Quicktime exported from nested sequence has incomplete audio

Several times I've found that if I nest a sequence (cut the sequence from the source monitor into a new sequence so that it appears as a continuous event), Quicktime files that I then export from it have major sound dropouts. A feature length sequence I recently did this with lost more that half of its audio, which made it worthless as a layback element after online.

Nesting the sequence is useful before exporting, though, because it's the only way to apply a continuous timecode generator or a letterbox mask to hide the burn-ins.

Wondering if anyone else has encountered this issue and/or discovered a solution.

See my post: Audio drop-out for nested sequences dated 11-23-04 -- I have encountered the same issue.

I sent in a bug report to Apple per Michael Horton's suggestion. Perhaps you can do the same: [www.apple.com]

David Barker
Video Propulsion, Inc.

OK, GOT IT!

I've been having the same buggy, brain-wracking, hair-pulling problem!Major chunks of audio disappear when exporting a nested sequence to QuickTime for final clip to DVD. I was happy to see that I'm not alone, but sorry that others have been experiencing the same buggy hassles.

After weeks of tweaking and torubleshooting, I didn't fix the bug, but I finally hit on the work-around. Here's what you do:

1. Finish your nested sequence editing. When you're ready to export to Quicktime... DON'T.
Instead:
2. Export your finsihed sequence > audio to AIFF. This will create a stereo AIFF audio file that exactly matches your finished sequence, with NO DROPOUTS.
3. Now, DUPLICATE your nested final cut sequence.
4. Open the COPY of your sequence. Select ALL, and choose Command-L. This de-links all the audio tracks from your video clips.
5. Now select all the audio tracks in your sequence. DELETE them! (You are working on a backup copy, so not to worry.)
6. Import your new audio AIFF file that you exported.
7. Paste the new audio tracks into your sequence.
8. Now... EXPORT to Quicktime. No more dropouts!

This is going to save me a bunch of Tylenol and Tums, and now I can skip those all-nighters trouble-shooting BAD AUDIO whenever a project deadline approaches.

Until Apple de-bugs the nested sequence audio dropouts, this is my M.O. every time I do a final export to Quicktime.

Hope it helps you, too!

Kevin Norberg
Studio By The Pond
kevin@studiobythepond.com

good to know, thanks kevin.

for deleting all audio, this might be a tad quicker:

lock all video (Shift F4)
select all
delete.

cheers,
nm