Using Automated Dialogue Alignment

When using CyberLink AudioDirector to fix and enhance the audio in your video production, Automated Dialogue Alignment can be a very useful tool for you. If you have video clips that have dialogue that was recorded in a noisy environment, use this feature to dub in/replace the audio, syncing it in the video clip.

To use this feature, you need to prepare some clips beforehand and go through several steps to successfully dub audio in a clip.

Prepared Clips

Before using the Automated Dialogue Alignment tool, you must prepare some audio clips beforehand. You will need:

Original video clip with audio (base clip): the video clip with the dialogue recorded in the noisy environment.
New dialogue audio clip (target clip): re-recorded audio clips for all of the dialogue you need replaced. You can use CyberLink AudioDirector to re-record the dialogue and create the clips you need. See Recording Audio for more information.

Note: for the best results, when recording the new dialogue audio, ensure the timing/length of the new dialogue is similar to the original video clip. You can use Loop Recording to do multiple takes in succession to ensure you get the timing as close as possible.

Background noise clips (optional): when the dubbed dialogue audio is replaced in the original video clip, any background noise or ambient sounds are also removed. It is recommended that you add back the "noise" in the original video clip to ensure your video's authenticity. For example, if you shot a video on a train or in a music hall, you can add these sounds back manually in the Mix room, but at a lower audible level underneath the dubbed in dialogue.

Note: CyberLink AudioDirector does not add the ambient and background noise in for you. You'd need to re-record it or get it from another source if you want to include this suggested option in your final produced video clip.

Dubbing Audio in a Clip

To use Automated Dialogue Alignment to dub audio in a video clip, do this:

1.Click on the Mix button to enter the Mix room.
2.Add the video clip that contains the dialogue you want to dub on the first track in the timeline.
3.For best results, drag the timeline slider to just before the dialogue and then click the button to split the audio in the video clip.
4.Drag the timeline slider to the end of the dialogue, and then click again.

Note: if the dialogue you want to dub in the video clip runs the entire duration of the clip, then there is no need to split the clip. However, please note that each dialogue audio clip used in Automated Dialogue Alignment can be a maximum of two minutes in length.

5.Add the new dialogue audio clip on the second track in the timeline, underneath the split clip.
6.Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and then use the mouse to select both the split portion of the video clip and the new dialogue audio clip.
7.Click the button and then modify the options as follows:
Base clip: ensure that the original video clip with audio is selected in the drop-down. If it's not, select it from the drop-down.
Reference channel: use this option to select the channel where the original dialogue audio is playing from.
Base clip contains noise: select this option if the original video clip contains a lot of background noise.
Target clip: ensure that the new dialogue audio clip is selected in the drop-down. If it's not, select it from the drop-down.
Reference channel: use this option to select the channel where the new dialogue audio is playing from.
Add aligned clip to new track: select this option if you want the aligned dubbed audio added to a new track in the Mix room timeline. If you don't select this option, CyberLink AudioDirector will just adjust the position of the target clip.
8.Click the Apply button in the Automated Dialogue Alignment window. CyberLink AudioDirector will analyze the clips, and then align the audio in the target clip with the audio in the original video clip.
9.Right click on the split audio in track 1 and then select Remove to remove it from the mix.
10.If required, add the prepared background noise clips to the other tracks in the timeline and then use the Mix room controls to set the levels. See Creating an Audio Mix for more information on mixing all the new audio in your video clip.
11.Preview your video and once you are satisfied with the result, you are ready to produce it as a new video file with the dubbed in dialogue. See Producing Audio for more information.