Brand new to this don't know where to start....adding music to slideshow

[hotmom25]

I am brand new to all of this, I am making a dvd slideshow and I would like to add bits and pieces of several different songs, but I have no clue where to begin...Can annyone point me in the right direcion?? Thanks in Advance! Mandy

[guns1inger]

What are you creating your slideshow in ?

Some software will let you add a single audio track and simply loop it if the slideshow runs longer than the audio.

Some will let you add several songs one after the other.

I don't know of any that let you edit the audio as well. This means either using an audio editor like audacity to edit the audio first, then adding it to your slideshow, or creating the whole project in a video editor instead, where you have total freedom.

Have a look at Microsoft Photostory for a free but powerful solution. The only problem is that it only outputs WMV files, however if you use the templates provided by Papa John (papajohn.org) you can get high bitrate, DVD resolution output ready for converting.

[hotmom25]

What are you creating your slideshow in ?

Some software will let you add a single audio track and simply loop it if the slideshow runs longer than the audio.

Some will let you add several songs one after the other.

I don't know of any that let you edit the audio as well. This means either using an audio editor like audacity to edit the audio first, then adding it to your slideshow, or creating the whole project in a video editor instead, where you have total freedom.

Have a look at Microsoft Photostory for a free but powerful solution. The only problem is that it only outputs WMV files, however if you use the templates provided by Papa John (papajohn.org) you can get high bitrate, DVD resolution output ready for converting.

I was planning on using windows movie maker, but it's important that I can use bits of several different songs.
I have roxio software isn't that a video editor? I'm sooo lost!! lol

[guns1inger]

Roxio is really a toy. Personally, I would not even install it.

Movie Maker can certainly do what you want and has some flexibility in audio editing department (some, not a lot). Photostory is like Movie Maker for slideshows. It has two advantages over Movie Maker.

1. It is dedicated to the task of slideshows, so all the tools are presented in a slideshow oriented manner

2. For a free Microsoft product, it is surprisingly clever. If you load the selection of photographs in and simply play the default transitions, you will be surprised how well it does. It works out which phtotos to pan across or tilt up and down on. Saves a lot of work.

[tin2tin]

I don't know if you ever got DVD slideshow GUI to work, but if you got it to work, here's a way to add music/naration to speciffic points during the slideshow:

DVD slideshow GUI:
1. Make your slideshow and save it.
2. Export as .avi.(Use whatever codec you like - the quality is not important, since it's only used as reference).

DubIt:
3. Download DubIt and install it(it's free).
4. Load your avi into DubIt.
5. Under Edit/Audio Properties - set it to CD quality.
6. Move the slider to the points where you want to add Naration/Music(wav only). Moving from left to right.
7. Make sure that you have some sound in/from the first frame(or else it will become out of sync later on).
8. When you're satisfied with you soundtrack select File/Split/Save Audio as... and save a wav file.
[I guess that this part could be done in Windows Movie Maker too? Edit: No, it can only export wmp...]

DVD slideshow GUI:
9. Now in DVD slideshow GUI load this new .wav file under Presets/Music.
10. Export to whatever format you like ex. iso and burn with ImgBurn (it's free) and you'll have a slideshow dvd with music/naration in sync with the images.

[tmh]

WMM can certainly do what you want. however, your output may need some work, depending on what you want. Is it going to be a DVD you make? File for sharing online? Video CD? What?

In WMM you just drag and drop the photos in the timeline, then do the same with the songs. The songs can be cut to whatever size you want.

[hotmom25]

WMM can certainly do what you want. however, your output may need some work, depending on what you want. Is it going to be a DVD you make? File for sharing online? Video CD? What?

In WMM you just drag and drop the photos in the timeline, then do the same with the songs. The songs can be cut to whatever size you want.

It's going to be on dvd. I gave up on dvdgui and moved on to WMM and I downloaded audacity for the audio (which is working surprisingly well for me, considering ) I've already gotten some audio in the slideshow, It's just a matter of preference now, and lots of cutting and pasting..
Is there something I need to know about putting it to dvd when I am finished?

[tmh]

both the audio and photos should be just select, and drop into the timeline in WMM, not too difficult. Adjust the photos (time each sows, etc.) then cut the songs to match. All this should go fine in WMM. However, after this step (editing) you'll need something else to make it into a DVD because WMM can't.

After all your editing is done and you have the video you want in WMM you should output it to DV-Avi (one of the output choices). Name this output file and make sure youknow where it's being put on your hard drive. This output file should be playable on your computer so you can check it out.

Now, you need to encode to DVD compliant (mpeg2 video), Author then burn. A free program like DVD Flick can combine these steps to make it easier, especially for beginners. So you'd open DVD Flick (or other program), open the DV-Avi output file you made rom WMM. Thyen have DVD flick process it to DVD compatable and burn (not sure if DVD Flick burns or you'll need another program for this). IMGBurn can burn if Flick does not.

If you arenew to this, it will all sound very complicated! Just go at it for a while and you'll get it figured out. Ask questions as you try the various steps. there are plenty of guides here for each step also.

[hotmom25]

both the audio and photos should be just select, and drop into the timeline in WMM, not too difficult. Adjust the photos (time each sows, etc.) then cut the songs to match. All this should go fine in WMM. However, after this step (editing) you'll need something else to make it into a DVD because WMM can't.

After all your editing is done and you have the video you want in WMM you should output it to DV-Avi (one of the output choices). Name this output file and make sure youknow where it's being put on your hard drive. This output file should be playable on your computer so you can check it out.

Now, you need to encode to DVD compliant (mpeg2 video), Author then burn. A free program like DVD Flick can combine these steps to make it easier, especially for beginners. So you'd open DVD Flick (or other program), open the DV-Avi output file you made rom WMM. Thyen have DVD flick process it to DVD compatable and burn (not sure if DVD Flick burns or you'll need another program for this). IMGBurn can burn if Flick does not.

If you arenew to this, it will all sound very complicated! Just go at it for a while and you'll get it figured out. Ask questions as you try the various steps. there are plenty of guides here for each step also.

Thank you so much, I actually understood what you said! great job! LOL I'm learning so much so fast, thanks to everone in this forum. You guys have been especially helpful. Thanks again!