Sony Vegas 9 Manual

							
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Getting Started Chapter 2 
Vegas® Movie Studio™ software is a new way of creating multimedia 
productions. Whether you are an experienced multimedia author or a 
budding novice, the powerful features and capabilities of Vegas Movie 
Studio software are organized to increase your creativity and productivity. 
The following chapter summarizes the software’s basic functions and 
operations. 
Creating projects 
The process of creating a multimedia production can be a complicated 
undertaking, involving hundreds of shots, takes, voiceovers, music beds, 
audio tracks, and special effects. Organization is a critical issue in this 
process. In the software, organization is handled by a small project file (.vf) 
that saves information about source file locations, edits, cuts, insertion 
points, transitions, and special effects. This project file is not a multimedia 
file, but is instead used to create (render) the final file when editing is 
finished. 
Because Vegas Movie Studio software edits a project file and not the original 
source files, you can edit without worrying about corrupting your source 
files. This not only gives you a strong sense of security, but it also gives you 
the freedom to experiment. 
1.	From the Project menu, choose New. The New Project Wizard appears. 
2.	Set your project 
name and the 
location where you 
want to save it: 
a.	Type a name to

identify your 

project.

b.	Browse to the

folder where 

you want to

store new media 

files.

3.	Click Next. The 
Video Standard page appears. 
4.	Select the region where you video will be shown: Americas and Japan 
or Europe and Asia. 
5.	Click Next. The Delivery Format page appears. 
•	Choose a video output setting from the Output type drop-down list 
and click Next. The audio format page appears. 
The first page of the New Project Wizard. 
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•	If you are unsure of the final destination of your project, select the I’m not sure 
yet; I will choose later radio button and click Next. The Audio Format page 
appears. 
6.	Specify the audio format for your project, stereo or 5.1 surround, and click Next. 
The Done page appears.
 5.1-surround audio is available only in Vegas Movie Studio Platinum.

7.	Click Finish to start working with your project. 
Saving a project 
When you save your work, it is saved in a project file. Project files are not rendered 
media files. To save a project, choose Save from the Project menu, or press Ctrl+S. 
Renaming a project (using Save As) 
After you have been working with your project, you can use the Save As command in 
the Project menu to save a copy of a project with a new name. This is useful for backing 
up different versions of a project. 
Tip: Select the Copy and trim media with project check box to save the project file 

and copies of the media files to a common location.

Getting media files 
You can add media from a variety of sources to your project. You can add audio and 
video files, record audio into a track, capture video from a video camera, or extract 
music from your own CD. You can also create media such as text overlays, 
backgrounds, and credit rolls from within the software. 
Note: When you add an ACID loop to the timeline, it is automatically stretched to 
match the project tempo as specified on the Ruler tab of the Project Properties dialog. If 
you want to ignore tempo information, clear the Import at project tempo check box on 
the Audio tab of the Preferences dialog. 
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Previewing a media file 
You may preview files before placing them in your project. The Explorer window has a 
mini-transport bar with Play, Stop, and Auto Preview buttons ( ). When you 
preview a file, its stream is sent to the Mixer window’s preview bus (for audio files) or to 
the Video Preview window (for video files). 
Tip: You can use the same mini-transport bar buttons in the Project Media window to 
preview files in the Project Media list. 
1. Select a file in the Explorer window.

