help! adding background music

[Keier]

I'm newb and need some help..

I have a video .avi file where there are 2 persons talking, i.e a conversation. During this conversation, I want to add some background music (.mp3) without removing the original audio (i.e. the conversation)... Is it possible? With which program?

[WishMaker]

Many programs will do this, but if you just want to try it out immediately, you can use the free program, Windows Movie Maker, that is already on your computer. WindowsXP and Vista versions.

Add the .avi clip/s to the timeline
Add the mp3 music to the extra audio track. (There's only one extra in WMM)
Preview to see if the music is drowning out the conversation. If it is, right click on the audio portion directly under the clip. There's something called volume. Make the volume louder and test in preview.
If you only want part of the conversation, you can split the clip. Right click on the audio of the clip you don't want conversation and choose Mute.

PS: You can also adjust the volume of the mp3 track.

[Keier]

thanks for responding. Aside from Windows movie maker, are there any other programs recommended for doing this? Can u do it in, for instance, Avidemux?

Cause when I save the edited video in WMM, the quality takes some heavy damage even though i save it in highest quality possible.

the file I use is a wmw9 120 fps avi file.

[guns1inger]

Demux the audio using virtualdubmod.
Load the movie audio into Audacity as one track.
Load the mp3 music file into Audacity as the second track.
Adjust the music volume levels as required so you can still hear the dialogue.
Save a new audio track from audacity.
Use virtualdubmod to replace the original track with the new track.

[Keier]

Demux the audio using virtualdubmod.
Load the movie audio into Audacity as one track.
Load the mp3 music file into Audacity as the second track.
Adjust the music volume levels as required so you can still hear the dialogue.
Save a new audio track from audacity.
Use virtualdubmod to replace the original track with the new track.

Okay' ive done everything until "Save a new audio track from audacity". What format should I save it in? mp3? Cause when I demuxed I got an .ac3 file, do I need to have it in .ac3 when i replace it ? In Audacity you can't save it as .ac3, only as .mp3 or .wav.

"Use virtualdubmod to replace the original track with the new track." Can you please explain in detail how to do this? Would be greatly appreciated.

[poisondeathray]

Saving as .mp3 is fine, if that's what you want your final AVI to have

In vdubmod, streams=>stream list=>add

(In vdub, it's audio=>audio from other file)

Now video=>direct stream copy

then file=>save as

Cheers

[tinker]

You cannot use mp3 on DVD, unless it is DivX.
You can use wav similar to LPCM or convert to ac3 using BeSweet with BeLight(GUI), both free.

[Keier]

YES! It worked.

Thanks for answering so "in detail" and fast, poisondeathray & tinker.