Merging Tracks

[Peter]

Over the course of some way-too-late-nite editing (note to self, dont edit when I'm really tired), I realized I had split an audio clip on Track 2 a number of times. I snapped them together and the audio plays smoothly but is there a way to merge the track back to a single clip? Is it necessary? (P.S. - Chuck, this is my first editing project so I am reading your book, experimenting and learning a ton.) Thanks

[Wheat King]

You can lasso the audio clips together and group them so that they will all move together. Or if it was one audio clip from your media panel you can drag it down to another track on the time line and then "clear" (not delete) the pieces. Clearing the pieces should not cause a ripple delete which you may or may not want)

Chuck and Steve's book does a good job of explaining the difference.

[Chuck Engels]

Thanks for the compliment on the book, Steve helped a little too

Jamal's suggestion is the best at this point, you really can't go back and undo I suppose. Either lasso the audio clips or Shift+Click the ones you want to group together, right click and select 'Group'. That will keep them together.

And remember, the original audio is not really split, the best thing about this type of editing. You can always bring the original audio clip back into your project and replace the split up one.

[Peter]

I understand lassoing and grouping. That probably makes the most sense in my case. I wanted to avoid replacing the audio clip with the original because I purposely trimmed both ends of it and am uncomfortable that I could get it back in place to match the beat of the music to the video clip transitions I currently have. Any tricks to do that? and if so would I clear the current clip as Jamal suggested? Jamal, I dont understand the ripple delete you mentioned.

[Chuck Engels]

Setting unnumbered timeline markers as you play the audio is the best way. You just need to tweak them a little when you are done. Then you can add all the video and photos at the beats using the auto slide show feature in Premiere Elements. Steve has a tutorial on this over in the products section.

[Peter]

usually when I hold the CTRL key and click SPLIT CLIP, I only clip Track 1 and Audio 2 remains untouched. Periodically though Audio 2 splits even with the CTRL key. Why is that?

[Steve Grisetti]

If you have a clip selected when you click Split Clip, it will split only that clip (assuming the CTI is on that clip).

But, if you have no clips select when you click Split Clip, it should slice through your entire project at the CTI's position.

[Chuck Engels]

Good tip Steve

[Wheat King]

But, if you have no clips select when you click Split Clip, it should slice through your entire project at the CTI's position.

I didn't know that! Good tip

[Peter]

yep, thats what happened. Thanks!