5.1 Surround audio mixing

Does anyone have some recommendations for a good 5.1 surround audio mixing program?

You might be interested in my post from the Compressor forum on exporting from FCP to Compressor 2 for Dolby Digital:
Here is my procedure for a basic 5 channel project consiting of one stereo pair for the front speakers, a mono track for the center, and a stereo pair for the rear speakers.
First make a copy of your FCP surround project and name it as such.
i.e. My Project saved as My Project_surround
This will leave your original project untouched as a two channel mix should you wish to provide the user of your DVD with a seperate mix optimized for stereo only playback.
We will now be changing audio track assignments.
"My Project_surround" will now not play all tracks in your stereo audio monitoring environment unless you have a soundcard with at least 5 outputs.feeding a surround speaker set-up.
(or you use the Audio Mixer from the Tools drop down to monitor a downmix to two channels)
Open My Project_surround.
Let's assume that your timeline has a stereo pair "A1/A2" for the front L/R speakers, a mono file "A5" for the Center, and a stereo pair "A3/A4" for the rear speakers, Ls, Rs.
Use command "0" (zero) to open the project properties.
Go to the Audio Outputs tab.
Choose 6 from the Outputs Tab.
in the 1/2 grouping choose stereo (leave downmix at "0").
in the 3/4 grouping choose stereo (leave downmix at "0")
in the 5/6 grouping choose "dual mono" (turn off 6 using the downmix drop-down)
Click OK. (ignore the warning that pops up)
In your timeline we will assign your tracks to the appropriate output channels.
In the empty gray area next to the lock icon on track A1 right click, or control click, and you will get a dropdown menu
In the audio outputs sub menu choose 1 & 2.
Do the same for A2. (choose 1 & 2)
For A3 and A4 use the same procedure now choosing outputs 3 & 4.
For A5 choose 5.
Save the project.
In FCP export menu choose Export/Audio to AIFF(s)
(create a new folder on your media drive to hold your exported files)
You will get four files named after the project appended by: 1-2, 3-4, 5 and 6.
Delete "6" as it is a dummy/empty file.
Close your project.
Close FCP.
Open Compressor. In the batch window click on the speaker icon to open the "import surround sound group".
In the graphical interface either drag the file with the 1-2 suffix to the left speaker icon, or click the icon and choose the file.
Compressor will intelligently assign the left channel of the file.
Repeat by dragging or choosing the same file for the right speaker.
Compressor will intelligently assign the right channel of the file.
For the mono center file either drag the file with the "5" suffix to the center speaker icon, or click the icon and choose the file.
Use the same procedure for the Ls and Rs assignments.
Once done click OK.
Click to select your new group in the Batch window and from the dropdown menu choose "audio formats/Dolby 5.1"
Setting up your Dolby settings as a preset for this project is now up to you.

Similar Messages

5.1 Audio Mixer window

Can anyone tell me what the order of the meters are in a 5.1 project with a 5.1 audio master? The meters appear to be L, R, Ls, Rs, C, Lfe while the surcode plugin is looking for L,R,C,Lfe,Ls,Rs.
Is there any way to change the order of the audio mixer meter to ensure it matches with the surcode plugin?
Also, is there any way to send audio exclusively to the Lfe instead of to L,R,Ls,Rs and Lfe?
THX!

There are several questions and considerations here.
1. the order of the VU meters is predicated on the Audio Tracks (AT) in PrPro. At this stage of things, you place source material on the various AT's and then position them spatially. Effects (say a filter on an AT that you want to go to the LFE channel) also can play a role, but you make the decisions.
2. the "standard order of channels in say a WMA file, with the individual tracks set for stripping to discreet mono WAV elements, is as per below:
Track Number
Track Name
1
Left (front)
2
Right (front)
3
Center (front)
4
LFE
5
Left Surround (rear)
6
Right Surround (rear)
Now, with the SurCode DD 5.1 SS encoding, things change a bit. This does come into play if you go to a program, like Audition:
Track Number
Track Name
1
Left (front)
2
Center (front)
3
Right (front)
4
Left Surround (rear)
5
Right Surround (rear)
6
LFE
Hope that this helps. If you are Importing and placing "standard" discreet SS files onto AT's, use the first table. [I also rename each AT to reflect exactly what is going to be one it.] If you are Exporting, via SurCode to then plan on using table #2, when dealing with the discrete mono files.
Hunt

Kmixer shows intermittently USB audio mixer(It works,too!)

