 recording methods and 1070 ribbon cables 160 right output channel 625 ripple deletes. See ripple edits Ripple Dissolve transition 551 ripple edits adjusting clip length with 567 asymmetrical trimming 498­501 clips with transitions 549 closing gaps 418­419 indicators in Trim Edit window 526 performing 418­419, 494­495, 532 rippling multiple tracks 498 sync relationships and 496 tips 501 Ripple tool 491 rippling clips. See insert edits, ripple edits roll edits changing transition location 566 clips with transitions 549 indicators in Trim Edit window 526 performing 501­506, 532 rolling multiple tracks 505 tips 506 transition bar and 561 Roll tool 501, 503 room noise 638 room shape, audio and 601 room tone 456, 476­479 rotation controls 687 motion parameters 726 rotating clips 742, 745 rotation handles 742 rough cuts 32 rough edits drag-to-Timeline editing 353 steps in 303­304 RT Extreme external video monitoring 892 record settings 892 Safe RT mode 888 settings 886­888 video output 898 RT pop-up menu 124, 886, 887­888, 991 RTP Payload Encodings option 1033 ruler positioning playhead with 130 in Timeline 119 in Transition Editor 560 in Viewer 460 run-length encoding 1073 1140 Index S Safe RT mode 888, 892 sample rate conversion 972 sample rates 1031, 1038 conversion 212, 972 digital audio 594 DVD audio 1043 imported video 209 mismatched 1110 overview 212­213 sample rate conversion 903 sampling ratio 1071 video formats 1058, 1070 voiceover 643 samples per line in video frames 1065 SATA disks 161 saturation adjusting 714 Chroma Keyer filter 847 font color 876 oversaturation 718 saturation controls 713 Saturation slider 714 Save All command 45 Save Normally option 216 Save Project command 45 saving items 938­940, 973 autosave feature 293 files 293 projects 45, 289 QuickTime movies 216 shortcut button bars 143 track layouts 349 saving render files 915 Scale Attribute Times option 666, 780 scale handles 742 Scale slider 726 Scale to Sequence command 801 scaling items clips 744 graphics 797 images and clips to match sequences 801 scaling Timeline to fit window 135 scanned images 218 scanning methods high definition video formats 1080 video formats 1057, 1067 scene numbers 188 scoring markers 263, 267, 269, 1017 scratch disks available space 177 data rates 972 heat buildup 159 managing render files 914 preferences 151­152, 155, 979 removable media 156 removing 152 setup 148 speed of 888 types of 160­164 Scratch Disks tab 151­152, 155, 979 Screen compositing mode 819 scripts in moviemaking process 29 scrolling through audio clips 464­465 through tracks 349­351 in Timeline 349­351 Scrolling Text generator 873 scrolling through clips 763 scrolling through sequences 135 scrubber bar 82, 85, 95, 98, 106, 460, 463, 527 scrubbing 982 audio scrubbing 465 in clips 74­75, 106 in sequences in Timeline 130 in thumbnails 73 turning off 465 Scrub Video tool 75 SCSI cables 162 SCSI disk drives 161­162 SCSI interface cards 162 SD (standard definition) video 234, 796, 798, 804 Final Cut Express support 36 formats 1059, 1081 non-square pixels 89 upconverting 933 Search command 256 Search Folders tab 980 searching for items. See finding items Search option 256 SECAM format 37, 1059 seek time 156, 160 Select All command 398 Select All Tracks Backward tool 392 Select All Tracks Forward tool 392 selecting items all clips in sequence 398 all clips on tracks 396 Auto Select controls 402­404 clips in Timeline 392­394 current selections in Timeline 387­389 deselecting 394 forward or backward in tracks 397 linked items 436 Option key shortcuts 413 for trim edits 510­513 selecting items in Browser 67 Selection tool 75, 391, 742 selection tools 390, 393, 401, 511 Select Track Backward tool 392, 397 Index 1141 Select Track Forward tool 392, 397, 421 Select Track tool 392, 396, 397 self-contained movies 216, 1014­1016, 1033 self-powered speakers 597, 600 sequence clips 126, 428, 678 described 293 duration 428 In and Out points 587 independent clips 588, 590 master clips for 588­590 match frame operations 589, 590 media files for 589 opening 462, 517, 586 sprocket holes 585 switching to Canvas or Timeline 587 in Viewer 585­588 Sequence Preset Editor 1011 sequence presets new sequences and 973 prompting for 289, 298 sequences See also sequence clips adding clips to 303, 307­309 adding tracks to 336­337, 358 anamorphic media and 1101­1102 applying filters to clips 678 audio sample rate conversion 213 avoiding nested 579­583 chapter, compression, and scoring markers 267 closing 94, 115, 299 copying between projects 300 copying clips to or from 571, 572­575 creating 67, 297­298 default number of tracks 298 deleting clips from 417­419 deleting from projects 68 deleting tracks from 338 deleting transitions from 547 described 41, 295 dragging between projects 301 duplicating 300 editing clips into 380­381, 579­583 editing keyboard shortcuts 582 exporting 1046, 1051­1053 exporting 16:9 rectangular frame size 1103 exporting as QuickTime movies 1011, 1013­1016 exporting audio from 1011 exporting for DVDs 1041 gaps in 382­383, 420­422 image sequences 206, 1021, 1051, 1051­1053 In and Out points 320­329, 362, 380 letterboxing 1103 locked tracks in 344 looping 998 markers 262, 264, 266 marking controls 95 matching audio for 87, 100 matching video for 87, 100 mixed-format 919­920 moving playhead 99 moving transitions in 546 multiple open sequences 572 nested sequences 295, 301, 571, 576­578, 915 numbered 215­217 numbered images 1051, 1053 number of open sequences 1108 opening 94, 115, 299, 572 opening clips from 516 organizing in projects 44 parent sequences 576 playback options 998 playing 84, 97 prompting for new settings 973 renaming 69 rendering 905­911 rendering process and 568­569 rendering transitions in 125, 901 scrolling through 135 scrubbing 130 searching for items in 399­400 selecting all clips in 398 sequence order in Browser 309­311 setting In and Out points for 87, 100 setting keyframes for 87, 100 setting markers for 87, 100 settings 289, 301­302 sorting 253­254 tabs in Timeline 116 transitions and 537­541, 549, 563­564, 568­569 video processing settings 912­913 Sequence Settings window 127­128 serial ATA disks 160, 161 "Servo Can't Lock" message 1109 Set Marker button 181 Set Marker In button 181 Set Marker Out button 181 settings See also preferences; presets; specific settings audio 83 AVI QuickTime files 1039­1040 camcorder 989 clip speed 790 described 978 Easy Setups 301 effects 84 external editors 982 filters 84 Filters tab 683­685 generators 84 image sequences 1051­1053 imported video 209 Internet streaming 1032­1033 1142 Index keyframing 754­762 memory and cache 981­982 motion 84, 724­741, 748­750 paste attributes 691 playback quality 982 QuickTime 1023­1033 QuickTime sound 1030­1031 QuickTime video 1023­1030 rendering 912­913 scratch disks 979 search paths 980 sequence presets 912­913 sequences 289, 301­302 System Settings window 978­983 thumbnail cache 982 Timeline 301­302 Timeline recording 998 transitions 562 Trim Edit window 526­530 video decks 989 video filters 683­685 Settings option 1024 setup in post-production process 32 SGI format 206, 1009 Shake files 206 Shapes generator 867 Shift key 394 shooting ratios 44, 156 shortcut buttons 57, 140­144 shortcut menus using 58 viewing 58 Shot/Take field 188 shot-reverse-shot editing 707 Show as Sq. 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