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My first time working on broadcast as editor, have few questions regarding AUDIO settings
Hello everybody!
These questions might seem a bit too naive for most of you, but is the first time I will edit for television and they ask for very specific specs. I want to make sure I will deliver exactly what they want, but I am only an editor for video HD and film, I never did broadcast, but because is a low budget program…here I come. I am searching online all my questions, but I like to get more feedback from experienced professionals, so here I am (instead of asking them directly and looking like an amateur…)
By the way, I will use FINAL CUT X or 7 (suggestions for one or the other that you think might work better for broadcast?). Here my questions with a picture of the exact audio specs they ask for:
1)Audio channels:
Could anyone help me understand these requirements and what exactly do they mean for each track? I am assuming I am getting all the audio separated from the client, as otherwise this is impossible…If not, I will ask them to do so, should I ask the client for something else to set up these audio channels?
2)AUDIO METERS:
They also ask for “HD dial norm -24dB+/- 2dB, peak levels -10dB”
Again, I will get the audio file from the client and I still not sure what type of audio they will give me and I assume levels are recorded correctly…but FINAL CUT X can actually set the volumes of clips at -20dB, so not really sure what the problem might be that I will be encountering?
3)AUDIO PHASING
What exactly are these X-Y channels? again this will depend on what type of files I am getting from the client, correct?THANKS SO MUCH EVERYBODY, I REALLY APPRECIATE ANY TIPS OR RECOMMENDATIONS
Esther. -
7 Replies
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The track designations mean that your fully mixed track needs to be stereo and mapped to tracks 1 and 2. M&E means music and effects – in factual tv that’s often “mix minus”, meaning that it doesn’t have commentary and the levels aren’t dipped where the commentary is, but it does include whatever speech is sync with the pictures.
The “HD dial norm -24dB+/- 2dB” bit is the loudness measurement in accordance with the calm act. You need external level metering for that, the metering in FCP doesn’t show it.
TBH, if you’re not really familiar with broadcast audio metering (and the questions kinda suggest that’s the case) it’s probably best to have your mix finalised by an experienced sound mixer, even if the production can only afford a day or two of their time.
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The phase scopes refer to a test instrument that will display the audio phase graphically on a screen, either an old style scope or on t newer rasterizer-type instrument. The purpose is to make sure that all of your audio components have a proper left-right relationship. If the phase of off on one of your channels, usually on one of your original clip elements, the two channels will interfere with each other and cause all kinds of weird audio problems, sometimes actually cancelling each other out completely. A good phase meter is needed to determine phasing errors. FCP does not have the ability to display phase errors. Scopes are readily available new and there are many good used units out there for pretty good prices. Look for Tektronics, Leader or B&K. There are many more, but those are the big players.
It’s not rocket science but is is important and your finished project can easily get flagged and rejected for noncompliance. When in doubt, get help and ask a lot of questions along the way.E=MC2+/-2db
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Tom! thanks for this info. I will look into these scopes!
thanks again 🙂 -
Hello Andrew, this is great info, thanks!
yes, I will probably ask them if somebody can check my specs with proper level metering…but on the meantime, do you know of any digital” metering I could install in my computer to really monitor these -24dB levels?
thank you!!! -
Blackmagic Designs makes a solution that is either a PCIe card to plug into a desktop computer or a USB device for use on laptops.
See the link below. It works pretty well.https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/ultrascope
E=MC2+/-2db
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great Tom! thank you!!!
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I use PPMulator software, which has loudness metering as well as PPM, going through audio hijack pro on the Mac so that it sits outside the NLE software and measures what’s on the output. It’s a cost effective option that works for the majority of my uses (95% of my work is for national or international broadcast so three quarters of it goes through an audio facility for mastering anyway, it isn’t finalised on my kit), however, I grew up (professionally speaking) using PPMs and we’d use the M/S mode for checking phase – if the side signal is greater than the middle one then you’ve probably got a phase problem, so it’s not as precise as X/Y display but combined with a reasonable pair of ears it gets the job done.
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