Mary, sounds like it hasn't been a good night. A few questions so that I will understand better and can attempt to make additional suggestions.
(1)Approximately how many total pictures are you attempting to utilize for the project?
(2)How many pictures are you attempting to put in each of the separate slideshows/segments?
(3)Is each of the 17 slideshows/segments you referred to a separate city (or some other logical break)?
(4)Are you using typical popular music (i.e. 3 to 4 minutes long) for each of your segments?

David

Hi David,

1. I have 660 Photos
2. Various numbers of photos. Some days are shorter than others.
3. We were gone 18 days, so basically one slideshow per day.
4. I went on Amazon and bought MP3s of music people suggested for Alaska slideshows. I also found some nature music I liked. Unfortunately I did not pay attention to the time on all of them. I did learn I need to do that in the future. I think that would have helped some.

I did finish the slideshow and I am burning it right now. Even though the songs faded at the end of each slideshow in Elements, when I sent them all to Premiere and then played the slideshow, they did not fade. They stop abruptly at the end of each slideshow. I just have to try to figure out how to fade them within Premiere. I know Premiere has that capability, but I just can't figure it out. I really need a good book or good class to learn how to interpret this program. However, for a first slideshow ever with music, I am pretty pleased with it. Still lots to learn, but this was a good start. Thanks for all your help.

Glad to hear things worked out for you, Mary!

Steve,
I assume from your name that you are the one who wrote the Muvpix book on Premiere Elements 7. I have a question about the book. I have read it would be good for Premiere Elements 4 also. Would you agree? Also, is it written for the person who has never used video editing software? I have done many searches on both Adobe and Google. Sometimes I find my questions asked, but when I read the answers, they assume I know far more than I do. I need very basic knowledge. For example, I found instructions to help me learn how to fade music in Premiere Element which said: "click on the audio track." Well, I have no clue where to find the audio track. Then the next direction I read said to "place the play head where you want the music to begin to fade." Again, I have no clue where or what a play head is. Doing a search in the Premiere Element help did not provide any results. As you can see, I need the very basic instruction, step by step. Do you think your book would help me out?

Nice of you to recognize my name, Mary!

Yes, the interfaces of version 4 and version 7 are similar enough that nearly all of the book would be applicable. And, even those that aren't (version 7 has a more advanced Organizer, for instance), the principles are the same.

The book is definitely written for the novice as well as the somewhat experienced user who wants to get to know the program better. I go through nearly every tool in every workspace and explain how to use it.

Additionally, you can look up any task (gathering clips and transitions on the timeline or sceneline, adding and adjusting effects, creating motion paths, creating slideshows, customizing DVD menus) and I'll walk you through the process of doing it.

Does that sound like something you can use?

Even though the songs faded at the end of each slideshow in Elements,
when I sent them all to Premiere and then played the slideshow, they did
not fade.




Steve and Mary,

On page 75 of Steve's book it says "Fades in and out of a clip are most easily achieved by right clicking on a clip in your timeline or sceneline and selecting the Fade In or Fade Out option" (sorry for any typos). That seems like the simplest solution for Mary.

Steve,
For Mary's problem of not seeing the Audio track, is that merely a matter of scrolling to see the audio tracks?

Most likely.

Usually, in timeline mode, you can see the Main Three audio tracks by default (Audio 1, Narration & Soundtrack). If your clip ends up on another audio track, you may need to scroll the timeline panel up to see it.

And, if you're editing in sceneline mode and the audio ends up on another audio track YOU WON'T SEE IT AT ALL! (Which is why I recommend everyone work in timeline mode.) Sceneline mode only displays the Soundtrack and Narration tracks, with the Audio 1 track "implied" as part of the main video track.

<<<<<For Mary's problem of not seeing the Audio track, is that merely a matter of scrolling to see the audio tracks? >>>>

Barb, it is very possible I am seeing an Audio Track, but I just don't know what it looks like. That is why I need very detailed instructions. I plan on ordering Steve's book at this point to help me along.

<<<On page 75 of Steve's book it says "Fades in and out of a clip are most easily achieved by right clicking on a clip in your timeline or sceneline and selecting the Fade In or Fade Out option" (sorry for any typos). That seems like the simplest solution for Mary.>>>>

I just got stumped again. I tried this and when I right click on what is the last slide of my slideshow, I do not get the option of Fade In or Fade out. Here are the options that are available when I right click the last slide (which I assume is the term 'clip' that you are referring to):

Set Menu Marker
Delete scene and its objects
delete just scene
show properties

You're right-clicking on the the timeline, not the clip, Mary.

Click to select the clip and then right-click on it. You'll see the Fade menus.

I must need a definition of "clip." I left clicked with my mouse on the last slide of my first section. This slide is the one I want the music to fade out on before a new music selection starts for the next slide. When I left click on this slide a blue box appears around the slide. Then I right click and a menu comes up. However, the only choices are the ones I listed in my previous post.

I have been doing more reading in the Help section and I am beginning to wonder if the problem has something to do with my video and audio clips not being linked. Since the music plays with the slides, I assumed they were linked, but now I am thinking maybe not.

As you can tell, I am very overwhelmed with this program. I learned Word Perfect, Word, Excel, Access and Photoshop Elements 4 as well as few other simple programs. However, I seem totally over my head with this program. I have no intuition when it comes to this video editing. I will get there, I know I will. I firmly believe in keeping the brain active and learning something new everyday. I have taught myself many things and usually if I have a good set of instructions, I can do whatever I set out to do. I just haven't found those instructions yet. I will be getting your book, but will probably have to wait until Christmas, unless my local library purchases it as I requested. Meanwhile, I will keep looking at it and trying to figure it out.