How to Create a Pro Audio Mixing Session

While this course is shown in the film industry standard software (Avid Pro Tools), every technique and idea within can be used in any software you're comfortable with. In this lecture, you'll learn the basic parameters of creating a session like:

• Sample Rate

• Bit Depth

• Naming Conventions

• Frame Rates

You can't exactly edit audio for video if you don't have video first! And it's always important to know how your audio sounded before you started working. You'll set up your Picture and Guide tracks in this section and get prepared to build your complete mixing template around them.

Set up your dialog tracks like a pro dialog mixer. Dialog is the primary sonic storytelling tool of any content, so it needs to be treated accordingly. In this section, you'll learn all about:

• Proper track layout

• Naming conventions

• Audio routing

• DSP and processing

• The "Dialog Chain"

If dialog tells you a story, music tells you how to FEEL about that story. Whether you're working with a simple stereo music track or a complete set of separated stems - drums, strings, vocals, and more - you'll need to weave it around dialog and stay organized the whole time. You'll learn:

• Proper track layout

• Naming conventions

• Audio routing

• DSP and processing

• Stems vs 2-track

Foley is probably the single biggest sonic element that really makes pro audio stand out against the rest. Every footstep, hand pat, door squeak, and more are blended together to recreate reality - often with thousands of individual sounds. Learn how to stay organized with:

• Proper track layout

• Signal routing

• EQ settings

• Panning

• Props vs FS

Sound effects can easily become the most complex part of your audio if you're not careful, so staying organized is extremely important. Learn how professional audio mixers handle their sound effects with:

• Creating "virtual predubs"

• Mono vs Stereo sounds

• Advanced track layouts

• Advanced signal routing

• Managing 40+ audio tracks easily

Every other sonic element in your soundscape needs an environment to take place in; that's where background sounds come in. Learn how to work in-depth with backgrounds and ambiences with:

• Pro track layouts

• EQ, DSP and signal processing

• Mono vs Stereo sounds

• "A/B'ing" backgrounds

• Using "virtual predubs"

Here's where every sound you work with comes together. Your goal in audio is to funnel every sound down to a final mix - whether it's in stereo, surround sound, or immersive audio. Learn how to:

• Create professional audio deliverables

• Isolate dialog, music, SFX, and more

• Create stems for pro workflows

• Make a final printmaster for your audience to hear

• Understand how all of your audio comes together

Every piece of audio software has some tricks to manage large sessions with high track counts. Pro Tools is no exception. See a fantastic technique to get around your new session FAST.

Sync is THE SINGLE most important thing in sound - and it can be very easy to mess up. Learn how to use a 2pop to make sure all of your audio will always be in sync, no matter where it ends up.

Mixing every individual piece of audio in a big session seems like a daunting task, especially when there can be thousands of sounds in complex workflows. Get control over your mixes quickly and easily by using VCA's and Groups to control lots of tracks at once with just a single mouse click!