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User profile for user: teacher71
teacher71 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Music Clip Moves in iMovie

I am using iMovie 10 to create a slideshow for my son's graduation. It contains several music tracks / photos / videos / slides / effects and is about 40 minutes long. I am looking to replace some of the photos at the beginning of the slideshow (see photo below). I select the new photo and drag it to the appropriate spot in the timeline and use the "replace" option. It is up for the exact same length of time as the clip it has replaced. However, I have noticed that even when using "replace" the music track (put in the music section of the timeline) slides over approximately three seconds. Because of this, the photos for the next song no longer line up. Just wondering what is the best way to swap out photos so the separate music track does not move?

Posted on Jun 20, 2022 10:47 AM

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User profile for user: Rich839
Rich839
User level: Level 8
47,706 points

Posted on Jun 20, 2022 3:30 PM

I can make what you see happen on my setup when the replacement photo is of longer duration than the one that it replaced. Click on the information button to confirm that the replacement photo and the replaced photo were in fact of the same duration in the timeline. If the duration is longer, shorten the duration of the replacement photo and that should bring everything back into sync.


Except for the above situation, the replacement function works properly in my iMovie 10.1.12 running on Mojave. If you continue to have the same issue, try deleting preferences by opening iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and deleting preferences from the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new blank library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects.


As a workaround, you could try exporting the project as an Audio Only file (an option in the export box) and then import the Audio Only file into your project as one joined-together sound track. Then delete the old sound track. Work with a duplicate project so as to preserve your original work in the original project.


-- Rich



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User profile for user: Rich839
Rich839
User level: Level 8
47,706 points

Jun 20, 2022 3:30 PM in response to teacher71

I can make what you see happen on my setup when the replacement photo is of longer duration than the one that it replaced. Click on the information button to confirm that the replacement photo and the replaced photo were in fact of the same duration in the timeline. If the duration is longer, shorten the duration of the replacement photo and that should bring everything back into sync.


Except for the above situation, the replacement function works properly in my iMovie 10.1.12 running on Mojave. If you continue to have the same issue, try deleting preferences by opening iMovie while holding down the Option and Command keys and deleting preferences from the box that appears. iMovie will open in a new blank library. Reopen your old library to get back to your projects.


As a workaround, you could try exporting the project as an Audio Only file (an option in the export box) and then import the Audio Only file into your project as one joined-together sound track. Then delete the old sound track. Work with a duplicate project so as to preserve your original work in the original project.


-- Rich



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User profile for user: Rich839
Rich839
User level: Level 8
47,706 points

Jun 20, 2022 11:44 AM in response to teacher71

Are you sure that you are not "inserting" rather than "replacing"? If you insert a photo before the place where the audio clip couples to the video clip above it, that will cause the audio clip to move over.


In any event, use your cursor to pull the audio clip down into a lower audio well to pull loose the coupling that joins it to the video clip above it. Then replace your photo. You can then move the audio clip back to the upper well, or leave it in the lower well.


Or, after inserting the photo you can slide the audio clip back to bring it in sync again.


Also, if your iMovie Photo Duration preferences differ from the photo durations in the iMovie timeline, the photo will come in with the iMovie Movie preference duration rather than the duration of the photo that it is replacing.


-- Rich


-- Rich

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User profile for user: teacher71
teacher71 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Jun 20, 2022 12:04 PM in response to Rich839

Thank you for your reply. I am definitely using "insert" to replace the photo. (See You Tube link for a video of the problem).


The audio clip is already in the lowest audio well and the Photo Duration preference in my settings currently matches the photo that is being replaced.


I know I could simply replace my photos and then slide the audio clip back to bring it in sync, however, there are 11 audio tracks after the first one and they are all sliding down as a picture is replaced. I would prefer not to have to readjust the entire 40 minute movie.


https://youtu.be/6mvqVC4kfJE

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User profile for user: teacher71
teacher71 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

Jun 20, 2022 8:57 PM in response to Rich839

Thank you, Rich, for your help! Much appreciated. Even when checking to make sure the duration of the replacement photo was identical to the original photo, the music still moved in the timeline. I ended up using the workaround and creating the Audio Only file and then was able to substitute and move around photos without messing up my music track. This is definitely something I will do first, the next time I have a longer project! Thank you again!

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Music Clip Moves in iMovie

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