How do I merge separate audio and video recordings?

[Big Byte]

I do some A/V recording. Currently, it's basic stuff, as I'm only using Photo Booth to record the audio and the video, and perform minor editing (eg. trimming the beginning and the ending of the recording) in QuickTime Player.

I intend to get more involved with the A/V recording and have recently purchased Logic Pro for the audio recordings. While I'm learning Logic Pro from the ground up, I need to look forward to something I will have to do down the road: namely record audio and video separately and then merge the audio and video tracks into one file.

Given the stock apps on my MBP (which is a 2020 M1), is there any way to do it with the existing apps (eg. QuickTime Player or iMovie)? Is it difficult to do? How about syncing issues, as I imagine that may be a bit of a hurdle to overcome?

Although I'm looking down the road from now, I would like to know what I can expect when the time comes, so sorry if my questions are a bit vague. Any suggestions as to what I can or should be doing when the time does come to doing this?

Thanks.

 

[IWT]

I'm no expert in this field, but you may find this Apple article helpful:

Sync audio and video in Final Cut Pro for Mac

In Final Cut Pro for Mac, automatically analyze and sync audio and video clips in your project, or use custom settings for finer control.

support.apple.com

This next article employs Apple apps but in a different way - just for interest. Scroll down to Part 2 which deals with Macintosh computers.

How to Merge Audio and Video into One without Quality Loss - MiniTool MovieMaker

How to merge audio and video into one while retaining the original quality? Try the following audio and video mergers to turn audio and video into one file.

moviemaker.minitool.com

Others may chime in with personal experience much greater than mine.

Ian

 

[Big Byte]

I'm no expert in this field, but you may find this Apple article helpful:

Sync audio and video in Final Cut Pro for Mac

In Final Cut Pro for Mac, automatically analyze and sync audio and video clips in your project, or use custom settings for finer control.

support.apple.com

This next article employs Apple apps but in a different way - just for interest. Scroll down to Part 2 which deals with Macintosh computers.

How to Merge Audio and Video into One without Quality Loss - MiniTool MovieMaker

How to merge audio and video into one while retaining the original quality? Try the following audio and video mergers to turn audio and video into one file.

moviemaker.minitool.com

Others may chime in with personal experience much greater than mine.

Ian

I'll definitely take a look at those links.

Thanks!

 

[Groovetube]

I’ve done it in iMovie lots of times (before I graduated to premier pro) for drum instructional vids. I’d record the video and use my pro tools rig to record the audio, I’d load the video into iMovie (which has the camera audio) and after I mix the pro tools audio I’d just drag in the wav file in to replace the camera audio. The video track and audio track are separate and it’s fairly easy. I just drag the audio on the timeline to sync it. Helpful maybe to give a video clue (wave your arm down and yell ‘here!’ Will do just fine, just match the audios ‘here!’ With your arm coming down…)

 

[Big Byte]

I’ve done it in iMovie lots of times (before I graduated to premier pro) for drum instructional vids. I’d record the video and use my pro tools rig to record the audio, I’d load the video into iMovie (which has the camera audio) and after I mix the pro tools audio I’d just drag in the wav file in to replace the camera audio. The video track and audio track are separate and it’s fairly easy. I just drag the audio on the timeline to sync it. Helpful maybe to give a video clue (wave your arm down and yell ‘here!’ Will do just fine, just match the audios ‘here!’ With your arm coming down…)

Another drummer from Toronto? Yeah! Do you have a YouTube link to your drum vids?

Anyway, it's good to know that the process of merging audio and video files is fairly straightforward.

I have yet to determine how I will synchronize the audio and video tracks once I merge them, but, when I do, I have to find something subtle as the recordings are church services, so big noises and gestures may not be appropriate.

But, if there's a way to view the original audio track that's recorded with the camera along with the audio track from Logic Pro that I will be merging with the video, I assume I can refer to the visual wave files to do so. Is that possible? That is, can iMovie display the original audio track in wave form?

Thanks.

 

[Slydude]

I haven't done enough of this kind of video synching so I'm sure others have more experience with this than I do. Anyway, Here's something to think about.

My understanding of this technique is that the sound doesn't need to be exceptionally loud or obnoxious and the gesture doesn't have to be overly large/visible. They do have to be noticeable enough that you can distinguish them from the surrounding sounds/ visuals.

I was thinking that something like a single hand clap might work.

@Groovetube may have more useful suggestions. I think he has done more of this than I have done.

 

[MacInWin]

There is an app called "Clapper!" in the iPhone app store that does a simple, relatively quiet, clapboard emulation with a short "tink" sound at the clapboard closing. Could be a way to put a hack at the audio and video for you to later use to merge. Just like studios do when making movies. It does have ads, but they can be removed for 99 cents. I have no financial interest, just did a search at the app store on my iPhone.

 

[Groovetube]

Another drummer from Toronto? Yeah! Do you have a YouTube link to your drum vids?

Anyway, it's good to know that the process of merging audio and video files is fairly straightforward.

I have yet to determine how I will synchronize the audio and video tracks once I merge them, but, when I do, I have to find something subtle as the recordings are church services, so big noises and gestures may not be appropriate.

But, if there's a way to view the original audio track that's recorded with the camera along with the audio track from Logic Pro that I will be merging with the video, I assume I can refer to the visual wave files to do so. Is that possible? That is, can iMovie display the original audio track in wave form?

Thanks.

sorry for the delay. I don't have much public stuff myself, I do private teaching videos for students, perhaps one day I'll compile the best of them and make it public, but there are quite a few clips put up by people who were at shows.

Yeah you can see the wave form. Just drag the video on to the timeline, right click on the video in the timeline select detach audio it spits the audio to it's own track. I just select the audio delete it and import the pro tools mixed wav in and drag it into place. You could leave the old audio in place and drag the logic audio to a second audio track until you sync it if needed. It's super easy.