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What are the leading editing tools available that also have good textbooks for them? I'd like to learn making videos based on Fraps footage: manage multiple audio tracks, cut/move pieces of audio, possibly record and insert pieces of audio right on the spot, add text on top of video, add fade in/out effects between pieces of video, etc.

I imagine there are several such products, so I'll try to be more specific: it should be modern, easy to use, not buggy, able to use all CPU cores for the rendering and have good tutorial to learn all its stuff.

Ideas?

Thanks.

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  • This is a very broad question, can you be a bit more specific, do you need to buy hardware (PC etc), most of what you described can be done with just about all modern NLE's does it need to be Free, paid for, but you can look into the major ones, Adobe Premier Pro, Lightworks, Sony Vegas, Davinci resolve is quite good right now.
    – Adam Mann Pro
    Dec 22, 2014 at 14:31
  • @AJHenderson I think you have blackmagicdesign.com/uk/products/davinciresolve/edit version 11 is a full NLE with Grading but it does have quite high system specs but it will be my main edit system for short films but quick edits are FCPX for me
    – Adam Mann Pro
    Dec 22, 2014 at 20:18
  • @AdamMannPro - very intriguing. More reason for me to sit down with Resolve Lite and play I suppose. That's pretty sweet. I <3 BlackMagic Design.
    – AJ Henderson ♦
    Dec 22, 2014 at 20:45
  • @AJHenderson I was surprised when I first heard about it as well, I am annoyed tho as you need a MBP with retina display or you loose sections of the NLE which is rubbish, so I will only be using it on projects where I will be on my MP only for everything else FCPX as it works on both for now
    – Adam Mann Pro
    Dec 22, 2014 at 20:59
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    Free: Lightworks, Davince Resolve 11, Paid: Adobe Premier Pro or Elements, Sony vegas but as stated above, it is more about the skill rather than the software I think @AJHenderson covered it pretty well
    – Adam Mann Pro
    Dec 23, 2014 at 13:36

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Video editing software is a tool to do video editing. Any decent textbook should teach video editing, not video editing software.

Conversely if you know how to edit, most NLEs (the technical term for video editing software) should be pretty intuitive. I can sit down at any decent NLE you put in front of me and start editing without a manual, but I've been editing for 15+ years.

In terms of NLE software with good documentation, Premiere has very nice documentation and is a very solid platform, but it also isn't the cheapest option out there.

Overall, I would recommend not focusing on the NLE software and more on how to edit though.

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  • Accepting because it's from someone with 15+ years experience with a straight software recommendation. Thanks. Their CC subscription plan looks good to me.
    – Yuri Ushakov
    Dec 23, 2014 at 11:00
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    @YuriUshakov - as a note, while I appreciate the accept, you don't need to accept my answer right away just because I'm experienced. Others may still write fantastic answers that are more deserving of the accept than mine. In fact, I was hoping someone might respond with some examples of good learning resources that teach editing but also guide through a particular NLE (non-linear editor is what that stands for by the way). The down side to having done editing at various levels for 15 years is that most of the resources I know of for learning are a bit dated at this point.
    – AJ Henderson ♦
    Dec 23, 2014 at 14:40

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