Dynamically Adjusting the Audio

Once you can see a volume line, you can adjust it using the mouse or the sliders in the Audio Editor. If you use the mouse to directly alter a key and add keyframes, you have the advantage of being able to match keyframes with significant events on the Timeline. But this way of doing things does lack accuracy; for that, you need to use the sliders.

Tips

• Remember, the Audio Editor must be open for you to adjust an audio track on the Timeline. If it is not open, you won't be able to access the keyframes with the mouse.

• Keyframeslike media clipsare magnetic. This means you can toggle them off by holding down the Shift key.

To adjust the volume with keyframes

1.	Open the Audio Editor by pressing F4 on the keyboard.
2.	Place the mouse pointer over the blue volume line so that it turns into a small hand (Figure 7.15). Figure 7.15. With the Audio tool open, the mouse cursor appears as a hand when placed near a volume line.
3.	Hold down the left mouse button to create a keyframe that you can drag up or down, thus raising and lowering the volume (Figure 7.16). Figure 7.16. Dragging the volume down with the mouse. You can also drag this keyframe horizontally along the length of the clip (Figure 7.17). Figure 7.17. Adjusting the keyframe's point with the mouse.

Tips

• Once you've defined a keyframe, you can control it using the slider.

• Moving a slider automatically creates a keyframe.