Extracting mono files from a 5.1 mix

[filmspezialist]

I am using Audition CS6.

What I want to do: saving my 5.1 audio mix into six individual mono files

Once I imported my 5.1 wav file into Audition I can use the option to extract all channels into mono files.

This works nicely if it is just a single 5.1 track.

However when I am putting two 5.1 tracks into the same track one after the other (in multi tzrack mode) the option to extract all channels into mono files is greyed out, i.e. it is not available.

Hpw do I overcome this problem?

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

Extract Channels to Mono Files is a Waveform-only option, I'm afraid. If you want to split up more than one 5.1 file at a time, you'd have to concatenate them in Waveform view, and split each individual mono file afterwards.

[filmspezialist]

Thanks Steve.

Here is what I found out so far.

I have two audio clips (both are 5.1 WAV files) which I want to concatenate. So I create a 5.1 Multitrack session in Audition CS6. With Drag & Drop I am dropping both WAV files into Track 1 of the Multitrack Session, one following the other. In the Multitrack Editor both clips are shown as 5.1 clips. HOWEVER when playing back those clips they have obviousely been converted to stereo! And that is not all: the LFE track is completely missing! This is really strange. The audio meter at the bottom of the Multitrack editor shows 6 tracks, but only the first two of them (L + R) are used during playback of the clips.

I also tested my clips in the waveform editor. When playing them back the 5.1 channels are perfectly assigned to the corresponding speakers of my 5.1 speaker setup.

Aby idea what the problem could be? 

[SteveG_AudioMasters_ · Accepted solution]

The only sensible way to concatenate files is to use Open Append in Waveform view. If you don't do that, you have to do it in Multitrack, and that involves getting the export options correct. Much easier not to need to bother with that!

[filmspezialist]

Thanks, Steve - that is exactly what I was looking for!

Regarding the other problem that I described in my first answer to your comment is still unsolved, of course. I guess I have to open a separate thread for that.

[jesse_flack]

How are you doing that basic step of extracting 6 separate mono files from a 5.1 source? I hve the simple case of a single 5.1 track, and I'm trying to convert it to 6 mono wav files, but I can't seem to figure it out. What am I missing?

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

Open your file in Waveform view. Go to Edit>Extract Channels to Mono files, and each channel will be extracted to a mono file. All you have to do then is save them with whatever names you want to call them.

[default1n6sfebhhumd]

Hi Steve!

I have a related issue I'm tearing my hair out over.  Nothing I can find on line works.  I have an Audition project for a short film that I mixed in a 5.1 surround porject.  I have about 12 tracks, and each is sent to various channels (speakers). There is also some automation, where a sound is traveling from right to left, etc.  The DCP service requires 6 mono files.  I found no way to export those.  The only think poeple suggest is exporting each track separately, but that's obviously not what I need - I don't need 12 files, I need six, and I need the 5.1 sspread interpreted out to those individual files.  I then read on Cretive Cow that I need to export as a sinlge 5.1 file, and then reimport that into a new project.  Tried that with Multitrack Mixdown with Mixdown options set to "Mix/5.1".  When I reimport the file, all the tracks have been moved to the Left and Right, and the four other surround tracks are empty.  I tried exporting for Premiere. Same issue.  The file is a surround file, but everything is in the L anbd R tracks.  I'm so frustrated and the DCP service needs this tomorrow.  I can't believe Audtion made it so easy to work with the surround project but fails so hard in this most basic last step.  Thank you for any help you can give or any direction you can point me in.  I've checked the manual, and have been scouring the discussion groups for days on this one. 

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

If you open your 6-channel (5.1) file in Waveform view, all you need to do is go to Edit>Extract Channels to Mono Files, and you'll end up with 6 files, with all the panning exactly as it was. Just name them appropriately and save them.

[default1n6sfebhhumd]

Hey Steve!  The problem was actually a little earlier up the chain.  I wan't even able to create a valid 5.1 file with the sound spread across the channels correctly.  The issue was actually that even though I had created a surround project in Audition, the Mix Output in the Mixer was set to Stereo Default.  So even though I was exporting 5.1, the mixer was getting int here and converting everything to stereo first.  Once I set that Output to "Default Surround", I was able to export a valid 5.1 Surround Wav file with all the pieces in place.  Then I followed your suggestion and Extracted to Mono, and now I'm good to go!  Thanks for helping towards the final goal!

[ZBalling]

Right click on many channels wav files and press extract channels to mono files. That works in waveform.