Immersive and Stereo Mixing: A Comprehensive Guide for Audio Professionals
Since the introduction of spatial audio for music in 2021, Dolby Atmos Music Mixing has revolutionized the music industry, offering artists and listeners a new way to experience music. Those fortunate enough to hear their tracks in this immersive format often express a deep emotional connection.
This shift has presented both opportunities and challenges within the industry.
For Dolby Atmos mixing engineers and music producers, the transition involves significant technical upgrades, including a minimum requirement of a 12-speaker setup and an investment in high-end equipment, alongside mastering the complexities of immersive audio production.
Despite these hurdles, early adopters in this field see it as an essential evolution, enabling creative decisions that align more closely with an artist's vision, ultimately aiming to bring these rich immersive experiences to a broader audience.
The ‘Early’ Days
Collaborations between Avid Pro Tools and Dolby have led to innovations specifically designed to optimize the music-mixing process. However, to appreciate the advancements in Dolby Atmos Music Mixing, it's essential to understand the initial obstacles.
The early stages of Dolby Atmos mixing in Pro Tools involved complex setups with separate applications for Pro Tools and the Dolby Atmos Renderer, often requiring a dedicated computer for the Renderer and a high-channel audio interface to bridge the two.
The configuration limited the use of external hardware, creating an integrated system that linked Pro Tools with the Dolby Renderer via a virtual soundcard, namely the 'Dolby Audio Bridge.'
Typically, audio experts would require a separate computer exclusively to operate the Dolby Renderer, enabling 128 channels through Dante from their Pro Tools setup.
This setup was not only costly but also demanded the coordination of multiple systems to function effectively within a music production environment.
Two-Stage Mixing Process
This initial setup also enforced a two-stage mixing process where engineers first had to produce and get approval for a stereo mix before embarking on creating an immersive version, which then needed separate approval.
This often led to discrepancies between the stereo and immersive mixes due to differences in processing and mastering, posing additional challenges for engineers and confusion for clients.
After completing the stereo mix, the next step involved exporting the pre-mastering processed stems into a new session designed for immersive audio. This transition presented a challenge, as it places you at a disadvantage when trying to match the tonality of the already approved stereo mix.
Creating an immersive mix that requires client approval, especially when listened to through headphones, adds an extra layer of complexity to ensuring consistency in sound quality.
Implementing Multiple Soundcards
Aux I/O used for routing to multiple virtual soundcards
The introduction of AUX I/O in Pro Tools marked a significant turning point, allowing for more flexible routing of audio to different destinations, including the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
While this feature improved workflow, it faced challenges with stability and latency management. Yet, it laid the groundwork for more integrated solutions.
The expansion of track widths in Pro Tools to accommodate up to 9.1.6 configurations opened new possibilities for mixing, enabling more seamless integration of stereo and immersive formats. Despite the initial challenges, these developments hinted at a unified mixing template that could cater to stereo and immersive outputs.
I'll take a moment here to reflect on my journey in the music industry, which spans over two decades. My career began in 2005 when I started working at Avid. Over the years, I've seen many colleagues transition from Avid to Dolby, and I've maintained strong connections with them. In our discussions, I shared my vision for a mixing template that could accommodate both immersive and stereo formats. Little did I know, a solution was already being developed that would perfectly complement my concept, filling a critical gap in the process.
Integrated Dolby Atmos Renderer
This integration streamlined the workflow, directly routing stems to the Renderer and facilitating the simultaneous processing of immersive and stereo mixes. The capability to monitor binaural and stereo mixes through dedicated aux tracks further enhanced the mixing process, ensuring consistency across different listening formats.
multi-channel vs multi-mono plugins
Multi-Channel vs Multi-Mono
The distinction between multi-channel and multi-mono plugins becomes crucial in this context, with multi-channel plugins offering tailored processing for immersive formats and multi-mono plugins applying uniform effects across all channels.
This nuanced understanding of plugin application is vital for achieving the desired tonal balance and dynamic range in both immersive and stereo mixes.
This evolved workflow empowers Dolby Atmos mixing engineers to create compelling immersive mixes, monitor stereo fold-downs, and ensure the binaural mix's fidelity, all within a unified template.
The culmination of these advancements is a mix template that not only streamlines the mixing process but also elevates the quality and emotional impact of music, bringing the artist's vision to life in an immersive sonic environment.
My Immersive Mixing Template
In conclusion, the journey from the initial challenges of Dolby Atmos Music Mixing to the development of a comprehensive mix template underscores the industry's commitment to innovation and the enhanced listening experiences it brings. This walkthrough aims to share insights and practices that can enrich the mixing workflow, inviting more creators to explore the boundless possibilities of immersive audio.