2. Click the Play button ( ) to listen to the file. 
3. Click the Stop button ( ) or select a different file to stop previewing the file. 
Tip: To automatically preview selected files, click the Auto Preview button ( ) on 
the Explorer window’s transport bar. 
Using the Project Media window 
Media files, both video and audio, tend to be the 
largest files on your hard drive. It is therefore not 
always easy to move them around and impractical 
to store multiple copies of these files. You can add 
media files to the Project Media list to organize them 
before any editing begins. Once you begin working 
on a project, all files you add to the timeline are 
automatically included in the Project Media list. 
From the View menu, choose Project Media to open 
this window if it is not already visible. 
Using Project Media views 
You can control the information that is displayed in the Project Media window by 
clicking the Views button ( ) and selecting a view. 
For more on views, see the online help (from the Vegas Movie Studio Help menu and 
choose Contents and Index). 
Adding media to the Project Media list 
You can add media to the Project Media list without adding it to the timeline by 
importing the file. For more on importing files, see the online help (from the Vegas 
Movie Studio Help menu and choose Contents and Index). 
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Adding media to the Project Media list from the Explorer window 
1.	Navigate to and select a file to add to the Project Media list. You can use Ctrl or Shift 
to select multiple media files. 
2.	Right-click the file and choose Add to Project Media list from the shortcut menu. 
The selected file is added to the Project Media list. 
Replacing media in the Project Media list 
You may replace a file in the Project Media list with a different file. When changing the 
media file that an event contains, every occurrence of the event on the timeline is 
updated with the new media file contents. 
1.	Right-click a file in the Project Media window. 
2.	Choose Replace from the shortcut menu. 
3.	In the Replace Media File dialog, browse for and select the file with which you want 
to replace the current file. 
4.	Click Open. The selected file replaces the old file in the Project Media list, and any 
events in the timeline containing the old file are updated to contain the new media 
file. 
Capturing DV or HDV video 
You can use the Sony Video Capture application installed with Vegas Movie Studio 
software to capture video clips from your DV or HDV video camera and add them to the 
Project Media window. You can also specify a different third-party capture application 
for video capture.
 HDV video capture is available only in Vegas Movie Studio Platinum.

Tip: To specify the video capture application you want to use with the full version of 
Vegas software or in Vegas Movie Studio Platinum software, check the Use external 
video capture application check box on the Video tab of the Preferences window and 
browse for the program’s executable (.EXE) file. 
To specify the video capture application you want to use with Vegas Movie Studio 
Platinum software, browse for the program’s executable using the Browse button next 
to the Preferred video capture application box on the Video tab of the Preferences 
window. 
1.	If you have not already done so, connect your video camera to your video capture 
card using the cable provided with the card. 
2.	In the Project Media window, click the Open Video Capture button ( ). The video 
capture application you specified in the Video tab of the Preference window starts.

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3.	Capture your video. For information on capturing video with the Sony Video 
Capture application, please see the Vegas Movie Studio online help. To access help, 
choose Contents and Index from the Help menu. 
Once you have captured your video, Video Capture adds the files to the Project 
Media window. If any captured clips go offline, you can recapture the clips using 
your video capture application. Right-click an offline file in the Project Media 
window and choose Recapture from the shortcut menu. 
Note: The commands on the Project menu also allow you to import video from a 

DVD camcorder, memory recording unit, or AVCHD camcorder. For more

information about importing video, please see the online help.

Getting images 
You can bring images directly into the software from your scanner, digital camera, or 
other TWAIN device. The images are added to the Project Media window as JPEG image 
files. 
1.	Make sure your device (scanner or digital camera) is on and connected to your 
computer. 
2.	In the Project Media window, click the Get Photo button ( ). The software is 
started for the device. 
3.	Use the device software to get an image 
and send it to Vegas Movie Studio 
software. Once the image has been sent, 
the Scanned Files dialog appears. 
•	Click Rename to give the new image

a more meaningful name.

•Click Delete to cancel adding the 

image.

4.	Click Done. The new JPEG file is added to 
the Project Media list. 
Tip: If any of the subjects in your captured images have red eyes, you can use the 

red-eye removal feature to correct the problem. For more information on this 

feature, please see the online help.

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). The 
Extracting audio from a CD 
You can extract tracks from a CD and add them to the Project Media window as WAV 
files. 
Important: Vegas Movie Studio software is not intended for, and should not be used 
for, illegal or infringing purposes, such as the illegal copying or sharing of copyrighted 
materials. Using Vegas Movie Studio software for such purposes is, among other things, 
against United States and international copyright laws and contrary to the terms and 
conditions of the End User License Agreement. Such activity may be punishable by law 
and may also subject you to the breach remedies set forth in the End User License 
Agreement. 
1.	Insert the audio CD into your CD/DVD drive. 
2.	In the Project Media window, click the 
Extract Audio from CD button ( 
Extract Audio from CD dialog appears. 
3.	From the Action drop-down list, choose 
the method you want to use for 
extracting the CD audio: 
•	Read by track - Use this option to 

choose the tracks you want to

extract from the CD.

•	Read entire disc - Use this option to

automatically extract all tracks on 

the disc. The entire CD is extracted 

into one new file in the Project Media list.

