Adding background music to my project

[Saga]

Hi all, I need to make an instructional WMV video to show how to use a
certain
aspect of Windows. I used Media Encoder 9 to screen capture the procedure.
I then edited the video in MM2.1 until all the "bloopers" were eliminated.
After
that I added audio by narrating the steps that the user must follow. I
noticed that
MM2.1 added the narration to the Audio/Music track. Finally I added a WAV
music track to fill in holes at the beginning and end of the screen captured
procedure.

As a last step I would like to add background music to the narration at a
very
low volume to avoid being annoying, but I can't figure out how to do it. I
used
Google, but most of the results detail steps on how to add music or
narration
to the Audio/Music track, something that I already did, but so far I have
not
been able to find any info on how to add background music to the narration.

I noticed that the Audio track is empty, how is this used in the case
described
above, if at all.?

Thank you, Saga

 

[John Inzer]

Hi all, I need to make an instructional WMV video to show how to use a
certain
aspect of Windows. I used Media Encoder 9 to screen capture the
procedure. I then edited the video in MM2.1 until all the "bloopers"
were eliminated. After
that I added audio by narrating the steps that the user must follow. I
noticed that
MM2.1 added the narration to the Audio/Music track. Finally I added a
WAV music track to fill in holes at the beginning and end of the
screen captured procedure.

As a last step I would like to add background music to the narration
at a very
low volume to avoid being annoying, but I can't figure out how to do
it. I used
Google, but most of the results detail steps on how to add music or
narration
to the Audio/Music track, something that I already did, but so far I
have not
been able to find any info on how to add background music to the
narration.
I noticed that the Audio track is empty, how is this used in the case
described
above, if at all.?

Thank you, Saga

===============================
If the Audio track is empty that indicates
that your video clip is silent and the audio
you hear is from the file you added to the
Audio/Music track.

If you save the project in a movie format,
..wmv or .avi and re-import the saved movie
clip as a new project...the sound will be on
the Audio track and you can add another file
to the Audio/Music track and then save the
completed file once again.

To save as an .avi movie file...
(and several other options)
Type...Ctrl+P to open the Save Movie Wizard /
Choose...My Computer /
Next /
Enter a Name and a Save Location /
Next /
Show More Choices /
Other Settings /
Open the drop window and choose...DV-AVI /
Next /
Wait while the movie is saved /
Finish...

To save as a .wmv movie file...
Type...Ctrl+P to open the Save Movie Wizard /
Choose...My Computer /
Next /
Enter a Name and a Save Location /
Next /
Tick...'Best Quality For My Computer'
Next/
Wait while the movie is saved /
Finish...

Also, you may find it useful to use
a custom profile:

Movie Maker 2 - Saving
Movies - Custom WMV Profiles
http://tinyurl.com/s2vgu

Creating Custom Profiles
for Windows Movie Maker 2
http://tinyurl.com/cuny7

--

John Inzer
Digital Media MVP

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Saga]

Thank you John,

You are correct, the initial (screen capped) WMV is silent. I did not
capture audio along with it.

I understand what you are suggesting, very ingenuous, I guess I
was hoping that I would not have to generate one WMV fiel, then
create a second project with it to include the background music,
but I will try that out.

Do you see any advantage to saving the first movie as DV AVI
as opposed to WMV? I know that DV AVI is higher quality, but
if I started out with WMV from a screen capture, will there be any
advantage to saving in DV AVI? Will the sound degrade if I save
in WMV?

Again, thanks for the suggestion.
Saga

 

[John Inzer]

Thank you John,

You are correct, the initial (screen capped) WMV is silent. I did not
capture audio along with it.

I understand what you are suggesting, very ingenuous, I guess I
was hoping that I would not have to generate one WMV fiel, then
create a second project with it to include the background music,
but I will try that out.

Do you see any advantage to saving the first movie as DV AVI
as opposed to WMV? I know that DV AVI is higher quality, but
if I started out with WMV from a screen capture, will there be any
advantage to saving in DV AVI? Will the sound degrade if I save
in WMV?

Again, thanks for the suggestion.
Saga

====================================
I doubt that saving as DV-AVI will improve
anything and personally I find that .wmv with
the various custom profiles always works
for me.

Try experimenting...that's the only way to
know for sure.

--

John Inzer
Digital Media MVP

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk