Now that you've finished your movie in Final Cut Pro you are ready to add a musical score to it. Adding the perfect music can help achieve a desired mood that may not be attainable through editing alone. The audio track can also help mend editing cuts together seamlessly. What we will examine in this tutorial will be adding a new audio track and creating a fade out. Final Cut Pro accepts many different audio file types, including AIFF, cdda, Sound, Wave, and MP3. These file types each have different levels of quality. When you are ready to import your audio file you will need to go to File>Import>Files Then browse to the file that you would like to use in your video. To avoid copyright issues I am using a royalty free music file titled "Hometown Hero."
(import the audio file you want to use)
If Final Cut Pro doesn't accept a file type, it likely won't allow you to import it into your project by graying it out. Once you have selected your audio file it will appear in the Browser window with the other files you used in making your video.
(your audio file will appear in your browser window)
Once the file is in your browser window you simply need to drag it down to the timeline, in the same manner the video files used in the project were brought to the timeline. Drag the new audio track down below the existing audio track. If you do not drag it down below, and place it on top of the existing audio track, it will overwrite the existing audio. If this happens, simply go to Edit>Undo, and the change made will be undone, in this case the audio brought down will be removed and the original audio will be restored. Final Cut Pro will automatically create the tracks that you need when you place your audio on the timeline. Your audio will appear in two tracks, one for the left channel, and one for the right. They will likely be stereo when you bring them in.
(the track will be created when you drop your file in the timeline)
There is something tricky that may happen at this point. While you are placing the file on the timeline you will notice that your mouse becomes either a small black arrow pointing down, or to the right. The direction of this arrow will affect the placement of the media on the timeline. If the arrow is pointing down, it will set the audio track exactly where you place it and leave the existing media alone. However if the arrow is pointing to the right, it will separate all of the existing media at the place where you drop the track, and the right half of the split media will be moved to the end of the track you just placed. If this happens undo it and the preexisting media will be restored.
Now that you have the track created, it is time to edit it down to what you need. First make sure the audio is rendered. If it is not you will hear a beeping sound instead of your audio, and you will see a red line across the top of your timeline.
(make sure your audio is rendered)
To render the audio simply go to Sequence>Render Selection> and select Both. This will render both the audio and any un-rendered video. We will edit the audio down by using the using the Razor Blade tool in your tools palette.
(the Razor Blade tool)
Select the Razor Blade tool and click on the track where you want your audio to begin and end.
(trim the audio track in the timeline)
This will cut the audio track on the timeline, but does not actually edit the original audio file itself. It basically tells Final Cut Pro what section of the audio file to play during that part of the timeline. Select the excess audio that you don't intend to use, and hit delete to get it off of the timeline. The Razor Blade All tool, which appears as an icon of two razor blades will cut through all of the media on the timeline, not just the track you click on. To access it, or switch from it to the Razor Blade tool, select the Razor Blade tool in the tools palette and hold it down. Doing this will reveal the Razor Blade tools. Use this method to create all of the snippets needed, and simply grab each piece with your mouse and drag it to where you want that audio to be heard on the timeline. Having the Snapping function turned on can help you line your edits up with other existing edits, or having it off can provide you the liberty to place things more freely.
(Snapping)
Now that your cuts are made and placed where you want them it is time to create the fade out. Like with most programs there are multiple ways to get a desired effect in Final Cut Pro. While this can be done with audio filters, we will be performing this function with Clip Overlays. Clip Overlays control the level of the audio. I prefer them because I like the amount of control they allow me to have over my media. At the bottom of your timeline you will see this icon.
(Clip Overlays)
When you select this you will notice a pink line appear through your audio tracks, and a black one through your video tracks. These lines illustrate the opacity of the video, and the level of the audio.
(Clip Overlays on the timeline)
Next you want to select your Pen tool from the tools palette. By clicking on these lines with your pen tool you will make control points which allow you to adjust audio levels. As an exercise to demonstrate the function of these control points, create four of them across a piece of the audio track.
(add control points to your audio track)
You may notice that there is a control point added to both the left and the right channels whenever you click on one or the other. That is because the pair is in stereo. When you move a control point on one channel, the other will move in sync because of this. You will also notice a small yellow box appear when you're dragging the control points around. This box gives you the sound decibel.
(sound decibel)
To move the control points you have to mouse over them. While over a control point your Pen tool becomes a crosshair. Then just click and drag the control point in the direction you wish. Drag the far left control point down and then drag the one to the far right down. If you drag it all of the way off of the clip and it disappears, don't worry, either undo it, or create a new control point on the line, and pull it to where you want the audio level to be.
(drag down the end control points to create a fade in and a fade out)
This turns down the level of the audio for both channels at the beginning control point, and will gradually raise it as it reaches the next control point, where it will hold steady to the third control point, and then drop down at the end control point. Play it through and see how it works. If you would like to control the left and the right channels separately you will have to un-link the two. To do this go to Modify>Stereo Pair, and uncheck it. If you have a left and right channel that you would like to link, select the tracks you want to link, and make sure Stereo Pair is checked.
(to unlink the left and right channels)
Try it out, and experiment with the way the control points affect the level of the audio. When you feel comfortable with how the control points function, use this technique to create your final audio fade out or fade in. When you are finished make sure you turn off the clip overlays icon so that you don't accidentally bump the audio level of your finished piece.
This tutorial is © Award Winning Music 2010
