Mixing sound in Première CS4

[Vince Becquiot]

Riding a live mix is difficult even with a physical mixer.

I would suggest you use compression which is part of the dynamics filter. Once you get used to the settings, it is by far the most reliable and subtle way to get the audio at the level desired.

Vince Becquiot

Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area

[Philippe Verdoni]

Thank you Vince for the interesting information you provided, I never had even noticed the existence of the Audio/Dynamics effects! I have found this tutorial below which is giving a clear explanation on the basics of this effect. I shall now experiment it on audio clips to get more familiar with it.

https://www.wrigleyvideo.com/videotutorial/tutdes_ppro2_dynamiccompressor.htm
Incidentally, are you using the master track?

[Vince Becquiot]

Here’s a quick tutorial using the master track.

Of course you will not get anywhere near the range you would get with compression and I find the results to often sound unnatural.

The other issues with working with tracks / mixer is that the keyframes are applied to the track themselves, so if you move any clip afterwards, everything will be off.

Most of us have found out the hard way and stayed away from it since 🙂

Vince Becquiot

Kaptis Studios
San Francisco – Bay Area

[Philippe Verdoni]

Since my movies always have a “Comments” track and a “Music” track as well, I cannot see any other method than using the Audio mixing panel to reduce the music level in those sections where I have comments. Anyway the Dynamics effect should be the appropriate tool to uniformize the level in the other sections of the movie. Thank you.

[Mark Hollis]

The way I mix is the way I have always mixed since I made the transition from linear to non-linear editing.

I take the track(s) that I need to hear and set them, during the edit, to a proper level. I add EQ, volume and other effects in the edit as I need them, playing the material back and watching my levels accordingly.

To the extent that I have a show that is made up of sections, I will edit each section on its own timeline, making a new sequence within my project for each section. I listen to each section and I use the audio tool to monitor things, but he only levels I ever set on any track are overall levels, not dynamic ones.

I do dynamic changes on the timeline, using keyframes, expanding the audio track so that I can see the waveform and see the keyframes and make changes to the sound on the timeline as I am playing it back and listening to it while I edit.

Then, when it comes time to assemble the whole show, I simply copy and paste (or export premixed AVIs) of my sequences and place them in proper order in the show, building an open and close on a “Show Build” sequence timeline.

Premiere handles things very well that way.

I used to mix live for stage as well, with a mixer. And I would use tape to ID each mic or sound source and, when we did our sound check, I would trim each input level where it ought to go within the mix, so that when I opened the pot I’d take it to the correct level instantly. If stuff needed to be low, I’d set a piece of tape on my board at the stopping point and I’d have the fader right where it was supposed to be pretty quickly.

I never had a problem mixing live that way. You just have to set yourself up to not fail.

So I don’t do live mixes in Premiere. I do them all preset. That way I always have good mixes that sound fine and I have very few occasions where I need to change sound levels before air.

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

[Philippe Verdoni]

Thank you very much Mark for the time you have spent to describe in detail your methodology. I think I understand it but could you explain how you export premixed AVIs and what you mean by: “building an open and close on a “Show Build” sequence timeline. ”
Thank you in advance.

[Mark Hollis]

Exporting an AVI is very simple. If you have your mix to your liking, the AVI will be mixed just fine.

I have to deliver a mono mix, so that is really easy. I have done 5.1 sound two times and not using Premiere. Mix for that was complicated but very rewarding — but then I was set up in a room with good monitoring.

My view of sterero is as follows:

All music is stereo. All content (voiceover and interview or mic sound is centered, equal on both channels no matter where it occurs in the picture). I realize there are ways to mix stereo that is more realistic and “better,” but that is the domain of sound design and they’re paying me to edit picture and sound, not to do sound design which is an art form that is different.

I set my levels on my mixer so that overall peaks are averaging -12. If program audio needs to be “ducked” behind narration, I do that in the edit by inserting keyframes in the audio channel(s) in question and adjusting that audio that way. I don’t do live mixing and ask the editor to follow my faders. While that works for some, I find that introduces about 100 keyframes when two to four will do just fine.

For audio, once I have things set to my liking (including EQ if necessary), I do a lot of copying and “Paste Attributes” to get audio from the same tape or take to be the same throughout my sequence. Takes a few minutes to set an initial level that works with the show, but once done, it’s done.

When I do a show assemble, I’m exporting AVI files and then reimporting them. I have a master level set for program audio on channel 1 or 2 (depending on whether or not it’s stereo or mono) and I also have effects audio beyond that.

I have a keyed effect that transitions between stories with a sound effect. I keep that keyed effect “in sync” with the sound by linking the two. That way, if I copy one to a new position, I copy both.

Anything complex that takes several layers of audio and video is [shift]-selected and linked. That way everything stays in sync the way I want.

I get repeatable effects with sound effects. I get program audio that is premixed to the correct level before I lay out my show. My producers all love my audio.

Short of sitting down with you and showing you what I am doing, I cannot think of anything else to tell you.

What if there were no hypothetical questions?