How to Add Music to Camcorder Footage

Producing your own movies is a fun way to document life or to tell a story. Everyone's making videos now, and many homemade flicks end up on the web as a great source of entertainment for thousands of Internet users. Some videos are even proving to be quite professional-looking as independent filmmaking becomes more the status quo. Add music to camcorder footage and start producing your own polished videos.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Understand the differences between movie making equipment and formats. See how movies made in Hollywood are shot with actual film, which must be developed in a lab before it can be viewed, whereas videotape is used for television and news and doesn't need development.

2. Realize that digital camcorders of today are not compatible with VHS, S-VHS, VHS-C, nor are they compatible with 8mm tape (all for earlier camcorders).

3. Get video editing software to add music to camcorder footage. Decide on the best type of software for your needs. Find several brands of video editing software at electronics stores as well as online. Try out software by downloading free trials.

4. Choose video editing software for digital camcorders. Understand that digital video (DV) is the format for digital camcorders and utilizes either a Firewire or iLink interface. You can easily connect a digital camcorder to a computer's Firewire or iLink port. Add on for a minimal cost (about $20) if needed.

5. Pick different video editing software for older types of camcorders. Note that old-school camcorders come with a different type of output connector like S-Video, and assorted computers do come with inputs for S-Video. Buy an S-Video card if yours doesn't. Take note—these cards often come in a package that includes video editing software.

6. Look for user-friendly video editing software to add music to camcorder footage. Seek programs that provide multiple audio recording and editing options. Discover software, for instance, that'll let you record during editing if you want to easily add narration, or software which will allow you to add music while keeping original recorded voices.

7. Begin to add music to camcorder footage once you've purchased video editing software. Load or download the software and become familiar with it. Connect via Firewire/iLink or another interface, capture footage from your camcorder and start editing.

8. Identify the timeline feature in your video editing software. Notice separate tracks for video and audio in your software. Realize audio files are just as easy to manipulate as video files are. Drag and drop audio clips right into the audio track of your timeline in most video editing software.

9. Set music to the video track, which is usually viewed as thumbnails. Match music with video frames or choose instead to edit your video to your music. Make your own music with some video editing software, such as "iMovie," which comes with "GarageBand," a music editing program. Create sound effects and manipulate sound with certain types of editing software.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase specifically music editing software to create more professional-sounding music and sound effects and to enhance or engineer existing music and sounds. Record instruments with it also. Make audio clips to import into your video editing software.

Resources

• Take a look at Videoguys.
• Read information about iMovie.
• Find out more about how to add music to camcorder footage.