5.1-channel surround sound: Mixing opinions part
II: The Magazine for Electronic Media Producers & Users
Abstract (summary)
Once an
audio facility is fully equipped for handling the technical requirements of
5.1-channel surround sound, it is ready to begin the actual process of
distributing audio signals from a multitrack source into an array of speakers.
The concept may seem simple, but the complexities of creating a compelling
surround mix are actually quite daunting - even for the most experienced mixing engineers. The many
decisions that are required for balancing and equalizing audio into two
channels are multiplied when the philosophical aspects of a composer's musical
intent or a consumer's comfort with immersive surround are factored into the
5.1 mixing equation.
Full text
Once you
have fully equipped your audio facility for handling the technical requirements
of 5.1-channel surround sound, you're ready to begin the actual process of
distributing audio signals from a multitrack source into an array of speakers.
The concept may seem simple, but the complexities of creating a compelling
surround mix are actually
quite daunting... even for the most experienced mixing engineers. The many decisions that are
required for balancing and equalizing audio into two channels are multiplied
when the philosophical aspects of a composer's "musical intent" or a
consumer's comfort with "immersive surround" are factored into the
5.1 mixing equation.
The lack
of a historical model for surround mixing
is another factor that makes producing music for 5.1 speakers particularly
challenging. As mentioned in Mixing
Opinions Part I [April DVD BETWEEN THE LINES, p. 37-Ed.], the basic questions
center on the use of the left- and right-surround speakers. Is it appropriate
for a mixing engineer to
place instruments into these two rear channels or is there some unwritten
"musical imperative" that only allows reflected sound or ambiance in
the back? Does it matter what type of music is being mixed? Can a piece of
classical chamber music or a jazz trio benefit from dispersion into a surround
setup? And what about music played by a soloist? All these questions confront
today's audio engineers and music producers, and are debated in studios and periodicals the world
over.
From
where I stand, there is no absolute right or wrong approach to producing a
5.1-channel surround mix
regardless of the musical genre. AIX Records, our new DVD-Audio/ Video label
(www.aixrecords.com) has produced 13 new projects ranging from the New Jersey
Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) to Peppino D'Agostino playing solo acoustic guitar.
As many as 12 stereo pairs of microphones were placed on the stage with the
performers, which were captured on highcapacity hard drives and recorded on
Euphonix's digital multitrack. The number of recorded channels and their
strategic locations among the musicians allow us to prepare mixes from several points of
view. Using the AUDIO button on a DVD remote control, it is possible to switch
between "stage" and "audience" mixes. If the listener prefers to experience music
from the 14th row of a magnificent-sounding concert hall or the best seat in an
intimate jazz club, then the "audience" mix will allow him or her to recreate that
experience in their own home. On the other hand, it is also possible for a
listener to join the assembled group of musicians by creating a mix that actually surrounds him
or her with the ensemble. This so-called "stage" mix runs somewhat contrary to the
classical purist aesthetic but still constitutes legitimate musical expression,
especially as it allows listeners to have experiences that might otherwise
never be possible unless they happened to be musicians themselves.
The
argument over a composer's musical intent in a specific work, especially in the
case of a classical composition, needs to be carefully examined. The claim that
Bach, Beethoven, or Stravinsky wouldn't have appreciated their music being
performed in-the-round is hard to justify. Composers throughout history have
made use of physical space in performances of their works. Gabrielli used the
opposing sides of the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice for his well-known
antiphonal brass/choir compositions in the 17th Century. In the 18th Century,
the choral and organ compositions of Johann Sebastian Bach and others provide
the most direct analogy to today's "rear speaker" debate because of
the fact that the sound often comes from the choir loft or pipes located at the
back of a church. AIX's release of Respighi Pines of Rome has brass players
dispersed into the balconies and rear of the hall. When the final movement,
"The Pines of the Appian Way", reaches its ultimate climax, the sound
is coming from all directions-- including the sound of the trombones, which
emanates directly from the rear. A live
surround example can be heard in one of Elliot Carter's string quartets, which
places the members of the ensemble in the four corners of the performance
space. Who says music cannot come from someplace other than a proscenium stage?
Clearly,
composers have used and appreciated "surround" sound in the past. I
believe that the technology of DVDAudio/Video and 5.1 -channel surround sound
systems can be made to enhance virtually any piece or style of music. Producing
a recording is not limited to creating an acoustic documentary of an actual
performance, although that pursuit is among the choices available to audio
producers/engineers. Mixing
music to enhance the musical experience should be a large part of the
creative/technical process. The reactions to our mixing style have been both positive and negative.
The conductor of the NJSO, Maestro Macal, raved about the DVD's sound. He
commented that this recording was the first that he had ever heard that
captured the sound the way he intended it.
For other
listeners, recording and mixing
from the "conductor wannabe" POV is a mistake. I disagree, and am
confident many musicians and audio consumers will find "stage" mixes more interesting than the
"audience" versions. Besides, if the "audience" mix is preferred, a simple press
of the AUDIO button will switch the perspective on all AIX Records releases.
Check it out and let me know what you think... we're building the model as we
go.
Mark
Waldrep [mwalrep@aixmediagroup.com) is the president and CEO of AV Media Group,
an international company specializing in the innovative use of emerging
technologies such as DVD and the Internet. He is also a professor in the
Division of Performing and Media Arts at the California State University at
Dominguez Hills.
Comments?
Email us at letters@onlineinc.com, or check the masthead for other ways to
contact us.
Indexing (details)
Subject
Location
Classification
Title
5.1-channel
surround sound: Mixing
opinions part II
Author
Publication
title
Volume
Issue
Pages
40
Number of
pages
1
Publication
year
2001
Publication
date
Aug 2001
Year
2001
Publisher
Information
Today, Inc.
Place of
publication
Wilton
Country
of publication
United
States
Journal
subject
ISSN
15297306
Source
type
Trade
Journals
Language
of publication
English
Document
type
Feature
ProQuest
document ID
224088757
Document
URL
http://search.proquest.com/docview/224088757?accountid=144516
Copyright
Copyright
Online, Incorporated Aug 2001
Last
updated
2010-06-09
Database
ProQuest
Hospital Collection
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