Learning Sony Vegas

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.

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.