Audio problem with imported clips

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Level 1

109 points

Audio problem with imported clips

I've come across a strange anomaly when importing movie clips into FCP (10.1.4).

Background sounds, such as people talking, sound 'squeaky' (for want of a better description) and distorted. Foreground audio somehow seems less affected.

Any added audio, such as music, is OK.

To add to the puzzle, the audio in the same movie clips imported into iMovie are perfect as is the audio when the same clips are played back in QuickTime.

Any clues anyone, please?

TonyT

iMac (27-inch, Late 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3), 16GB RAM

Posted on Aug 5, 2015 4:35 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 5, 2015 7:32 AM in response to Tony T

Most of the audio issues we see here are attempts to use MP# audio in FCPX.

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Answer 2

Tony T Author

Level 1

109 points

Aug 5, 2015 8:50 AM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Thanks David, but that doesn't explain why audio in same movie clips are OK in iMovie & QT, but is corrupted in FCPX.

The clips are normal movie sequences taken on ordinary digital cameras.

What is MP# anyway?

TT

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Answer 3

Aug 5, 2015 11:08 AM in response to Tony T

Sorry, MP3.

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Answer 4

Aug 5, 2015 11:11 AM in response to Tony T

Tony T wrote:

Thanks David, but that doesn't explain why audio in same movie clips are OK in iMovie & QT, but is corrupted in FCPX.

The clips are normal movie sequences taken on ordinary digital cameras.

What is MP# anyway?

TT

If your movies contain MP3 audio, FCPX will choke or give weird audio results. It's just not designed to decompress MP3 on the fly. MP3 will play effortlessly in QT and iMovie. And there is no "ordinary digital camera," they're all quite different.

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Answer 5

Tony T Author

Level 1

109 points

Aug 5, 2015 12:49 PM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Thanks again, David.

Sorry, I should have realised you meant MP3; just me being obtuse.

Re the audio problem. This distortion is evident in freshly imported clips into a project with no added MP3 or any other added audio; just the bare movie clips.

I take your point,...

there is no "ordinary digital camera," they're all quite different

Yes., of course, sorry.

Re the clips themselves. They were from 3 different video cameras, 2 AVCHD all produce the same oddity once imported into FCPX.

It's so irritating I'm going have to backtrack to iMovie to get some usable decent footage.

Again thanks.

TT

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Answer 6

Aug 5, 2015 1:54 PM in response to Tony T

Wish some of the wonks had chimed in. I don'thave any experience with AVCHD producing bad audio. I use DVCPRO media mostly.

Bad audio is almost always MP3 or a weird mismatch between your camera's sample rate for the audio files and what FCPX is expecting.

Hope you get it sorted out, I got nuthin' more for you.

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Answer 7

Tony T Author

Level 1

109 points

Aug 5, 2015 2:02 PM in response to David Bogie Chq-1

Thanks for your time, David... very much appreciated.

The oddity remains a puzzle to me too especially as the clips work fine in FCPX's poor cousin, iMovie.

Best regards,

TT

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