I am perplexed by the sudden appearance of the USB audio mixer option.
It isn't always present in KMIX.
It has a PCM output volume control
It has an input option but no input shown.
Does anyone else have the USB Audio option in KDE?

I have found a use for the USB mixer in KDE.
If it stays loaded in KDE KMixer I'll be satisfied.
The trick is to enable XMMS with a .wav selection. Click on the O option on the left side of the XMMS display: select.....preferences.
Select Output Plug-in ALSA.....
Select ...Configure....
Select under AUDIO DEVICE ...USB Audio (hw1,0)
Select Mixer Card ...1 and PCM
Click OK
This provided stereo audio from .wav files on the usb Soundwave Optical 5.1 device connected to a USB port on my system while using XMMS. This device has a stereo output jack and an optical port.
At the same time, another .wav file was possible simultaneously( even the same .wav file) on the PCI audio channel from the normal KDE mixer and PCI card using other multimedia devices(kaboodle, noatun).
I do not have any device for 5.1 surround which is optically provided by the soundwave device(probably not properly addressed for it in the system anyhow).
Maybe this will help someone with their USB audio connect?

Surround Sound Mixing

I am editing a concert and using 4 tracks of audio. 2 tracks come from the live mixing board and 2 come from the mics on the camera. I mixed the 4 audio channels in FCP and it sounds beautiful in stereo. Now I want to make a surround sound mix. I took the mixed audio into Soundtrack Pro and used the surround sound mixer for each channel. Imported back in FCP, burned a DVD, took it home and listened last night and it sounded pretty good but the crowd applause was not loud enough.
I just need to know what the proper way to surround sound a concert would be. Should I do all my mixing in STP? Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Unlike film, there aren't too many rules when mixing 5.1 or surround in music. I would suggest you get a few concert DVDs or DVD-A or SAC-D music releases and listen to the many different approaches. Some are mostly stereo with ambience in the rear. Some are more what used to be called Quadraphonic, L,R,Ls,Rs, and some are more 5.1 like film with vocal in the C and selected music in L,R,Ls,Rs.
Since you only have stereo and ambience you probably gonna have to stick with the stereo front, ambience rear approach unless you use some upmixing technology. You could also use reverb and delays to create more of a rear channel.

How to Marry Video to Surround Sound Mix?

We're getting a surround sound mix from our post house and we have the choice of .AIFF, AC3, OMF, DAT. How can I take that mix and marry it to the video we have in order to make one MPEG 2 program stream file? And is Compressor the right app for it? Or should I use DVD Studio Pro? I'm reluctant to use DVDSP because we don't need .vob files, just a MPEG 2 video stream.

I have often "married" AIF audio files to MPEG 2 video using only the Quicktime Player App (Pro license needed, though). I take the separate output files from Compressor and open each in Quicktime Player.
Then Select All of the AIF file, copy, then click on the window for the MPEG 2 file and choose "Add to Selection & Scale" from the edit window, then save the MPEG 2 file. You can look at the movie properties of the MPEG2 file to verify that it now has an audio track. You should probably play it all through as well just to be sure it's not out of sync (I've never found that to be the case, though).
Ok, so here are the caveats:
Surround sound typically is an AC3 file and I don't think you can open those in Quicktime.
Even if you can, I think AC3 has a rule about being evenly divisible (or something like that) so it rounds up or down on the time. That could lead to sync problems. The advantage with AIF in using output from Compressor files is, assuming they were exported to the batch correctly, you know they'll be the same time length and thus syncable.
Finally, consider how you are distributing the file if not via DVD. Most people don't have MPEG 2 codecs with their Quicktime player. Even if the movie has a standard .mov extension, they will not be able to open MPEG2 movies with or without sound tracks. To make it playable for the masses you'll need to export the new movie using a more ubiquitous codec.
But, overall, the marriage of MPEG2 and an audio track is easily done as described, above.
Dual 2GHz PowerPC G5, Dual 500MHz PowerPC G4, G3 iBook Mac OS X (10.4)

Unable to perform multi audio tracks mixing with Audio Mixer

How do you get a simple multi track mix with the Premier Pro 1.5 Audio Mixer?
I got 2 audio clips, each sitting at the start of its own separate track (Audio 1 and Audio 2). I just want to mix them into the Master track. Simple enough.
So I go to the Audio Mixer. Position the CTI at the start of the tracks and hit the red RECORD button. The red spot starts blinking. Then I hit the START/STOP button expecting the tracks to start mixing into the Master track. Instead, I get this error message
"PLAYER ERROR: You cannot record without enabling at least one track for recording."
I get the same problem if I try the mix onto a submix track.
What am I missing? I combed through the Premiere Pro User Guide and J. Rosenberg's Premiere Pro Studio Techniques but to no avail.
Thanks for any help.
JB.

