S4KP Sound Mixing

[ShadowVision]

Well, I just cut my first Film Fix show on the new S4KP.

Here's the link: http://www.einsiders.com/features/colum ... rticle=449

Two main issues while cutting this almost 30 minute show: (1) Sound effects and mixing; and (2) dvd burn was not full 16:9.

The first problem has to do with the way the audio was captured for the show. I used two of my HDV cameras for the project and four different mic setups. The first camera was the Sony HC9, a small consumer camera that has served me well. I used a Sennheiser shotgun and the Sony hotshoe light with the HC9. It is a mono microphone but goes into the HC9 as one stereo audio channel or track. The audio I got from this mic doesn't seem to be a problem (except it peaked out at times which was my fault).

The second camera was the new Sony FX1000 which I usually used a Beachtec and two Shure handheld mics. Here's where I have issues. The Beachtec can deliver the audio to the camera on one channel or two. I chose two channels that I could adjust separately. This is a great idea for those of you who use the Beachtec.

The other mic used were a wired lav, for my intro, and a wireless lav (run in over mini-plug) for following a couple of filmmakers around on the street.

Anyway, my problem is with the two hand-held mics. In stereo in the S4KP, I get one person on my side (like the right) and the other on the other side (on the left). I want to be able to mix the two into one normalized stereo output. Any suggestions on how this can be done?

As for the 16:9 issue, when I put the show on dvd, it was not in complete 16:9, rather, not quite as wide as my LG HD TV. Why would that happen?

[HansJoachimKoenig]

Hi Jonathan,
what do you mean by saying "Normalized Stereo Output"?
If I understood you correctly one mike is only heard on the L-channel the other one only heard on R-channel?
You want both mikes heard on both channels?
This can be done.
First create a sound sample of specific scene in main edit menu--->Special (Create sound sample)
You will now have this created sample in audio Record,Edit menu
Highlight this sample and go to--->Special--->Copy channel and then Create.
In created sample the modulation is now heard on both channels.
Add this created sample to a blanc audio track under specific video sequence.
Mute the original track and create.
Hope this is what you wanted?

[ShadowVision]

This almost answers my inartfully drafted question. I get the copy channel option, I've used that for years. All the mics I use are mono (except the on board options and one Audio Technica shotgun). Therefore, I'm forced to copy channel and adjust from there.

But in the raw phase directly from tape, I have audio on two channels already. With the handheld mics, I have one person on one channel and the other person with the other mic on the other. See my first interview of the folks from the great documentary Big River Man: http://www.einsiders.com/features/colum ... rticle=449

What I'd like to do is spread or mix both channels evenly into one stereo track and then clean up the track so that I don't get many variations in volume. You see, what happens is that while there is sound on both the left and the right, when one person is talking, you only hear that person on one side. Now, obviously, I could just pick one and make it stereo, but I'd lose the other.

What I've not tried is creating two audio tracks copying the channel on each and then mixing them manually in the Mix program. Seems like that could work, and I've not thought about it. That is a lot of heavy lifting and double work. Seems like this could be streamlined and done in one click.

And with doing it twice, as I stated above, if I just pick a channel and copy that channel to the other side, I'd lose one audio track. But I suppose if I do the copy channel twice and then lay the tracks down simultaneously, this could solve that problem. Again, heavy lifting!

Do you get what I'm talking about? Any better way to do this?

Also, I suppose that upon capturing I could change the way the capture settings are set for audio. But I've had issues with that in the past. I've always left it on stereo as I remember.

Finally, note the number of things I did with the S4KP on the first show. I mixed and match different formats including analogue footage from the films. It worked pretty well. One my second show, I'm going to use the PIP program and blend things better. Stay tuned!

[HansJoachimKoenig]

Jonathan, after watching your video I know what you mean.
It's much to tricky and time consuming to get good results in editing.
I don't know what the Beachtec can do, but does it have a MONO switch?
When you switch to mono the 2 mics will be heard in the middle between your speakers.
I think this is what you wanted?
If this can't be achieved using the Beachtec I would use a small field mic mixer instead.

[ShadowVision]

The Beachtec does do that, but I like the ability to kill one channel in post. This came in handy on a feature I shot and cut last year.

I do have a field recorder (a Zoom H4), but that would just be a second mic and the results would be uncertain as to quality, given the demands in the field.

As an aside, while I have a Beachtec that does phantom power for my EV lav, you can use the Zoom H4 as a Beachtec (although it is a little more difficult to operate). The options on the Zoom as far as on-camera mixing are impressive and the recording quality might be better than what you get on your camera. In fact, I'm sure that the bitrate is higher on the Zoom than on my FX1000.

I'm hard at work cutting show 2 right now and the process is so much better now that I have the first one out of the way. I have an on the street interview that I did with one of my wireless lavs and the sound is great. It is a cheap NADY (I bought two of them). I have to say that the two of those mics together cost less than my Samson wireless lav that the sound quality is better. This is no joke, I sold my Samson because I wasn't using it!

Thanks!

[ShadowVision]

Okay, I did the heavy lifting and the sound on the second episode of my Sundance show is far better than the first one. What I did was sample and create two stereo audio tracks and ran them one under the other. The result was good stereo sound from both mics.

Check out the result here: http://einsiders.com/features/columns/s ... rticle=450

I'm still confounded by Media Manager. Compression for Internet was done from DVD.

[HansJoachimKoenig]

Hi Jonathan,
now you fixed it the hard way with good result.
Congratulations