Premiere Elements 2020 adds too many sound layers per video..

[Electronixen]

Never had this issue until a few days back. 5.1 audi gets maaany sound layers and makes it impossible to edit. Sometimes when I import 5-10 of them they work fine, but if I import all of the videos this happens. Can not import 5-10 at a time either since they will get this annoying bug after first batch anyways.

Any ideas? Never encountred this error in my 8 years of using Premiere Elements... 

[Steve Grisetti]

The simplest solution is to convert your video from 5.1 to stereo AAC audio. Have you tried that using Handbrake?

[Electronixen]

I have not tried that. 
Since this issue first appeared a few days ago after over a year of using the software - there must be another fix than converting all of them. 🙂 

[Ann Bens]

What was the first clip you dragged into the timeline.

[Electronixen]

The same as the other ones. 
Sometimes it's just one layer (if I import 10 clips i.e.) then it doesn't cause this problem. But as soon as I try to import more (the other 175 clips) they cause this issue. 
H264 5.1 chn. 

[Jérômeb69]

Hello, i have exactly the same issue ! I use Premiere Elements for many years, using .MTS files from the same Sony camcorder with no problem, ans suddenly it all comes with 6 different sound layers !! No setting allowed to go back to one layer as before, and worse, when i fade all 6 layers (with 4 keyframes for each 😞 )  i still hear sound on one side. 

It feels like i don't know how to use Premiere anymore whereas i use very simple functions...

It would be very useful to go back to one sound layer...

[Jérômeb69]

Well, after a few tryouts, i found out it works well in a new project. 

I mean, if you use a "model project" that has already been used with files, Premiere does not want to convert the audio track in 5.1 automatically. I didn't find a way to set it in this mode...

In a new project, if you import the video with 5.1 audio and drag/drop it on the track, it automatically sets the audio track in a 5.1 mode that has all 6 channels in one track, much easier for me to use.

So the advice is : begin a brand new project.

I don't know if it was easy to understand, ask for details if necessary. 

Have a good day.

Jerome

[Bill Sprague]

Jerome,

One common technique is to create a 'template' project with your ideal settings.  Then when starting a new project, open the template and do a Save As to a new project name.   

[Jérômeb69]

Exactly what i used to do for years, but something must have changed since an update, i had never encountered this sound layer issue before. So the templates have to be updated ! Thanks for your reply.

[Casual Editor]

I tried Jerome's suggestions for creating a new project, but couldn't get it to work (in Version 18.0, 20201207.daily.2234367), regardless of choosing NTSC AVCHD "AVCHD 1080p60" (Master track type: Stereo) or "AVCHD 1080p605.1 channel" (Master track type: 5.1), even with the "Force selected Project Settings on this project" option.

Per Adobe Support on 2021-10-05 (Support case ADB-21363569-B9W3), this is a known, ongoing issue for MTS files in Premiere Elements 2020.  No ETA on a fix.

Their suggestion is to convert the MTS to MP4 using Handbrake.  That works as expected, whether the MP4 file has the stereo (AAC) audio track first or the 5.1 (AC3 Passthru) audio track first.

That workaround will probably be fine for small projects.  For my next large project (>100 clips), though, I will probably revert to PrE 2018.

[Jérômeb69]

Hello, stil another project from the same camcorder... For an unknown reason this import came with 5.1 soundtrack. Well, why not as the track is at least seen as one single layer. 

BUT, as if it was too simple, the fading on the audio track will not work 😞  

The 2 first audio "sub-tracks" are visibly faded following the lines, but the audio is still heard from the 4 other sub-tracks... that is just unexplainable.....

[Jérômeb69]

See what i mean ?

[darrent28676025]

I am having this same issue. Does anyone have a fix please? I have PRE2020. If I can't fix the problem how do I convert back to 2019 or 2018?