•	Read by range -Use this option to extract audio from a specified range of time. 
4.	If you chose either the Read by track or Read by range option, specify the track(s) 
or range to extract: 
•	For Read by track, select the tracks you want to extract in the Tracks to read list. 
Use the Ctrl or Shift keys to select more than one track. Each track is extracted 
into a separate file in the Project Media list. 
•For Read by range, type a time in the Range start field and either the Range 
end or Range length fields. The range of audio is extracted into one new file in 
the Project Media list. 
Note: If you want to extract multiple tracks to a single file, choose Read by 
track from the Action drop-down list to select your tracks, and then choose 
Read by range from the Action drop-down list. The appropriate time range for 
the tracks you selected will automatically be inserted and the time range will be 
extracted to a single file. 
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5.	From the Drive drop-down list, choose the drive containing the audio CD from 
which you want to extract. 
6.	From the Speed drop-down list, choose the speed at which you want to extract the 
audio. If you experience any problems extracting audio, you can try decreasing the 
selected speed, or you can click Configure to adjust the Audio extract 
optimization setting. 
Note: To eject the CD at any time prior to beginning the extraction process, 
click the Eject button. 
7.	Click OK. The Save As dialog appears. 
8.	Select a name and location for the new WAV file. 
9. Click Save to begin extracting the audio.

The track is extracted and a progress meter is displayed to indicate the percent 

complete. Once extraction is complete, the new WAV file appears in the Project Media 
window. 
The option of automatically naming extracted tracks is provided for you. To enable this 
option, choose Preferences from the Options menu, and on the CD Settings tab, select 
the Autoname extracted tracks check box. 
Sorting media with bins 
The detailed view of the Project Media window helps you sort your media files using 
their attributes, but for more control, you can create bins. Bins are folders within 
projects that you can use to organize your media files. 
Media bins are virtual folders that are saved with your project. They do not affect the 
way media is saved on your computer. 
Creating bins 
Right-click the parent bin where you want to create a new bin and choose Create New 
Bin from the shortcut menu. 
Adding media to a bin 
1.	Browse your existing bins to find the media file you want to move. The All Media 
Folder contains all media files in your project. 
2.	Drag a file from the right-hand pane to a bin. 
For more information about media bins, see the online help (from the Vegas Movie 
Studio Help menu, choose Contents and Index). 
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Adding media to the timeline 
Media files may be added to your project from the Explorer or Project Media windows 
by double-clicking them or by dragging them. Either method places the media file in 
an event in its entirety in the timeline. 
Dragging a media file to the timeline 
You can create a new track by dragging a media file to a blank area on the timeline and 
dropping it in place. Tracks can contain multiple events, so you can place different 
events next to each other on a track. 
Note: Video and audio events cannot be placed on the same track.

1.	Locate a media file in the Explorer or Project Media windows. 
2.	Drag the media file to the timeline. 
An event for the media file appears where you released the mouse. 
Dragging multiple media files to the timeline 
1.	Select multiple media files in the Explorer or Project Media windows. Select a range 
of adjacent media files by holding Shift and clicking the first and last files in the 
range or select files that are not adjacent by pressing Ctrl and clicking individual 
files. 
2.	Right-click and drag the files to the track view (timeline). 
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3.	When you release the mouse, a shortcut menu appears. Select a placement option 
from the menu. 
•	Add Across Time 
• Add As Takes

You will see one event on the track. The other events 

are listed as takes “beneath” the topmost event.

•	Video Only and Audio Only allow you to isolate either the video or audio, and 
add that stream from a multimedia file either across time or as takes. 
Tip: A left-click drag-and-drop automatically inserts files across time. However, you 
can cycle through placement modes by right-clicking (without releasing the left mouse 
button) while performing the drag-and-drop operation. 
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. 
Two events that contain video (top) 
and audio (bottom) streams from a 
single multimedia video file; each 
event is inserted on a separate track. 
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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 Crossfading events on 
page 43. 
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 Movie Studio 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 Movie Studio 
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. 
The original media file. 
An event trimmed from the original media file. 
The event as it appears in Vegas Movie Studio software. 
Audio events are created from audio files on your computer (for example, WAV or 
MP3) or can be a part of a video file (for example, 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. 
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