Hello, I was wondering if anyone knew a general guide to use for mixing 5.1 audio. Such as what kinds of things are good which speakers. Like if dialogue would sound better when pushed towards the front or if music is supposed to be pushed towards to back, jump scare stinger positions, etc. I read a bunch of the sticky articles but couldn't really find the general rules/overview I'm looking for. I'm currently using Adobe Premiere CS5.5 to edit and mix my film. Thanks in advance!
Guide To 5.1 Mixing Levels?
- Thread starter drfaustmd
- Start date
Steve House
Veteran
Don't know if there are 'rules' as such except perhaps in regards to dialog. Common sense and storytelling considerations prevails. So just my opinion, but dialog 100% to the front and centred between left and right. IMHO, voices coming from the sides or rear when you're seeing the characters in front of you sounds just plain weird. Music likewise 100% into the front channels unless the scene is taking place in the middle of an orchestra or band. Surrounds are mainly for ambience and FX, such as the helicopter sound in the opening to "Apocalypse Now" that sweeps from the back of the theatre to the front to center in the front as the chopper comes into view at the top of the screen.
I think that generally covers it. Dialogue levels should be set the same as plain old stereo; the rest is pretty much common sense based on what's appropriate for what's going on.
Noiz2
Sound Ninja
The "rules as such are that dialog is center. Music is L&R (not centered). FX are wherever and Foley is center 90% of the time.
The reason for the centered parts are because of the big screen. If you put someone on the far side they are going to be way loud over there or way soft on the opposite side. You don't want your audience strugling to understand the dialog. Also the paralax makes it look out of sync in some seats. Foley is mostly with the actors so it follows that it is where the actors are and sonically that is centered (with the dialog). Plus it's often filling in for stuff removed or not recorded in the dialog track so it would be weird for it to be anyplace else.
You want music and FX out of the center so they are not stepping o the dialog.
Surounds are a debate. Many (WAY TOO many) theatres will either not play the surrounds or will have them totally out of whack. So with a big film it's sort of "are we big enough that the odds are that it will be played back correctly?" So in most films very little attention is payed to the surrounds. You can't put anything important there because you don't know if it will be heard.
A lot of people, including the ones screening your film for festivals, are going to be hearing your film in whatever the crash down stereo is on their DVD player. So again it makes a lot of sense to pay a lot of attention to how it sounds in stereo and with out surrounds.
IF on the other hand you know that most people will hear your film in surround (Apocalypse Now was released in 72mm with a six track discrete sound track) to play more with the edges.
Films create a stereo also that is separate from the surround. Actually it's usually a matrixed surround ("Dolby Stereo"). It's what plays when the Dolby Digital track craps out and in theatres that don't have DD. It is done after the "gold standard" surround mix is done. We used to also do a pure stereo for TV and such.
BTW if you don't have a tuned and calibrated surround room to mix in it's really kind of a wank. In that case it's even more important to focus on stereo since that at least has a chance of being close.
The reason for the centered parts are because of the big screen. If you put someone on the far side they are going to be way loud over there or way soft on the opposite side. You don't want your audience strugling to understand the dialog. Also the paralax makes it look out of sync in some seats. Foley is mostly with the actors so it follows that it is where the actors are and sonically that is centered (with the dialog). Plus it's often filling in for stuff removed or not recorded in the dialog track so it would be weird for it to be anyplace else.
You want music and FX out of the center so they are not stepping o the dialog.
Surounds are a debate. Many (WAY TOO many) theatres will either not play the surrounds or will have them totally out of whack. So with a big film it's sort of "are we big enough that the odds are that it will be played back correctly?" So in most films very little attention is payed to the surrounds. You can't put anything important there because you don't know if it will be heard.
A lot of people, including the ones screening your film for festivals, are going to be hearing your film in whatever the crash down stereo is on their DVD player. So again it makes a lot of sense to pay a lot of attention to how it sounds in stereo and with out surrounds.
IF on the other hand you know that most people will hear your film in surround (Apocalypse Now was released in 72mm with a six track discrete sound track) to play more with the edges.
Films create a stereo also that is separate from the surround. Actually it's usually a matrixed surround ("Dolby Stereo"). It's what plays when the Dolby Digital track craps out and in theatres that don't have DD. It is done after the "gold standard" surround mix is done. We used to also do a pure stereo for TV and such.
BTW if you don't have a tuned and calibrated surround room to mix in it's really kind of a wank. In that case it's even more important to focus on stereo since that at least has a chance of being close.
As important as speakers and level is the mix environment. Without a properly treated mixing environment, you will have a very difficult time having your mix translate well. Typically, you'll spend twice as much on mix room treatment as you will on speakers. Additionally, 5.1 is nearly impossible to mix correctly in the nearfield and therefore requires more space and more treatment. The diagram below shows additional geometric considerations. It's one thing to creat a 5.1 mix, it's another thing entirely to create a proper 5.1 mix. The Dolby digital requirements are insane. I don't know the rules for linking to another forum but here's some great information about creating dolby digital mixes. http://www.gearslutz.com/board/post...189-dolby-facility-approval-requirements.html
