Grade my 5.1 mix please

[stantheman1976]

I'm trying out a pseudo 5.1 mix with a stereo source and Cool Edit Pro using this guide:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59949

Here's the WAV file:
http://www.martinbluffchurch.com/Untitled.wav

Here's the settings I used:
http://www.martinbluffchurch.com/settings.jpg

Would you guys mind checking it out and let me know any pointers or advice? Thanks.

[stantheman1976]

Hopefully it's been long enough to give this bump. A lot of views, but no replies. I know this is not the greatest performance in the world. The husband and wife in this group are friends and church members as well as the other people in teh group, so I record them as a favor. I'd really like to make some 5.1 mixes of their future performances I record, but I don't want to to it wrong. It will always be using this method, so I want to get it down right. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

[raquete]

my visual feelings means nothing but the surrounds are so low and the lfe seems too loud.
if you have an DD decoder you don't need to encode the lfe,the decoder do the "job" automatically.

the surroundboy way work but you have the screenshots showing the adjusts in audition to extract the tracks?
if don't,i have and post here for you,just tell me and give me a little time to find it!

a question: the "untitled.wav" is your complete source? tell me size and if you want 6 separated tracks or one interleaved(6 channels)!!

waiting for you! regards!

[stantheman1976]

The sample is the 6 tracks mixed down to one WAV file. I lowered the LFE by 8dB. It doesn't sound overpowering on my speakers. That's why I wanted someone else to listen to it and see what they thought. Should I make the center lower also? Should the center be about equal to the surrounds, or a bit above them?

[raquete]

hey...lol...you don't told me the size!!!!!
the level of each channel depend of the source,we can expect strange differences sometimes like in the surrounds in your sample.of course we can change a little but without damage the dynamic of the music.
what i recommend and what i always do is: (goodbye to my secret...lol)
read the level of L&R(Fronts)...let's say -2.15dB for example.
adjust the levels of the Center and the Surrounds to the same level of the fronts...i mean -2.15dB for all!
check...you will love it,i'm sure!!!! really!

another hint: don't amplify the source!! never!
remember that we need headroom and too high levels are next or are distorcing.volume is for amplifiers not for sources!!

follow this 2 hints,excuse my poor english and tell me the result!

[takearushfan]

I don't have any advice, but luckily "raquete" gave you some tips. The only thing I can say is that I agree that the LFE is too loud. I don't know about the surrounds or even the fronts for that matter... for some reason it seems like everything is mostly the Center channel.
I can only shrug... 5.1s can be a b*tch to work with.
Again, sorry for such an unhelpful reply. Can you post an AC3? I tend to have an easier time evaluating things when they've been encoded. Why, I don't know :/

[raquete]

I can only shrug... 5.1s can be a...

ah yeah,i know what you mean.
is needed big patience and free time.
the hints that i wrote is to general use and not "a law" to be used ever...is one hint: use as reference.
one fine portion of good taste have more weight.

Can you post an AC3?

of course,my pleasure.
but answer my questions: do you have fast internet?...and...
do you want a single AC3 or can be 1 or 2 musics inside a Video_ts folder to be burned in cdrw as mini-dvd?
your choice is my taste

regards.

[takearushfan]

I have high-speed cable, so it shouldn't be any problem.
A single AC3 would be fine, but the other option is nice too. The AC3 thing would be less of a hassle though

[raquete]

ok,tomorrow you'll have both! (saturday night here)

[Pinstripes23]

I'm trying out a pseudo 5.1 mix with a stereo source and Cool Edit Pro using this guide:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=59949

I have tried this method in the past and I didn't like it for the fact that when you do the FL and FR mono wavs, there is no center separation from the original stereo source. And then when you do the actual mixing to 5.1, it produces some kind of echo effect.

[raquete]

... there is no center separation from the original stereo source. And then when you do the actual mixing to 5.1, it produces some kind of echo effect.

BINGO,you got the feelings,perfects observations!!

[raquete]

ok,tomorrow you'll have both! (saturday night here)

strange but i'm quoting my own post.
my excuses because the files are ok but in Sunday's where i live,the whole people,the dogs,cats,horses,ETs ...everybody is in the internet... is impossible to upload something.
tomorrow will be fast.
regards

[Pinstripes23]

... there is no center separation from the original stereo source. And then when you do the actual mixing to 5.1, it produces some kind of echo effect.

BINGO,you got the feelings,perfects observations!!

Yep. For me an ideal mixing to 5.1 would be to produce distinct sounds for each channel. And with the method the OP is using you are duplicating sounds for the front and center channels. The method I'm using now that uses the center channel extractor in audition does as best as it can to produce distinct sounds for each channel.

[stantheman1976]

Thanks for the tips guys. I thought the center might be a little loud. Even after I lowered it. Luckily the sound guy at our church used to be a professional "sound designer". I asked him about it and turns out he's supposedly certified in 5.1 mixing. He's going to come check things out and give me some tips.

[takearushfan]

You know of someone that's certified in 5.1 mixing? ... lucky bastid
Question: What do you use to encode to AC3?

[stantheman1976]

I don't encode to AC3. So far I've only made one mix and haven't used it for anything.

[raquete]

@ takearushfan and all interested

here the AC3 file: http://rapidshare.com/files/5112071/tr02.rar

and the "mini-dvd" with 2 tracks: http://rapidshare.com/files/5109592/miDV.rar

unrar the miDV.rar and burn the video_ts folder as mini-dvd in cdrw using nero(preferencial).
have 2 tracks in AC3 5.0 and the DD decoder will "create" the lfe automatically.
have autoplay,single menu and single picture in the background.
if you have doubts,just ask.

best regards and excuse me for late.