Jacques, I havn't seen 1.5 for a while, so I need to stress that what I'm about to say is more of an educated guess linked to a rough memory.
Each audio track in the mixer has a small chip (tickbox in 1.5??) that you click in order to enable that track for recording. In CS3 it's a little microphone.
Having said that, I DON'T think that's going to give you what you want, as the intention of the recording functionality in PP is to record audio FROM AN EXTERNAL SOURCE (like a microphone) straight to an audio track, say, when doing a Voice Over for some video.
You can't "mix down" to the master, as the master is not a track per se. It's just a "final" level control. The master will always be the sum of the active tracks, and THAT'S what will be rendered in the final output.
You can still "live mix" your audio with the faders, it's just that those movements get recorded as keyframes on each of the tracks you modify (including, BTW, the Master).
The advantage to this workflow is that every fader move you make is infinitley editable... a small error when riding the faders can easily be fixed by dragging keyframes.
HTH.
Matthew

__is there a way to save a preset for audio mixer settings...??

I have CS5
Looking to speed up the process so that I don't have to redo the audio mixer settings for every project - rather just tweak where needed.
So wanted to setup the audio mixer how I want it - and just have it set as default for all projects or have some automated way to apply the same audio mixer settings to each new project.
What's the best way to do this my people ?
Thanks!

I agree with Jim Simon. Creating your own template is a good workaround to what would be a good feature.
The ability to save audio presets (and more) is in my feature request list for Pr:
http://forums.adobe.com/message/4392211#4392211
Please add your voice to the chorus requesting this feature, and any (or all) of the other useful features on my list. Adobe listens. Strength in numbers. Here's the feature request link:
https://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform
Bookmark it.

Audio Mixer Won't Slide

We are currently editing a project that has lots of sound fx. When I open the audio mixer I can only adjust the level slider on 3 of my tracks. All of the other tracks say -inf, and they won't move. Even if I enter a number in the box it stays at 0. Any ideas?

You have to have your playhead in the timeline parked over what you want to adjust. If there is no audio where the playhead is located, the audio mixer will behave like you describe.
In order to adjust audio where your playhead is not, highlight the clip/s in the timeline and use modify -> audio -> gain +/-

Audio levels on the timeline & Audio Mixer

I'm confused why when you change the audio levels on a clip using the Audio Mixer it changes the levels for everything on the track?
I'm from an FCP & Avid background where you can adjust each clip using the Audio Mixer, is there a way I can do this? I find using the yellow sliders in each clip is very unaccurate and having to open each audio clip in the viewer is such a time waster.
Thanks, Andy

Audio in Premiere Pro is different--but quite a lot, in many circumstances. I'd recommend going through the help file's audio section to get a better idea of what some of the main controls are: Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 & CS5.5 * Editing Audio
But to answer your question more directly: the Audio Mixer controls track volume, not clip volume. By default, the Audio Mixer isn't set to drop keyframes, so it will affect the level of a track as a whole; check out Recording audio mixes to get more background on setting up the Audio Mixer for automation, so that you can record level changes.
The rubberbands (the yellow lines you're referring to) can be more finitely controlled by holding down the Ctrl/Cmd key as you drag; the values will move in smaller increments, then.
You don't have to load a clip into the Source Monitor to adjust the levels, if you want to adjust by the numbers. Just single click a clip in the sequence, and if the Effects Controls panel is forward, you'll be able to adjust the volume with the standard effects sliders/dials. Note that keyframing is enabled by default for the Level property, so if all you want to do is adjust the total level of a clip, it might be faster to do it in the sequence.
Audio mixing in Premiere Pro is pretty capable and the feature set is pretty deep, but I'll grant you it's a little overwhelming coming from a different NLE. I don't know if any of the previous helps you, but post back with any specific questions and we'll try to figure out a way to approach this in a fashion that makes sense to you.

