Stopping compressor mixing down Audio Roles Export

[Paul Figgiani]

James,

Not sure if this will help but have a look:

https://f-video.s3.amazonaws.com/sep-files.mp4

Notice in the “Roles As” popup I set “Audio Roles Only as Separate Files.” This is going to give me 6 independent mono files. In FCP X, I assigned Roles to each channel. I used L, R, C. LFE, LS, RS. I defined these in the share dialog and set file(s) channel format to Mono. Of course in your case you’ll need to set up the video export as well.

-paul.

[Jeremy Garchow]

If you need to keep it as one multichannel file, you select the “Roles as multichannel Quicktime Movie” in the settings tab and route the Roles appropriately.

Jeremy

[James Bayliss-smith]

Thanks for your response guys. I do already export roles as multitrack QuickTime file. The problem is that when I compress them in compressor it mixes down the tracks into a stereo or mono mix. I could make separate video and audio files based on my roles as the first response suggests, but then I would have to send several files. This is not practical in a news environment where speed is often required. I can see them losing certain files etc. it needs to be one file. As I said we have a program specifically designed for news organisations and (as long as you only have two tracks of sound) it keeps the tracks distinct after the compression . The problem is I cannot tweak the settings and so I would prefer to use compressor. Can compressor do this or do I need another compression program!

There is a workaround. say for example I group all my audio into two roles. I select all the clips in one role and pan the stereo to the left. I pan all the other ones to the right. Then when I export and compress the tracks maintain there own sounds without being mixed down. This is fine but I want to use the roles function (as I have been doing for ages) but for various reasons I want to start compressing in compressor.

As a little aside is there any way to select all clips tagged with a certain role without individually selecting each one?

[Jeremy Garchow]

James-

What format exactly are you compressing to?

Why not just use FCPX to do this? It’s the same engine?

If you do need to use Compressor, can you set the audio to “passthrough”?

[James Bayliss-Smith] “As a little aside is there any way to select all clips tagged with a certain role without individually selecting each one?”

In the timeline index (shift-command-2) type in the role name in the search bubble with the “clips” option selected. That should return all the clips with that Role, then select them in the TL index.

Jeremy

[James Bayliss-smith]

[Jeremy Garchow] “What format exactly are you compressing to?”

mp4 using the H.264 bassline profile in Compressor’s MPEG-4 settings window

[Jeremy Garchow] “Why not just use FCPX to do this? It’s the same engine?”

I have been using FCPX to directly export using compressor settings but compressor mixes down my roles upon compression, unlike if you export a multi-track quicktime file full quality from FCPX

[Jeremy Garchow] “If you do need to use Compressor, can you set the audio to “passthrough”?”

Not sure how would one do this?

[James Bayliss-smith]

[Jeremy Garchow] “What format exactly are you compressing to?”

mp4 using the H.264 bassline profile in Compressor’s MPEG-4 settings window

[Jeremy Garchow] “Why not just use FCPX to do this? It’s the same engine?”

I have been using FCPX to directly export using compressor settings but compressor mixes down my roles upon compression, unlike if you export a multi-track quicktime file full quality from FCPX

[Jeremy Garchow] “If you do need to use Compressor, can you set the audio to “passthrough”?”

Not sure how would one do this? There is a checkbox that says “Audio Enabled” I guess if I uncheck this then it won’t touch the Audio? Bingo that may solve my problem I’l try it out

[Jeremy Garchow]

<[James Bayliss-Smith] “mp4 using the H.264 bassline profile in Compressor’s MPEG-4 settings window”

Got ya. Yes, MPEG4 is stereo only in compressor when using the MPEG4 dialogue.

I know in Episode, you can channel map. Compressor has never had this capability.

You can export and h264 .mov with Roles as a multichannel QT. Not sure if that will work for you, though.

Jeremy