-
Export 5.1 mix from stereo in FCPX?
I have a feature film in FCPX that was finished in stereo but I need to submit a surround mix (5.1 + stereo left + stereo right). Is there any way to export out 8 audio tracks in my final quicktime without going back to the source audio to remix the entire film?
Note: This is a low budget, simple drama and was never intended to have a 5.1 surround mix but I shot the film in 4K and have finished in 1080p. Unfortunately, iTunes requires 8 channels of audio included with my Prores HD quicktime file.
Obviously I’m no sound mixer but can I just export the stereo tracks as mono, place a mono copy in tracks 1-8 and adjust levels accordingly? For example, the LFE would be silent, the rear satellite channels would be very low and the center would be the loudest. I cannot afford a real mix nor do I have the original audio assets to even attempt.
thanks
-
3 Replies
-
[Craig Schober] “(5.1 + stereo left + stereo right)”
That would of course be 7.1. 😉
The question is whether the additional channels in fact HAVE to have something in them? Can’t you just simply switch the project to surround and export that? That would be 5.1, just the LFE and rear channels would be silent.
-
Good point. I guess there’s only one way to find out. I’ve already successfully created a 7.1 mix from the original stereo tracks and included it in a quicktime file. All the tracks are there and it sounds fine in headphones and speakers.
The only downside is if I’m rejected from iTunes submission because it’s not “true” 7.1 surround. Technically it might be but if I charge more money for rental or purchase of the HD 7.1 version than the SD stereo version, they might take issue with that. But I have no issue with it since it sounds fine either way and the HD looks much better.
-
[Craig Schober] “I’ve already successfully created a 7.1 mix from the original stereo tracks and included it in a quicktime file.”
Sorry for the confusion, but FCP doesn’t do 7.1, “only” 5.1. I merely meant that if it were “5.1 + stereo left + stereo right” that would make 7.1, but the Ls and Rs channels are of course included in the regular 5.1 mix. 😉
[Craig Schober] “if I’m rejected from iTunes submission because it’s not “true” 7.1 surround.”
Somehow I can’t imagine that being the case. I know of enough films in the Store that most definitely were not professionally mixed in any version of Surround, so I highly doubt that’s something to be worried about (as a potential rejection factor). Since that would also mean a complete remix of e.g. every Hitchcock movie ever made or any movie made before 1982 for that matter, before if could be accepted. Can’t see that happening. 😉
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up