Audio mixing questions

Since starting with Final Cut, I've set levels in the timeline. Problem is, when I set my first keyframe, whose level I don't want to change, most of the time I inadvertently lower the level by a few decibels. Not a huge deal, but a time waster that adds up and minor embarrassment when the client is sitting next to me. Any way to avoid this?
On the other hand, I've tried switching to the audio mixer, and I don't like that you can only set keyframes when the play head is moving. Is there a way to, using the audio mixer, set a keyframe when the playhead isn't moving, scroll to the desired location of the next keyframe, set a keyframe and adjust it's level, all while the playhead isn't moving?
Seems to me that this process is easier in Avid...but maybe there's an FCP feature I'm overlooking or misunderstanding.
Also, is it possible to gang tracks in FCP's audio mixer? I can't seem to figure that out.
Thanks in advance for help.

For me I have a completely different method when working with audio. Others might think this way is crazy but it works for me. I rarely use "rubberbanding" or keyframes when working with audio. I treat my audio clips the same as video...using edits. I will make an edit where I want the audio level to change and then add an audio cross dissolve between the clips. The only time I will add keyframes is if there is a random peak that I can't knock out using the Compressor/Limiter filter. Like I said though, I rarely need to. Not sure if this is the type of answer you're looking for as it changes the workflow, but I hated the finickyness of the audio keyframes so I just avoid using them.

Getting a good Audio mix

SPOILER ALERT - rookie here...
..it's getting better, but i've had some difficulties getting a good final audio output.   There are 2 tracks, dialog and "background" music,
and i basically mix to bring up the dialog sometimes, (while also reducing the music), or vice versa, depending on the clip.
I'm using the audio mixer with the "Touch" method of automation. Actually, my first burn had an acceptable "mix", although
the ENTIRE level was too low, so i remixed, turning down my computer speakers, and running each track a little hotter. I'm a little
confused as to which meter i should be watching - the master meter in the mixer, or the meter that appears alongside the
timeline, which seems to vary somewhat.   If i use the timeline meter, it's hard to get it UP to -12db, and the audio mixer meter
doesn't seem to be adjustable.    Often, the audio 1 dialog can be pretty high, but the output volume just isn't a lot.
I've also played with the normalize track feature, and discovered that if i set it at, say "-8db",
it churns for awhile and gives me an errmsg regarding having to go to 0db, therefore not possible. I've been through a few tuts
but not finding some of the fundamentals i think i need to get this right. In short, the mix is pretty good, it's just that the final output
level seems too low.   (I have to play it at about 85 % volume on the dvd player).   MAYBE this is much ado about nothing, and
it's all perfectly normal, but i don't know enough yet to know one way or the other.    After working with vectorscopes and RGB parades
for awhile, i find it comforting for the system to tell me if it's correct, instead of relying on my own observation, although i guess that's
what needs to prevail at the end of the day/

Using the audio gain feature is for sure the easiest method of turning an entire sequence up, just as Jim correctly described by nesting everything then turning the gain up.
One thing I'd really recommend though taking a look at using in the future is a compressor. Once I started using one for my audio levels I found that it made my life extremely easy. Once you have it setup correctly it will raise your lows and lower your peaks for you. Basically what it does is reduce volume once it reaches a certain threshold. Then using the makeup gain option it also adds gain to the audio. I generally just apply the dynamics effect to entire audio tracks. The other great part about the dynamics effect is that it has a limiter on it as well. Which is wonderful because you can set a limit of -10db for example and it won't allow anything to go over that point. So it makes it very easy to achieve consistent audio levels. So normally I always put a dynamics effect on my master track, with only the limiter enabled. So that nothing can go over whatever value I set. Then I use the dynamics effect using the compressor/makeup gain only as needed for the rest of the tracks. However depending on what your exact needs are that setup may or may not make since for you. I really think that it sounds like using this effect could be helpful for you though, so you might want to try it out.

Audio mixer volume problem

I'm working with CS3. My timeline has two audio tracks. Track one is the clip verbal audio, that track is fine. Track 2 is the music that I want to fade in and out at certain chapter intervals. After adjusting all the volumes in track 2, when I go back to listen to the final product, my volume adjuster button keeps popping back to the bottom, no volume. When I did the adjusting I did it in "write" and then immediately saved it, but it keeps going down on its own. There must be a simple solution.

I've always had this problem in Premiere 6.5 too. I simply refuse to use the goofy audio mixer. I either do everything with envelopes, or if it's something much more complex I'll export to Audition and make my changes there.

Editing After Laying Final Audio Mix Into The Time Line - Possible?

