Working with audio in iMovie for iPad
Using iMovie for iPad as your video and audio editing software
When you are working on a movie the audio is also very important. There is the audio that is connected to the video clips and then you have background music, sound effects, voice-overs and music soundtracks. With iMovie for iPad you can add soundtracks that are connected to a theme when you are choosing that theme. I have found that it is also possible to mix and match, taking the music from one theme while using the elements from another theme. You can also easily use music tracks from your music library that you have synced across from your iTunes application on your Mac.
Choosing themes in iMovie on iPad
With your iMovie for iPad application you can choose from one of eight themes. These themes will affect the titles and transitions, but will also let you choose the theme music. When you are in the dialogue for choosing what you want to do with the iMovie audio theme, if you turn off the option for theme music, you can use other music, yet still have the benefits of the of the theme.
How good is iMovie on iPad with audio
With my initial attempts at using audio on iMovie, I have run into some difficulties. There have been occasions where the audio from a video clip has disappeared. The audio is still showing within the video clip, it is still possible to see the audio wave, but you hear nothing when you press play. I have tried adjusting the volume for that particular clip and so far nothing has worked. The only way to get it working again, is to reselect the clip and replace the video with the problem.
It is possible to have a number of layers of audio or audio tracks as per the design of the application. So I was a little surprised when after working with the audio of video clips, adding background music tracks and just putting in two or three sound effects in the timeline, there seemed to be a few problems. Some of the audio that should have been connected to a video clip seemed to have become disconnected, turning my video into a badly dubbed Chinese kung fu movie.
Sound effects – Bells ringing and dogs barking
In the area where you choose the sounds when you want to use the included sound effects, all you have to do is to tap on the one that you want, to have it fly into the timeline where your playhead is. Once the sound effect is on the timeline it is still possible to move it along towards the beginning or towards the end. I would recommend that you zoom in using the pinching out gesture, so that you have maximum chance at some sort of precision. I would be inclined to think that Pinnacle Studio for iPad allows for more precise placing of your audio within the time line. You can use an audio recorder app or some sort of external audio recording device to get professional audio for your iMovie video editing.
The verdict on how iMovie for iPad works with audio elements
If you are doing some work on your video that is fairly simple, then you will probably not run into any problems. If you are going to be splitting video clips and adding other video and audio elements, then you may run into one or two difficulties. iMovie for iPad is still a good application so long as you don’t expect to be the next Steven Spielberg with it. Shoot some video clips with the iPad camera and use iMovie for iPad to trim those clips, add voice-overs if necessary and you will surely be happy enough with the results that you get. You can also shoot video with your iPod Touch or iPhone and use the Transfer Photos App to get them on to your iPad.
