Preparing your file for spatial mixing + mix down to stereo
Please prepare your musical project for spatial mixing during session 12. There are a few options:
- If possible, please prepare your composition so that different parts are in different tracks. In the Lab, during class, we will map those tracks to positions in space using the d&b Soundscape technology.
- Please also prepare a stereo version of your track (i.e., mixed down to two tracks, right and left). In Live, you can do this by using File > Export Audio/Video. There are many possible settings here. I encourage you to Encode PCM using WAV or AIFF. We can use this version to test the quad splitter circuit board in the Lab. How do the decisions made by the circuit board differ from separating our compositions by instrument or sample?
- Use the panning knobs for each track to create different kinds of spatialized mixes. Some of the reverb and delay tools offer various spatialization techniques as well, such as ping pong or reverberating cave effects. Can you find any interesting effects to giving your sounds more of a sense of space?
- For a more advanced experience, try using Envelop for Live spatial mixing tools for your multichannel track. You can listen using headphones, and experiment with placing your tracks in different locations in 360-degree space.
Here’s a brief guide including download links and video tutorial for Envelop for Live.
More detailed guidance for the E4L (Envelop for Live) tools is here.
The short version is this:
- Download Envelop for Live tools.
- Add an E4L Master Bus to an audio track. This is where you designate the spatial mix (stereo, binaural, quad, octo, etc). Use binaural for headphone monitoring.
- To each audio track of your composition, add the E4L Source Panner. If you have other effects, such as reverb or compression, please add the Source Panner at the end of your effects chains (right-most position in the effects window). Now you can pan that particular audio track in 360-degrees. Experiment with locating different tracks, different sounds in different locations in space. Use the Azim knob to rotate sounds. Changing the radius will make the sound louder and more central. Keep the radius at 1 (all the way outside) for more pronounced spatial mixing.
- If you like, you can also experiment with other Envelop for Live tools, such as the multi delay or spatial slicer.
- If you don’t get too far with the spatialization, that’s OK. Keep working your composition, your mix, your effects, and your process.
Remember the Tomo Fujita rules for music learning: Don’t worry. Don’t compare. Don’t expect too fast. Be kind to yourself.
Good luck, and see you during session 12.
