How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

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Minus 20 Music

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How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

PostSat Apr 19, 2025 2:08 am

In my documentary project, I create compound clips for each scene to keep my timeline clutter free. One of the compound clips in the documentary timeline won't play back audio. I tried decomposing the compound clip and there is still no audio. The track is not muted nor has it been automated. Other compound clips that are on the same audio track play back normally. Does anyone know why there is no audio and what I'm doing wrong?

I should add that when I open the compound clip in its own timeline, the audio is audible and plays back normally. The only work around I've found is copying the compound clip into a new timeline and then the audio can be heard. I would rather not have to rebuild my documentary timeline.
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Joe Shapiro

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Re: How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

PostSat Apr 19, 2025 6:51 am

By avoiding clutter do you mean avoiding multiple audio tracks in the timeline? If so there’s an easier and I think better way. Let me know if you’re interested.

Note that compound clips are a form of nested timeline and there are known problems with audio in nested timelines.
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Jim Simon

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Re: How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

PostSat Apr 19, 2025 3:02 pm

Until nesting and Compounds work without issue, I think you're better off with the clutter.

You can build individual scenes in their own timelines, but when they're ready, Copy/Paste the contents into the Main timeline.
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Minus 20 Music

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Re: How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

PostSat Apr 19, 2025 6:51 pm

Joe Shapiro wrote:By avoiding clutter do you mean avoiding multiple audio tracks in the timeline? If so there’s an easier and I think better way. Let me know if you’re interested.

Note that compound clips are a form of nested timeline and there are known problems with audio in nested timelines.


Thanks. Would appreciate your advice on minimizing track clutter in the Roughcut timelines. My project is a documentary about a composer so I'm dealing with lots of tracks. For the quartets and orchestras, there can be 8 or more audio tracks. In the past, I have mixed the audio before editing video, which reduced the number of tracks to one stereo track. For the interviews, there is a Lavelier, a Boom and 3 camera microphones, which I suppose I should really premix too.
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Minus 20 Music

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Re: How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

PostSat Apr 19, 2025 6:53 pm

Jim Simon wrote:Until nesting and Compounds work without issue, I think you're better off with the clutter.

You can build individual scenes in their own timelines, but when they're ready, Copy/Paste the contents into the Main timeline.


Thanks. This is great to know and will do that in the future.

What is weird is that if I copy and paste the decomposed compound clip, the audio still won't play in the rough cut timeline
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Joe Shapiro

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Re: How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

PostSat Apr 19, 2025 9:52 pm

Here’s my workflow for multi track sound:




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Jim Simon

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Re: How do you restore missing compound clip audio?

PostSun Apr 20, 2025 2:44 pm

Minus 20 Music wrote:if I copy and paste the decomposed compound clip
Instead, use the Open in Timeline command on the Compound and Copy/Paste the original clips.
My Biases:

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You NEED a calibrated (non-computer) display.

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