Audio and video sync by waveform, timecode and slate
Sync the whole shoot in one click: the sound of every clip is compared with the others and the offset is measured to the sample. Cameras, recorders and phones fall into place in one pass, even without a slate or timecode.
Other systems: Mac with Intel or Windows
The whole project in one click
Each clip's sound is compared with the others and the offset is measured to the sample. If there is timecode, the app uses it; if you shot with a slate, it finds the clap. Cameras, recorders and phones fall into place in one pass.
- Six methods: “Auto: sound + recording time”, “Sound only”, “Slate + sound”, “Timecode” (including LTC recorded on an audio track), “Recording time”, “File order”
- Sound from every camera channel and track; out-of-phase channels don't cancel out
- Clips are found by sound even if the camera clock was changed during the day
- A shoot over several days or shoot days goes into one project, in order; every shooting day gets its own sequence, saved to the project folder on its own
- Only need sync? The “In the edit room” mode shows only “Sync” and “Export”: drop in the camera and sound folders
- Manual edits: nudge by a frame, lock, “Sync to…”; A/B listening
Synchronization complete
Needs review
F002 · IMG_0412.MOV · by file time
F002 · IMG_0415.MOV · by file time
Different recording speed
Recorder: 40 ppm, 96 ms by the end
Clock drift correction
The clocks in a camera and a recorder run at slightly different speeds. On a short clip you can't tell; on a long interview the sound is a few frames behind by the end. MultiSyncer measures each device's speed and resamples the sound to the camera's speed into new WAVs next to the export.
- On a real shoot a 24–81 ppm mismatch became 2–4 ppm
- A long clip's start is taken from the drift line, not the first match
- The original files are not touched; new ones are created
How it works
- Add the footage
After the offload it is already in the project. Only need sync? “In the edit room” mode: drop in the camera and sound folders.
- Press “Synchronize”
The app picks the method itself: sound, timecode, slate or recording time. You can also set the method by hand.
- Check the result
You see how many clips landed by sound, by timecode and by slate. A clip with no shared sound is clearly marked: it is placed by file time.
- Hand it to the edit
Every shooting day gets its own sequence. Export to Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro or Avid.
FAQ
How do I sync audio and video?
Add the camera and sound folders and press “Synchronize”. The sound of every clip is compared with the others and the offset is measured to the sample; if there is timecode, the app uses it, and if you shot with a slate, it finds the clap. The ready sequence opens straight away in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro or Avid.
Do I need timecode or a slate?
No. The app finds shared sounds across all recordings. If there is timecode (including LTC recorded on an audio track) or a slate, they are used too; you can also sync by slate or by timecode on their own.
The sound slides by the end of a long take. What do I do?
It is clock drift: the clocks in the camera and in the recorder run at slightly different speeds. MultiSyncer measures the speed of every device and resamples the sound to the camera's speed into new WAV files next to the export. The original files are not touched.
How accurate is the sync?
The offset by sound is measured to the sample. Every version is tested on real shoots: clip positions are checked against sync done by hand by an editor. For long takes there's clock drift correction.
What if a clip shares no sound with the others?
It is placed by timecode or by its camera's clock, matched to that camera's other clips. Any clip's position can be adjusted by hand: nudge by a frame, lock, “Sync to…”.
The shoot ran over several days. Is that one project?
Yes. Days and shoot days, even months apart, are synced as a whole: they line up in order without overlaps, and long breaks turn into a minute on the timeline.
I only need sync. Can I skip the card offload?
Yes. Choose “In the edit room” and only “Sync” and “Export” remain. Drop the camera and sound folders into the window: they land on tracks and get synced. The mode is chosen at first launch and changed in “Settings”: “Where you work”.
Other features
- Article: how to sync audio and video
- Article: audio out of sync in editing
- Article: syncing without a clapper
- Guide: checking and fixing sync by hand
- Guide: several days and shoot days in one project
- Guide: “In the edit room” mode and importing a started project
- Guide: multitrack recorders and iXML
- Offload
- Footage QC
- Export
- Reports
- An overview of the whole app on the home page
Try it on your next shoot
14 days every feature works with no key and no sign-up. macOS and Windows.