Why a Lens on Learning Sony Vegas?
Look through the video editing shelves at any book store, and you'll find multiple volumes related to the most popular non-linear editing applications from the three A's: Apple, Avid, and Adobe. But, sadly, there doesn't seem to be very much out there for learning Sony Vegas. It's a very intuitive, flexible, and powerful program, but it doesn't get a lot of press. If you are a new Sony Vegas user or have been around for a while and want to further your education, fear not, there actually are sources available for learning how to use and get the most out of Sony Vegas.
This lens will help you find books, websites, videos, and fellow Sony Vegas users that provide tips on everything from basic skills to advanced effects.
This lens will help you find books, websites, videos, and fellow Sony Vegas users that provide tips on everything from basic skills to advanced effects.
Start With the Manual
As obvious at it sounds, the manual often gets overlooked
Often when a new Sony Vegas user opens up his purchase, he picks up the Quick Start Guide, sighs "Is that all there is?" and begins posting to online forums every question that comes to mind.
What many don't realize is that the Quick Start Guide is not the manual. Yes, dear friends, there is a Sony Vegas manual. But the days of printed manual are, for the most part long gone, as software publishers try to save trees (and money). Which is why you'll find the manual in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format both on the Vegas installation disc (if you purchased the program in physical form) and on the Sony Creative Software website (however you purchased the program).
The full manual is over 400 pages and should be able to answer most of your basic questions about the Vegas interface, terminology, and editing conventions. Also, the online help in Vegas covers the same information. Chances are good that what you want to know is already covered there. When you have a question that the manual doesn't explain, then it's time to seek the help of your fellow Vegas users online.
What many don't realize is that the Quick Start Guide is not the manual. Yes, dear friends, there is a Sony Vegas manual. But the days of printed manual are, for the most part long gone, as software publishers try to save trees (and money). Which is why you'll find the manual in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format both on the Vegas installation disc (if you purchased the program in physical form) and on the Sony Creative Software website (however you purchased the program).
The full manual is over 400 pages and should be able to answer most of your basic questions about the Vegas interface, terminology, and editing conventions. Also, the online help in Vegas covers the same information. Chances are good that what you want to know is already covered there. When you have a question that the manual doesn't explain, then it's time to seek the help of your fellow Vegas users online.
Online Forums for Help with Sony Vegas
You don't have to learn alone
Have a look at these online forums to interact with other Sony Vegas hobbyists and professionals alike. You'll have to register if you want to post your own messages, but most will let you read their archives whether you register or not.
- Sony Creative Software Forums
- These are the official peer support forums for users of Sony Creative Software applications. Sony employees don't post much, but there are dozens if not hundreds of amateur and professional users alike willing and able to share tips and advice. Each Sony application has a separate forum, with the Sony Vegas Pro forum being by far the most popular (over 50,000 posts as of this writing).
- Creative Cow Forums
- Creative COW (Communities of the World) is a website with tutorials, news, and other resources for a wide range of multimedia creators. It also hosts almost 200 related forums, with two specifically for Sony Vegas. There is a general Sony Vegas forum and a more specific Sony Vegas Basics forum, although the distinction seems to be by name only. There are no descriptions on the forums nor any criteria listed for what should qualify as "basic" discussion. As such, there's quite a bit of overlap between the two forums. Nonetheless, there are Vegas professionals ready to help.
- Digital Media Net (DMN) Forums
- Similar to Creative COW, DMN also hosts tutorials, news, and other information for multimedia types. The range of applications covered is more limited, though, and the forums are less active. Still, if you don't find the answers you seek elsewhere, there may be someone here who can help you.
- Digital Director Forums
- This site has selection of video related forums including ones for various editing programs. For some unknown reason, they've grouped Sony Vegas and Ulead MediaStudio into one forum. At any rate, it's a reasonably active forum with a decent archive of questions / answers to look through and helpful participants.
- Muvipix Community
- The Muvipix website contains several articles and resources related to video editing, as well as a forum for people interested in same. The Muvipix Community, as it's called, has discussion categories centered around editing tools, plugins, cameras, and some general topics like computer problems. Although a large majority of the site is geared toward Adobe Premiere and Premiere Elements, there is a fair amount of discussion on Sony Vegas in the Video Editors topic (not to mention DVD Architect in the DVD Authoring topic).
