Need help from video experts

[arjaybe]

Attention AVI

Hi. Some problems just need a real human, right?

I've been putting audiobooks up on YouTube (Okanagan Reader). I use ffmpeg to attach an image and convert to MP4. Now I'm at the point where I want to put my Green Comet novels up there, complete with a video introduction by me. I have successfully recorded the intro with OBS and saved it as an MP4, and I've been using avidemux to append the chapter MP4s to create a single file. They append fine, but the audio makes me sound like J Alfred Milqetoast. Same speed but higher pitched.

Software: Audacity, ffmpeg, OBS, avidemux.

Any ideas how I can get the audio of the appends to sound normal? Or maybe there's some special incantation in ffmpeg to concatenate them?

Thanks

rjb

[CharlesV]

Not sure I would call myself an expert, but I create, edit and produce quite a few videos, ads and such for people and myself - including voice, music, etc and rip and replace lots of the sound.

I use KDenlive and have never had an issue like this, however KDenlive has all kinds of effects including Pitch and Time which I slow down or speed up sound, along with equalizers and filters where you could change anything in that area.

Normally, I use KDenlive to bring up the video the way I want it, without sound most times,edit etc and then add the sound track I want on top of it towards the end once I have the video as I want, and then adjust that accordingly.

[Nokkaelaein]

I've worked with video on and off through the years. Some work has been published as-is (trailers), most have been internal materials for the studios I've worked with (so-called production mockups with pre-production visuals edited to flow with the audio). The vibe I'm getting is... I'd very much encourage you to take on an actual GUI video editor at this point :) ! You don't have to, of course, so do what ever feels most comfortable. I'm just saying, when projects start involving several source files like that, seeing a timeline where you can just experiment and arrange and rearrange the material non-destructively just like that... will be a considerable boost to your workflow. In my opinion, and experience, and all that. The more individual source files you have, the more you can sigh in relief when you can just arrange them directly on a timeline you can see and interact with, heh.

When editing stuff on a timeline like that, it will also be trivial to add little finishing touches: you might want to add some text / logos / an intro, insert some fades, experiment with different edits and pacing and adjust clip levels and, and... etc etc... And it's not a headache anymore.

As for what Linux editor to recommend... That's so much down to preference I'm hesitant to push into any specific direction. I've been surprised how much I've edited just inside Reaper in the recent years (especially for internal production clips like described), but this is not a recommendation for that one; it's proprietary, and its main focus is to be an audio/music workstation, not a video editor. Check out what editors are available, and see which ones you feel most at home with!

[Nokkaelaein]

Normally, I use KDenlive to bring up the video the way I want it, without sound most times,edit etc and then add the sound track I want on top of it towards the end once I have the video as I want, and then adjust that accordingly.

Hah, ninja'd! If Charles says check out KDenlive, do check out KDenlive! :)

[arjaybe]

Kdenlive sounds good. Now, how do I get it to open an MP4 file? Meanwhile, I'll mess around and see if I can stumble on something.

[CharlesV]

Kdenlive sounds good. Now, how do I get it to open an MP4 file? Meanwhile, I'll mess around and see if I can stumble on something.

Drag it and drop it into the left most Project area

[arjaybe]

Right. I figured out how to load and concatenate files. Now I need to know how to save as MP4, rather than just as a project.

[CharlesV]

You will Project | Render and choose what ever output protocol you want - MP4 is one of those formats.

[arjaybe]

You will Project | Render and choose what ever output protocol you want - MP4 is one of those formats.

Wow, it turned out pretty good. I think this is going to work.-)

[CharlesV]

Excellent! Glad to hear that. I have found KDenlive to be THE video editor for me.. Lots of VERY cool features!