Hello Board,
I finished my film recently and layed the final audio mix (stereo track) into the timeline, replacing all the seperate audio tracks. Now, I want to go in and do some edits at the beginning of the movie.
I still have the main video tracks and several other video tracks for noise filter, credits, etc.
Is it possible to link the video track with the stereo audio file and keep everything synced as I make the cuts to eliminate the need to remix the sound?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lin

Because the video and audio aren't linked, I'm using the razor tool to cut in and out point on the timeline, first to the video and then to the audio seperately. after marking the spots with the razor tool, I delete the unwanted area in between (I do both to the video and audio track) and then pull the pieces together on the video and audio tracks. So far it has stayed synced.
In your case, Lin, I'd recommend using Add Edit and Ripple Delete instead of the Blade tool and the other steps you're doing.
That is...
1. At the point where you want to cut, press Control-V (that's Add Edit)
2. At the next point where you want to cut, press Control-V again
3. Select the region to be cutout and press the Del key, that's the key below Help and to the left of End on your keyboard, not the Delete key.
(This is a Ripple Delete, which clears the selection and moves all clips to the left, leaving no gap)
However it seems like doing transitions would be hard because unless I can match the space on the audio track it will all go out of sync.
I'm honestly confused by what you mean about 'space on the audio track' and things not matching - care to clarify?

Two issues getting a headless error form windows & my clips audio plays in the preview but not once placed in th timeline. I taped with a panasonic HC 750 V. i believe it is with clips filmed using directed not surround audio.

The title more or less says it all. I have Elements 13 & am Using the Panasonic HC 750V. I shot in AVCHD 1080/60p & instead of surround sound choose the directed feature to focus on the voices in front of me. The audio works in preview but not on the timeline. I am also getting Headless errors when working with premiere that pop up in windows but it does not shut down the system.
Any help apprecaited.

pc
Have you updated your Premiere Elements 13 to 13.1 using an opened project's Help Menu/Update. If not, please do so.
Just some points of clarification on the AVCHD 1080/60p with which you are having audio problem in Premiere Elements 13.
a. I see no option to record to tape with your Panasonic model. Is there one? if not, what was recorded to, a memory card?
b. When you talk about directed not surround audio, are you saying that your video uses Dolby Digital 2 channel stereo instead of 5.1 channel?
c. Is your AVCHD footage presented to you as AVCHD.mts rather than AVCHD.mp4. I think that is the case if you are referring to Dolby Digital
rather than AAC audio.
Are you saying that you get play back video and audio if you double click the video's thumbnail in Project Assets, but you get video but no audio after you drag the file to the Timeline and play back its contents in the Edit area monitor?
a. Have you checked the Volume control under the Adjust Tab/Adjustments Palette/Volume Panel expanded to make sure the Volume has been taken all the way down? Under that condition, you will get play back in the Preview Window, but no audio from the Timeline level play back in the Edit area monitor.
b. In that same regard, if you look at the Timeline audio clip, note a yellow orange line that runs horizontally across the duration of the audio clip. Is that at the bottom of the frame or is it in the middle or at the top?
Do you work with the Elements Organizer at all? That Headess issue sounds like an Elements Organizer issue. More on that later. That issue should not prevent you from continuing your work. But we will explore that next.
Thanks.
ATR

CS3 Audio mixer automation not keeping changes

I'm using CS3 on a Mac. My current project marks the first time I've done any editing in almost thirty years. When I opened CS3 for the very first time and did a few trial edits, I was able to adjust audio on the three tracks as I played it back and the changes were saved. Now that I've finished my 21 minute project, I can't get the audio changes to hold. I've followed the isntruction in the help file and that I found online, but no matter what automation settings I use, the changes are gone when I play it back. THere were changes noted in the keyframe timeline for the first couple of minutes, but nothing after; now I've even managed to loose those changes. Any ideas??

Hi Tahseen,
Thanks for your help with this problem.
I have been using PE since version 5 - a long time!. I have used Audio
Mixer for all those years but I have never had this problem before.
My video clips are AVCHD video. My stills are JPG and the soundtrack
music is MP3.
I have a slideshow which is a mixture of stills, video and soundtrack.
During "Expert" editing there is speech on Video 1 so I try to lower the
music soundtrack so that the talking can be heard. Something that I have been
doing for years. Using Audio Mixer, I lower the volume to -18 by sliding
down the volume slider. The soundtrack volume is reduced. I then replay
the clip and the sound reduction I have just carried out has been ignored
and the soundtrack reverts back to 0 as if nothing had been changed.
Can you help me please.
Regards,
John

5.1 Surround audio mixing

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