Digital Audio and Video Production
A useful companion to the Sony Vegas manual
The DAVP, as it's known, is essentially like a lesson book straight from the source. The book (between 150 and 200 pages) goes over the basics of the Vegas interface and features. Along the way, the reader is presented with helpful tips, tasks to perform, and end-of-the-chapter quizzes. The bonus disc includes all of the media and project files used in the book's exercises. (Hint: The answers to the quizzes are not in the book, but they are in a file on the bonus disc.) A must have, in my opinion, especially if you plan to take either (SCVU or SCVE) of Sony's certification exams. Cost for the Digital Audio and Video Production book is $50. Training Videos for Sale
Load up Vegas, pop a training DVD in the player, and follow along
Books for learning Sony Vegas are a bit scarce, but there is a good selection of training videos available. Be sure to check the Amazon and eBay listings below for current deals on these and similar products.
- VASST DVDs
- VASST (stands for Video Audio Software Support Training) writers software and provides training for several multimedia related applications, and Sony Vegas is no exception. Probably considered Sony's preferred Vegas trainers, VASST has produced a series of very complete videos for each version for several years. Their Absolute Training DVDs can be purchased as individual volumes (most are $59) or as a nine volume set ($399).
- Vegas Companion
- Gary Kleiner has also been producing an in-depth set of videos for Sony Vegas for a number of years. His latest Vegas Pro 8 Companion is a 12 DVD set that covers the basics, advanced tips, and the newest features of Vegas Pro 8. The set can be purchased for $169. For more info, see this review of the Vegas Pro 8 Companion.
In May 2009, Kleiner released a Vegas Pro 9 Primer outlining the new features of the latest version of Vegas. No word yet on if there will be a Vegas Pro 9 Companion set. - The Seminar Series
- This two DVD set direct from Sony ($99) apparently only covers features that are new in the current version of Vegas rather than being an overview or even introduction to the program itself. Disc two is made up of the videos from disc one (this time as computer files) and exercise files.
Materials for Sale at Amazon.com
Books and Videos for Learning Sony Vegas
Editing How-to Videos with Sony Vegas Movie Studio
Not a beginner's guide to Sony Vegas Movie Studio, but rather one on how use what you may already know in order to create a specific kind of video. (As the title says, How-to videos.) See how the trainer trains so that you that might become a trainer, too.
Amazon Price: $44.00 (as of 11/10/2009) 
Editing Made Easy with Sony Vegas Movie Studio
For Sony Vegas Movie Studio beginners, Gordon White's set of 50 videos (about 110 minutes) gives an overview of the interface and tools available.
Amazon Price: $39.97 (as of 11/10/2009)
The Vegas Pro 8 Companion - 18+ Hours of In-Depth Training for Sony Vegas Editing Software
This Sony Vegas Pro 8 set from Gary Kleiner is 12 DVDs of training totaling over 18 hours. Everything is covered here to not only get you familiar with the Vegas environment but teach you to edit efficiently and professionally.
Amazon Price: (as of 11/10/2009)
Vegas Pro 8 Editing Workshop (DV Expert Series)
Trainer Douglass Spotted Eagle returns with the lastest Vegas Editing Workshop book, this time for Sony Vegas Pro 8. The accompanying disc contains several example projects as well as stock footage with which to experiment
Amazon Price: $32.97 (as of 11/10/2009)
Materials for Sale on eBay
More Books and Videos for Learning Sony Vegas
These items are chosen dynamically. As such, I do not necessarily endorse any item nor seller you see here. Be sure to read item descriptions carefully and check a seller's feedback before you bid. As with the Amazon listings, be careful that the item(s) you're considering are for the right version of Sony Vegas or Sony Vegas Movie Studio.
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Sites with Sony Vegas Tutorials
Step-by-step instructions from other Vegas users
Look how helpful your fellow Sony Vegas users are! Here are several websites where others have posted free tutorials for using Vegas.
- Vegas Video Help
- This is a site / blog I started myself in late 2008. It is primarily tutorials, tips, and (occasional) news about Sony Vegas and DVD Architect.
- VASST Shared Resources
- The VASST website has a section where registered users (of the site, not necessarily of Vegas) can submit tutorials and files for others to view / download.
- Creative COW Tutorials
- This page at Creative COW is labeled Sony Vegas Tutorials, but it seems to be a mix of reviews, tutorials, and other articles...and not all directly related to Vegas. Not much has been posted lately, but even most of the old articles are still relevant (and useful!).
- Expert Village
- A video tutorial website. On my last attempt, there were about 140 results for a search on "sony vegas", but about half them were not actually about Sony Vegas. But the correct results are helpful and well produced.
- Pixel2Life
- Pixel2Life is a community geared toward graphic designers and programmers, but there is quite a selection of Vegas tutorials that cover some of the basics and several methods of building effects.
Comments about Learning Sony Vegas?
Have you used any of these sources for learning Sony Vegas? Any others you can recommend?
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by bstro
Rob has been using Sony Vegas since sometime in 2004 when it was Sonic Foundry Vegas. (more)
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