Chapter 11. Working with Audio

The last ten chapters have focused largely on video, perhaps leading the casual observer to believe that audio is less important. However, as serious producers will tell you, this just isn't so. The Internet experience is probably the best barometer: Many viewers will tolerate grainy, postage stamp-sized video, but let the audio drop out once or twice, and satisfaction quickly wanes.

Studio offers up to four audio tracks, the audio associated with the original and overlay videos, and two others for your choice of narration, sound effects, or background music. It also provides tools for taking music from CD tracks and converting them to sound files (a process known as ripping), and recording narration.

But what sets Studio's audio capabilities apart are three features. First is SmartSound, which produces thematic background music of any customizable length. Also exceptional is Studio's Volume tool, a real-time mixer that lets you customize audio volume on all tracks simultaneously. Finally, Studio now offers audio effects for critical functions like noise removal and equalization, allowing producers to improve sound quality dramatically. Together, these tools let you easily create and integrate professional-quality audio into your productions.