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Advice on multi-channel audio workflow
Due to the compressed schedule of most of our projects, we work entirely within Premiere Pro, meaning we mix and do color without sending to an external program.
Wanted to get some advice on dealing with multi-channel audio.
In production, we generally record audio separate from video and use Pluraleyes to create new video files with the synced audio. In the event we recorded multichannel audio on site, that means one video track with 6 linked audio tracks. During the editing phase, that’s a hassle to deal with. It would be much easier to have a single mono mix or stereo mix. However, once we reach the mixing stage, it’s critical having independent control of all the 6 audio channels. Is there any easy way to somehow hide the 6 mono tracks inside a single mono track during video editing, and then unpack them during audio mixing? Ideally it needs to be a two-way process, since after mixing, we might receive editing revisions from client.
Thanks!
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1 Reply
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This is precisely the issue I’ve faced on a current project and I will detail below how I’ve tackled it, and the trade offs I have made.
First I used plural eyes on a clip by clip basis to create synched, trimmed audio from the external sources, such that in the premiere timeline I can grab a clip and it’s six audio tracks and just line then up to the inpoint. I have done this for all tracks. In the process I ensured a consistent naming convention.
Next, in premiere, for each clip I created a sequence and dragged in each of the associated audio tracks. So the clip sequence has the MOV and 6 audio tracks (also includes audio from MOV). You will end up with as many sequences as you have MOV clips.
When I created my edit sequence I worked entirely with the clip sequences. This has the advantage that you have a simple 1 video, 1 audio track to work with per clip. To select the audio track (or even a mix of audio tracks) go into the clip sequence and adjust by muting, or soloing etc. So for example, this allowed me to rough cut my sequence then later, go through and select a lab or boom track. The other advantage is that once synched at the beginning when you chop up the clips on the main timeline, you still have all your synched audio. So if you decide to use a different track you change it in one place.
The downsides are that by default you don’t get waveforms displayed in the edit sequence until you render audio. Also from the main timeline, when you open the nested sequence, the CTI doesn’t line up. There is a bit of toing and froing between the main edit and each clip. Also you sort of have to edit your sound in two places.
Another approach I started to look at was to create the MOV files with true multichannel audio. This means you can import these clips onto the main timeline, and depend ending on how you configure the imported clip (i.e single mono, stereo, adaptive etc) you have the option to choose the actual track directly from the timeline. This to me seems sensible, however, I have had to move my media to a faster hard drive for this configuration. It would appear that premiere has a harder time streaming audio from multi audio clips than accessing separate WAVs.
The third approach is to reset the timecode for each of your clips (and audio files) to start at 0. Then edit your MOV clips onto you main timeline. When you come to replace the audio, line up the CTI with the start of a clip in the timeline, then double click to get it in the source window. Note (or copy) the start time of the clip. The in the project window double clip the audio file you want so it goes into the source window. Change the start time to match the clip on the timeline. Now, back in the timeline, just select the audio portion of your clip, right click and select ‘replace match source frame’. That should replace the audio with the one you need.
Right now, I started with method 1, and am in the process of converting it to method 2 because I need more than just one of the audio tracks to edit on the main timeline for each clip at the same time and it means that all my changes are in once place.. If I have further performance issues, then I will switch to method 3.
In addition, I have setup a multichannel audio sequence. So my master channel has 10 channels. I have configure four sub mixes: DIALOG, ATMOS, SFX, MUSIC, MASTERMIX and directed the appropriate tracks at these sub mixes. The then target the sub mixes to channels 3&4, 5&6, 7&8, 9&10 respectively and also add a master send for each of the four sub mixes, which has the effect of creating a master mix on channels 1&2. This master mix can be mixed separately from the submit channels. Net effect of this configuration is that I have a master mix on channels 1&2 and each of the sub mixes can be at full level on its own master channel pair. This allows you to create your final master render with multichannel audio including your stereo mix and all the separate sub mixes, should you want control over these in the future outside of premiere.
It has been a headache if I’m honest. Multichannel support seems inconsistent between applications, and as I have already pointed out, can have some performance implications.
I hope this has been helpful.
Declan Smith
https://www.madpanic.tv
After Effects CS6/ FCS3 / Canon XLH1 / Canon 7D / Reason / Cubase“it’s either binary or it’s not”
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