Help with audio settings for voice-over and music

[vxmxac]

Hi,

I edit documentaries for YouTube and I always mix the voiceover and the music separately. For the voice-over, I use the Multiband Compressor with the Broadcast preset and for the soundtrack, I use the Music preset on the essential sound panel and set it to about -12 dB lower than the voice.

I would like to know if there's an easier way to do this and automatize my workflow without mixing them separately.

Thanks in advance, I appreciate your help.

[gerikp]

I usually put all my music on one audio track. All my VO on another audio track. All my natural sound on another audio track. Then I use Audio Track Mixer to set the level for the individual track and add effects like compressor, dynamics or EQs in the FX slots per track. That way all the VO gets processed the same no matter how many clips are on that track and I avoid adding effects to each and every clip and it's easier to adjust if I need to change something.

[vxmxac]

What effects do you use for the music tracks?

[gerikp]

Sometimes I'll make a "hole" in the music for dialog. Meaning I'll use a parametric equalizer to reduce frequencies found in the human voice so the dialog comes through better when mixed with a music bed.

[vxmxac]

Here's a screen recording of what I do, so you have a better idea of my process.

[R Neil Haugen]

You can save presets of your settings of course. Both the ECP and the ESP can have presets, so whether you apply them either place, you can invoke your presets. And ... I think they added some abilities for this in the Track mixer panel ... have to check that though.

Still, you would need to mix. The ducking in the ESP is pretty slick ... with a track set to Dialogue, one to Music or whatever, you set the music one to auto-duck and that works great.

Neil

[vxmxac]

Sorry, but do you have a tutorial or screenshots on how to do this? I'm not great at audio stuff so I'm a bit loss right now 😅

[R Neil Haugen]

Their online help has several things about using the Essential Sound Panel. Or ESP.

And applying audio effects in general.

Neil

[vxmxac]

My main concern is how what is the best way to set a music bed, I use the broadcast preset on the audio track mixer for the voice-over, but I don't know which preset I can use to set the music levels on the background.

[R Neil Haugen]

That you'd need to test. The starting auto-duck settings aren't bad, I would note.

To use them you need to set a Dialogue type track in the ESP for your dialog, so the ESP knows when you set the music track to music type which track to duck against.

Neil

[vxmxac]

I tried that in the Essential Sound panel but the voice-over doesnt sound as loud as with the Broadcast preset on the Audio Track Mixer, besides that, I dont really need the background music volume to increase when the voice-over pauses, what I need is a flat music bed.

[R Neil Haugen]

In the Audio workspace, the Track Mixer is where you handle that sort of thing.

Neil