Auto Mastering audio in VPX

Scenestealer wrote on 11/9/2020, 6:20 PM

Does anyone have any experience with the Auto Mastering feature in VPX / MEP and can explain how it works and give me any tips or direct me to any tutes on it's use.

On selecting a style, say "90's Pop" it does a fairly quick analysis and applies some effects but I am not sure which tools it is using based on what? I am working on a Surround sound project so one thing it does ask before doing this analysis is - am I going to export in 5.1. Going by the fact that there appear to be fewer mastering tools available when setting the mixer to Surr 5.1, I wonder how much it is doing compared to Stereo?

In fact any guidance on using the Mastering and Track effects section for improving the live recorded (video) sound of my project of a friends covers band performance would be appreciated.

Peter

Comments

CubeAce wrote on 11/10/2020, 5:38 AM

@Scenestealer

Hi Peter.

I'm not sure what would happen regarding a 5.1 mix-down but as far as my ears tell me as to what is happening is it's mainly using presets of a graphic equalizer. Some settings seem to add amounts of compression and the Big Band also seems to add a very small amount of stereo width. Basically the same effects the program already has but maybe is read first by part of the program looking at frequency responses and transients.

The problem with any mastering of a single sound track is it's impossible to get rid of unwanted sounds without altering the balance of the rest of the sounds within the recording. Many a plug-in over the years has tried with various methods such as phase cancelling signals within a narrow band of the stereo spread with limited effect.

Blending sound tracks from multiple recordings taken at varying distances also quite often fail due to the differences in ambience and reflected sound timings or dampening caused by sound absorbing bodies.

Of the three concerts I've recorded to date I have always left the mics in one place for best sound balance and then moved around with my cameras. The only time mixing sound tracks has worked for me is to have one sound track for the performance and one for audience reaction.

Ray.