Way too many tracks when editing audio

Report · Mar 08, 2021

I've worked with some 100 narrators, and we often take 2 - 3 takes of the same paragraph then pick the best and piece the final narration together. This is easy to do in most Adobe products. However, each time the best narration is picked in Character Animator (CH) a new track of audio and visual/puppet is created. I'll have some 30-40 tracks this way, which would be rather unwieldy. In other Adobe products, you can join your cut narration all on one track of audio, and still edit it and tweek it even after that -- I can't see a way to do that in CH. But I imagine CH doesn't expect people to narrate in one or two tracks - and narrate well that is. So what is the solution others have found that works for editing your narration yet keeping it all in one track?

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Report · Mar 09, 2021

Yeah, we want it be a single track one day. For now, I do most of my audio production in Audition and then import it into CH (see https://youtu.be/VhCKD5vl848?t=255 for more info). That method should work better for your own sanity and the height of the timeline!

Report · Mar 09, 2021

Thanks oksamurai. I feel honored that I'm hearing from the CH guru himself! The challenge if I produce it in Audition and then import it into CH is that I can then sync the lips to the audio, but as far as eye movements and body movements, I'm not sure how to perform those when I'm not talking in a way that precisely lines up with the audio. Any tips would be appreciated.

Report · Mar 09, 2021

BTW, I have been learning CH and puppeteering (this is my first attempt at either) mostly from watching your videos. And true confession - I spouted some, shall we say, colorful words at you and my computer and Adobe during the process of figuring it out. I was an unhappy wannabee for sure. But now that I actually have my first character, with 5 head movements, dangling hair, moving lips, new outfit, new eyes, and sass - I take it all back, this is so much fun -- and the power of CH is evident and mind blowing! Can't wait until she learns to walk. Thank you!

Report · Mar 09, 2021

Ha - thanks for sticking with us even through the tough times. 🙂

I usually record in slo-mo (see recording speed menu next to the record button) and watch the waveform in the timeline to know when certain things are coming up so I can anticipate them. Usually I do one pass where I try to go all the way through, and then come back and fix little parts with (blended in) edits. The rest of that (long) video I posted above will go into a little more detail about my recording process, if that's helpful!

Report · Mar 10, 2021

Will watch the video now. Slo-mo first, I will definitely try that. Thanks again, O Great One!