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How to Sync Multiple audio tracks/channels to footage in FCPX


Daniel Alexander Skwarna

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Hi all!

New to this forum, excited to chat and learn from the experts!

My question involves syncing two channel/track audio to video in FCPX.

I'm capturing dialogue/sound (it's a cooking show) using two Sennheiser wireless lav mics connected to a Zoom H4N recorder. Each subject/host has her own transmitter and receiver.

I'm looking for the cleanest/most efficient way to sync this sound to the video while being able to work on each individual mic and mix the two as needed.

Here's what I've discovered so far:

1) If I set the Zoom record mode to stereo I get one file and left/right channels. If I sync this audio clip to the video footage manually, I'm able to change it to dual mono channels and edit each mic separately. Noice.

BUT! When I use Sync clips it no longer allows me to change the mode and work with each mic individually - kind of feels like the FCPX sync clip(s) function flattens everything into a single mono track. Not so noice.

Alternatively:

2) If I set the Zoom record mode to Multitrack (MTR) I get two separate mono files, one for each mic. 

BUT! It doesn't work well to try to sync the footage with both audio tracks. It really only seems to work when I sync the video footage with one of the audio tracks and then attach the 2nd audio track in the timeline. 

Because there are so many variables, I want to make sure I'm not missing something. Is there a way to capture dual track/channel sound and sync it up in one go while maintaining separate channels?

Thank you for the help, would love to hear your thoughts!

One thing I will ask is that any advice offered work with the stuff I have right now as I can't afford to add more gear.

Daniel

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I know less than zilch about Final Cut, but I'd suggest you go ask your questions in one of those forums? As definitely sounds likes you're screw up that stage. 

On 12/22/2020 at 1:56 PM, Daniel Alexander Skwarna said:

kind of feels like the FCPX sync clip(s) function flattens everything into a single mono track. Not so noice.

 

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On 12/22/2020 at 1:56 PM, Daniel Alexander Skwarna said:

One thing I will ask is that any advice offered work with the stuff I have right now as I can't afford to add more gear.

Although you can't immediately do this, you definitely should in the near term ditch that Zoom H4n and throw it out. As even today's semi pro field recorders are extremely good value for money, and would give you a huge leap forward in terms of functionality and quality. 

I mean prosumer recorders such as: Zoom F8n/F8/F4/F6, or the MixPre series of field recorders. 

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