Creation of slow or fast motion video effect with Premiere Elements Time Stretch is often associated with varying degrees of degraded or distorted audio for audio that is linked to the video depending on how much the Time Stretch Speed % is lower and increased from 100%. Use of the "Maintain Audio Pitch" option of the Time Stretch dialog can minimize this type of problem to a certain degree.
ISSUE
Someone posted wanting to speed up a clip by 10 to 15% using Premiere Elements 10 Windows Time Stretch and used the "Maintain Audio Pitch" thinking to avoid problems with the associated audio. He was pleased with the fast motion video effect achieved, but not with the resulting accompanying audio quality. As he put it, although his people did not sound like chipmunks, the overall audio quality was significantly degraded. What to do?
SOLUTION
Fast motion without audio degradation or distortion was achieved by not selecting "Maintaining Audio Pitch" option in Time Stretch dialog and applying the Pitch Shifter audio effect to the clip prior to applying the fast motion effect to the clip via Time Stretch dialog Speed %. The answers for this task in Premiere Elements are in the settings of the Pitch Shifter audio effect.
Initially a Google search did not turn up any articles specific to this Premiere Elements issue. But an online article was found which addressed Maintain Audio Pitch and included a post by someone mentioning success with the audio "Pitch Shifter" in a workflow other than what I sought. But the "Pitch Shifter" idea seed was planted and what I post bloomed.
The How To to be described is for Premiere Elements 10 but works in Premiere Elements 11*, 10, 8.0/8.0.1, 7, and 4 which all have the Pitch Shifter audio effect and a selection of presets from which to choose. Although Premiere Elements 9.0/9.0.1** does have the Pitch Shifter audio effect, it does not come with the presets. The user would need to figure out the appropriate settings or know the preset parameters from one of the versions that does come with them.
What is described below are details of what worked using Premiere Elements 10 and with the specific Time Stretch Speed % of 150 or 120. Different Pitch Shifter presets may or may not be appropriate for other Time Stretch % values.
HOW TO
Fast Motion - Time Stretch Speed = 150% Specifics
1. To the clip, apply the Audio Effect named Pitch Shifter.
2. In the Properties Palette/Pitch Shifter Panel for clip, look to the far right of the Pitch Shifter Panel to where it has an icon for Presets. Select the Preset = Booo! Refer to Figure 1.
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| Figure 1. PE10 Time Stretch Speed% 150. Pitch Shifter Preset Booo! |
3. Go back to the clip on the Timeline, right click the clip, select Time Stretch, and, in Time Stretch dialog, set Speed (I used 150%). DO NOT PUT A CHECK MARK NEXT TO MAINTAIN AUDIO PITCH.
Fast Motion - Time Stretch Speed = 120% Specifics
1. To the clip, apply the Audio Effect named Pitch Shifter.
2. In the Properties Palette/Pitch Shifter Panel for clip, look to the far right of the Pitch Shifter Panel to where it has an icon for Presets. Select the Preset = Female becomes a secret agent". Refer to Figure 2.
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| PE10 Time Stretch Speed % 120. Pitch Shifter Preset Female Becomes A Secret Agent. |
3. Go back to the clip on the Timeline, right click the clip, select Time Stretch, and, in Time Stretch dialog, set Speed % (I used 120%). DO NOT PUT A CHECK MARK NEXT TO MAINTAIN AUDIO PITCH.
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*Premiere Elements 11 in which this approach also works has a different interface than Premiere Elements 4 through 10. Consequently, Step 2 "Properties Palette/Pitch Shifter Panel..." would be replaced by "Applied Effect Palette/Pitch Shifter Panel". See Figure 3.
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| Figure 3. PE11 Time Stretch Speed 150%. Pitch Shifter Preset Booo! |
** For Premiere Elements 9.0/9.0.1. Users
Premiere Elements 9.0/9.0.1 Pitch Shifter Panel presents with no presets. Custom and Individual Parameters options can be set by figuring out one's own settings. But the settings for the Pitch Shifter presets used in other versions can be typed in Premiere Elements 9.0/9.0.l Pitch Shifter. Premiere Elements 9.0/9.0.1 with the typed in parameters for Female Becomes Secret Agent and Booo! presets gave the same results when using Time Stretch Speed % 120 or 150 as did the versions that come with these presets.
DEFAULT
Custom
Pitch = +0 semi-t
Fine Tune = + cents
Format Preserve with check mark.
Individual Parameters
Pitch = 0semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = ON
Settings for Presets used in the other versions....
FEMALE BECOMES SECRET AGENT
Custom
Pitch = -2 semi-t
Fine Tune = -50 cents
Format Preserve with NO check mark
Individual Parameters
Pitch = -2semitone
FineTune = -50cents
FormatPreserve = OFF
CARTOON MOUSE
Custom
Pitch = +12 semitone
Fine Tune = +0 cents
Format Preserve with NO check mark
Individual Parameters
Pitch = 12semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = OFF
BOOO!
Custom
Pitch = -12 semitone
Fine Tune = +0 cents
Format Preserve with NO check mark
Indivdual Parameters
Pitch = -12semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = OFF
SORE THROAT
Custom
Pitch = -12 semitone
Fine Tune = +0 cents
Format Preserve with check mark
Individual Parameters
Pitch = -12semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = ON
A THIRD HIGHER
Custom
Pitch = +4 semitone
Fine Tune = +0 cents
Format Preserve with check mark
Individual Parameters
Pitch = 4semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = ON
BREATHLESS
Custom
Pitch = +12 semitone
Fine Tune = +0 cents
Format Preserve with check mark
Individual Parameters
Pitch = 12semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = ON
SLIGHTLY DETUNED
Custom
Pitch = +0 semitone
Fine Tune = +32 cents
Format Preserve with check mark
Individual Parameters
Pitch = 0semitone
FineTune = 32cents
FormatPreserve = ON
A QUINT UP
Custom
Pitch = +7 semitone
Fine Tune = +0 cents
Format Preserve with check mark
Individual Parameters
Pitch = 7semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = ON
A QUINT DOWN
Custom
Pitch = -7 semitone
Fine Tune = +0 cents
Format Preserve with check mark
Indivdual Parameters
Pitch = -7semitone
FineTune = 0cents
FormatPreserve = ON
