Use two audio tracks?

[BG Davis]

I have seen in other threads (going back a couple of years) that it's possible to have two (or more) active audio tracks with a video.
Somehow I can't seem to make that happen.

Objective: Have a short "Track 1" (music) and a longer "Track 2" (native audio from camera).  Track 1 would play from the start of the video until Track 1 ends.  (Track one is about half the length of the video.)  Track 2 would continue to play until the end of the video after Track 1 ends.  During the duration of Track 1, it doesn't matter if Track 2 is audible beneath it or not.

Result: After being sure that both tracks were activated and occupied (Music in Track 1, native audio from camera in Track 2), I saved.  The music plays, when it ends there is silence.  No Track 2.

What is going wrong?

[Roger Allott]

Tracks 1 and 2 are separate. I don't know of any players that allow you to listen to any more than one track at a time. They are typically used for different language options that are selectable in most players (such as VLC).

In order to have audio that combines your two tracks, I suggest you are much better off combining them first in something like Audacity and exporting the merged track to e.g. a wav file. Then import that wav file as track 1 in Avidemux, not forgetting to choose the codec you'd like for the final audio, and you should end up with exactly what you're seeking.

[Jan Gruuthuse]

Probably you could achieve this with one audio track and channels:
as mentioned above or:

Stereo:
- Music on left channel
- Native on right channel
play mono

or with multi channel  3.(0/1) 5.(0/1)
- Music Stereo on left and right channel
- Native on center channel


create small test video and see if one or the other works with your system

[BG Davis]

Thank you.

I was thinking of a thread from 2013:
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http://avidemux.org/smif/index.php?topic=11885.0

Multiple Audio Tracks
Ã,« on: February 27, 2013, 06:57:30 PM Ã,»
Is the newest version able to add multiple audio tracks?  Thank you.
Re: Multiple Audio Tracks
Ã,« Reply #1 on: March 01, 2013, 07:52:32 AM Ã,»
Avidemux 2.6.1 should be able to handle 4 audio tracks. Not sure if you can add more then one track @ a time?
Re: Multiple Audio Tracks
Ã,« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2013, 06:28:21 PM Ã,»
Just so I am clear.  You can have a video with 1 vocal track and then add in a music track as well?
Re: Multiple Audio Tracks
Ã,« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2013, 07:57:34 PM Ã,»
Yes you have 4 tracks, you can copy/replace/add existing/new track(s). Main menu: Audio: Select Track: Audio Tracks Configuration.
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This is the part that interested me: "Just so I am clear.  You can have a video with 1 vocal track and then add in a music track as well?"
This is two tracks at the same time, or in succession.  Both would be playable.

I also just found this, which may answer the question (I'll try it):
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http://www.avidemux.org/admWiki/doku.php?id=using:dual_audio

Dual audio
Warning
Avidemux can only handle one audio track internally.
Nonetheless, there is a way to add a second audio track, with limited support and no processing at all on that second audio track.
Restrictions
The second audio track must be CBR, that is MP3 CBR or AC3. It only works when the output format is ââ,¬Å"AVI, dual audioââ,¬Â.
Adding a second audio track
To add a second audio track, use the Audio→Second Track menu item. After selecting it, set the output format to ââ,¬Å"AVI, dual audioââ,¬Â.
--------------------

[BG Davis]

Well, I tried to follow the instructions for "Dual Audio" but ran into a dead end.

The instructions say:
"use the Audio→Second Track menu item. After selecting it, set the output format to ââ,¬Å"AVI, dual audioââ,¬Â. "
There is no such option in any output menu.  So the instructions can't be followed.

I tried various combinations but none made any difference.  The top track (Track 1) will play, and when it is done, there is no more audio output.  It makes no difference whether or not the other tracks are activated.

[Roger Allott]

Just to be clear, I really don't think your problem is with Avidemux. The 'problem', if one exists, is with the fact that media players can only play one audio track at a time.

For example, in Media Player Classic, when you're playing your video you switch between audio tracks by selecting Play > Audio and choose which track you're hearing. Similarly, in VLC, select Audio > Audio Track and then choose.

If you want the viewer to have the option of choosing whether to hear music or background sound, or a comfortable combination of the two, I think Jan Gruuthuse's suggestion of having one on the left speaker and the other on the right is probably about as good as you'll get. However, that's not something you can do in Avidemux - you need to use something like Audacity to create the wav as I mentioned in my first response.

[Jan Gruuthuse]

Is the newest version able to add multiple audio tracks?

Yes

This is the part that interested me: "Just so I am clear.  You can have a video with 1 vocal track and then add in a music track as well?" This is two tracks at the same time, or in succession.

Yes

Both would be playable.

Yes: but they will never play together. It is either on or the other that plays. If you want music and original audio simultaneous while viewing the video: either you remix the audio channels as suggested by Roger or you split them over left and right channel. Like music left original audio right.

The wiki is mainly orientated at avidemux 2.4/2.5.
Anyway multi track is not going to do what you expect it should do.
Multi track is there to be able to switch between original audio and translated audio or Descriptive Audio for the Impaired. I'm not aware of any media player(s) able to play 2 or more audio tracks together.
Track contains channels
Elaborated audio editing is not within the reach of avidemux. You should use a program like audacity for doing so.
In short:
- Multiple audio track switch order of the tracks: Avidemux menu: Audio: Select track. Small demo: Multiple audio tracks changing default order on our Avidemux Demo YouTube channel
- Replace or delete an audio track: Avidemux menu
- Edit audio track by exporting in to audacity (windows requires audacity FFmpeg import/export library, found on Optional Downloads) and save to the required format.

[BG Davis]

" I'm not aware of any media player(s) able to play 2 or more audio tracks together."
Well, no.  But that's not the question.  The question was the possibility of:
1. Using Avidemux to create a video in which ambient audio on one (longer) audio track plays after music on the other (shorter) audio track has ended (my question) or
2. Using Avidemux to create a video in which vocal and music are blended or overlaid. (The question from 2013.)
Both of these can be done with NLEs like Premiere Elements xx, but that program can be a pain to work with at times and Avidemux is more convenient in many ways.

[Jan Gruuthuse]

1. Using Avidemux to create a video in which ambient audio on one (longer) audio track plays after music on the other (shorter) audio track has ended (my question)

no
- Provide a video to developer(s) that is doing this (video that is automatically switching track?).
- Time permitting, developer(s) could look at this and see if this could be done from within avidemux.

2. Using Avidemux to create a video in which vocal and music are blended or overlaid. (The question from 2013.)

no, use external audio editor like audacity.
Edit/cut video, save video, export audio and post process on external audio editor.