Use of the audio "Mixer" in post

Recycler wrote on 8/2/2018, 4:44 AM

A beginner's question please.... (VPX, update .268)

For the first time I would like to use the VPX audio mixer to balance the sound on a job, and I am stumbling over a very simple conceptual point.

I can bring up the mixer, and I understand the basic mixer functions. What I can't grasp is how, or even if it's possible, to make the mixer settings to "stick" to a particular selection or clip. Let me explain what I'm trying to do.

I have a concert recorded with a number of different pieces performed, and visually it's exactly as I want it (despite the current multicam issues reported elsewhere!). Each piece fades down to black and then the next piece fades up. During multicam editing, I ignored the sound from the various cameras and used one of my three microphone feeds as a master audio track (as a guide), although all three microphone feeds were present on the timeline and so are cut to match the video. Thus the result is a set of items, all separated on the timeline by black silence. The performers moved around between items and so I need to adjust the balance for each.

I understand how to use the mixer to get the best sound balance for a particular item - but how then do I get fader settings for say item #1 to permanently apply to item #1, and only to item #1? As soon as I select item #2, I will need to have different fader settings, which will not be correct for item #1. For this job I need 22 different mixer settings, not a common one for the whole project.

I hope I have made myself clear. Perhaps the mixer is not intended to be used this way. Magix must think that its use is self-explanatory because the coverage in the Help PDF seems sparse, to put it politely.

Thank you for any guidance on this. - Mike -

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 8/2/2018, 5:11 AM

Hi Mike

In VPX (and MEP) there are 3 locations where I balance/adjust the sound:

Object level - adjust individual audio objects - right click for options - use to adjust balance between objects on a track

[Added] There is also the object volume curve if you have long clip to adjust
Track level - in the Mixer, left pane - use to adjust balance between individual tracks and apply effects (FX button) to a whole track

[Added] there is also the Auto button click this and then start playback, you can then use either the volume slider to adjust the levels and then edit the volume curve afterwards or double click the volume curve - green line - to add nodes which you can move - note the 'pointer' is the end of the thumb !
Master level - in the Mixer, right pane - use to adjust left/right balance and apply effects (FX button) to a whole project*

* It is at this level that I use MDynamicEqualizer to compress the audio.

HTH

John EB

Recycler wrote on 8/2/2018, 5:30 AM

Gosh, that was quick! I think you've neatly told me what I needed - that the mixer is intended for track level adjustments.

I think what I'll try is to export the three master sound tracks as WAVs to my Zoom R16 and use its physical mixer in real time. I was hoping to avoid real time work, but "one must suffer for one's art"! (But not too much.....)

Thanks again John!

PS Thinking about it, it might just be quicker to export the individual items as .MVDs, and deal with them one by one (using the Magix mixer on the whole track), before concatenating them again into a joined-up concert. I might try that on one item first, to see if that will drive me whacky.

- Mike -

johnebaker wrote on 8/2/2018, 5:50 AM

@Recycler

Hi Mike

Just to clarify the track Automation (Auto button) here is a quick video showing how to use it.

HTH

John EB

Recycler wrote on 8/2/2018, 6:25 AM

Thanks John - yet another VPX feature I have never used before! That could be useful...

johnebaker wrote on 8/2/2018, 6:41 AM

Hi Mike

I forgot to add that the Automation can also be used to adjust the balance in the same way as for the volume - a white curve will appear on the track.

Not sure how useful that would be though !

John EB