Precision audio video sync in iMovie 10 ?

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Level 1

8 points

Precision audio video sync in iMovie 10 ?

Hello,

I am trying to sync an audio file created with an external source (Zoom Handy H2, mp3) with a video made with my MacBook Pro's camera in mp4 format, using iMovie 10.1.6.

I created a clear marker at the beginning for the purpose of manually syncing.

Even after researching the problem extensively, I cannot seem to figure out how to move the audio clip in small enough increments to align with the video. The movement of the speaker's mouth remains slightly out of sync with the audio track. This is because I can only seem to select the audio clip with my mouse and drag-n-drop, which is too imprecise. It sort of snaps only to two places and never in between those two places, where it needs to land.

I have read "use the left arrow or right arrow to nudge the audio track slightly." But is there a special trick to this? Simply selecting the audio clip and then pressing the left and right arrows only moves the playhead. It does not move the audio track in relation to the video in iMovie 10.1.6.

I have also tried detaching the audio from the original video but that did not change anything.

Thank you to everyone in advance for your assistance with "nudging" audio tracks!

MacBook Pro 13", 10.11

Posted on Feb 7, 2019 11:31 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Realimaginal Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 8, 2019 10:04 PM in response to Rich839

Thank you for the follow up reply, Rich, I appreciate it!

No matter how much I expanded the timeline, even zooming into the maximum detail, I was not able to maneuver ("nudge") the audio anywhere near sufficiently. BUT, what did work in case this helps anyone else -- I deleted the audio file out and re-dropped it into the timeline several times, each time trying my best to align it with the marker I had made in the video's audio track. At some point, I must have dropped it "correctly" because I was able to align it absolutely perfectly with the video track by selecting the audio track with the mouse and moving it.

It would be great to figure out the mysterious directive to "use the left arrow or right arrow to nudge your track," but at least I have this possibility.

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Answer 2

Rich839

Level 8

47,688 points

Feb 7, 2019 1:40 PM in response to Realimaginal

Hi,

Take a look at this thread to see if there is anything in there that helps you:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4909205

iMovie may not be able to nudge a sound clip with sufficient precision for your needs. In that case you might consider Final Cut Pro, as suggested in the above link.

-- Rich

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Answer 3

Realimaginal Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 7, 2019 1:59 PM in response to Rich839

Thanks so much, Rich.

I already read that thread. In iMovie 10.1.6 this does not exist: "First, go to iMovie/Preferences and make sure to check "Display Time as hh:mm:ss:frames." There is no option to display time a certain way, nor frames. (In fact, the "preferences" of iMovie 10.1.6 contain precious little at all.) So the rest of the instructions on that thread don't make sense to me.

Is there perhaps some other way to "edit at frame level" in iMovie 10.1.6?

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Answer 4

Rich839

Level 8

47,688 points

Feb 7, 2019 11:07 PM in response to Rich839

Actually, if you expand the timeline all the way out with the slider next to the settings button, you should be able to drag the audio clip one click at a time, that I believe is one frame at a time. It is not possible with iMovie 10 to do it any more precise than that. I take it that that's not precise enough for your purpose.

-- Rich

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Answer 5

Rich839

Level 8

47,688 points

Feb 20, 2019 7:49 AM in response to Rich839

I came across an interesting "nudge" procedure to move audio and video in one frame increments.

Select the audio or video clip. Then press and hold down Option-Comma (or Caps Lock, then Option <). The selected clip will nudge left in increments of one frame. Apparently in older versions of iMovie, one could also press and hold down Option-dot (Caps Lock, then Option >) to make the clip nudge right. However, the nudge right does not work any longer. I am told that Final Cut Pro has the capability to nudge right or left in very small increments.

I realize that you've solved the issue that you posted about, but I just thought that the above procedure might be of help to you in future projects.

-- Rich

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