How to lock music to a film for certain scenes?

[lokeyfly]

I dont see SMPTE as having anything to do with the OP's need here to anchor points where time signatures are involved. Yes, if one had tag along needs to lock a separate piece of hardware to SMPTE time code frames (for example a separate computer running Omnisphere, or some old tape decks, what have you), then a frame/clock synchronizer would be part of the equation. Only here..... no. I think you said it best, Jemusic in that the video editing software will adjust for any ACTUAL timing changes. These changes will occur whenever the OP uses the example (and he has) varying tempo. Now, one could stamp a SMPTE counter in the video, which will display a time. This would indicate any corrections that later need to be addressed. Its all that stamp would do. As its not actually syncing to anything but instead is just a display. When I sync or incorporate a video as an MP4 as a video guide into Studio One, i can opt to show that clock, only its really not doing anything but acting as a display. Instead, on the video editing master, I have a SMPTE track dedicated for time code use. This never makes it to Studio One, but remains for the video portion of editing. Picture the newest Studio One audio track, now different due to tempo changes is mixed down (in S1), then enters as a new track on the video editor track master. So then, video editing is then manipulated, stretched, moved and adjusted to regain the new audio timing needs.

A few of us are already asking how the OP utilizes any video to sync to. A legitimate question given the title "How to lock video...."
So in keeping to the simplest form of "sync" here, anytime tempo is altered in Studio One, all bets are off in syncing to ANY video on the Studio One/Pro timeline. I wont deny, there could be some new addition to Studio Pro 8, that throws off my example here, as I dont have version 8. Only I dont believe so. A DAW doesnt typically allow for further video manipulation, anchor points, etc. Its simply not a video editor.

Sure, a separate file for each cue can be created. With descent editing software, its still not necessary. The new audio track (one file only) will sit side by side with the old unedited audio track residing on the video editor and video has to then be altered based on the new time. Be it longer, shorter, slid, or otherwise.

SMPTE wouldn't play much of a roll if any, unless some 3rd party (other equipment) sync was involved and had to follow specific frame rates. Really out of the discussion, me thinks. ; )

 

[Jemusic]

The timecode comes in handy within cue construction all inside a DAW. The start frame to kick off the tempo and time sig. Then its about getting the important hit points (which are best detected viewed as an SMPTE protocol) Then the relevant calculations can be made to alter tempos only usually very slightly to put hit points onto the beats or in the places the composer wants them in the music. The software can work between hit points much easier referencing timecode. A tempo map can also exist between hit points also if the music demands it. They never move.

So if you are wanting to catch any hit points within a cue then SMPTE timecode is definitely your friend here. If you are just laying music under a whole scene then yes you could work without it.

 

[lokeyfly]

Then you're anchoring to a SMPTE track (time code). Thats all. Any tempo change will not anchor to the mp4 video in which the OP suggests the audio is to be locked to. As he states, "scenes". Thats my only point. I'd love to hear his clarification on this. Varying, inserting, changing, time signatures, no problem. Varying, inserting, changing, tempo? ..... problem. The video will require being edited, elsewhere. Within Studio One/Pro, there is no such video flexibility (internally).
Multiple files, is not going to fix that either. Though, clarification would be enormous.