Hi and thanks for the replies.
I'm using Sony Vegas Pro 10 with DVD Architect (about to upgrade to SV Pro 11)
and a quick look at both indicates that DVDA supports Dialnorm. I've done a
very quick look into Dialnorm and settings in DVDA and the wikipedia link you
posted Steve. A little experimentation should yield some, hopefully, positive
results.
Until my move to Vegas all recordings were stereo (DD) and narration or/and
focus on a particular sound was just a case of what sounded right as long as
there was no clipping and the narration or focus subject was clear but not
overpowering ... if you understand, just a nice well balanced production. With
2 rear channels added to the equation, the concentration of narration/focal in
centre front and, if the situation requires it, the LFE to mix in as well I
guessed there must be a proven/best practice balancing act to perform, hence my
question.
Thanks again
Ron
--- In Steve Sergeant <> wrote:
>
> Does your software allow you to set Dialnorm [
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialnorm ]?
>
> At the risk of overstating the obvious, It's best not to attempt mixing
> a surround sound production without a surround sound monitoring environment.
>
> If you're creating a 5.1 mix, then your narration would typically only
> appear in the Center channel. Unless you're trying to achieve the
> unnatural effect of the narrator being beside or behind the viewer.
>
> If the listener has a different speaker arrangement than 5.1, the
> decoder in the playback system should downmix that center channel to the
> appropriate available speakers. (Such as for 2-channel playback.)
>
> If you have 4-channel or 5.1 channel location ambiance, then that should
> be assigned to L, R, Ls, & Rs at matching gains. The ".1" channel is
> called LFE (Low Frequency Effects), which describes well it's intended
> use. Some home theater systems with small speakers channel all low
> frequencies through the LFE channel as a cost-saving measure, but that's
> not the original intent.
>
> Is your narration always going to be the loudest thing in the program,
> or are there ambient, sound effects, or music tracks that get louder at
> times? If there are, then you want to set the Dialnorm level for the DD
> encoder appropriately to indicate the average RMS level of your
> narration and any other dialog. One of the proposed standards for
> broadcast television would set Dialnorm, and thus the average level of
> narration and dialog, at -24_dB-fs.
>
> I know I've seen books on good surround sound mixing techniques, but I
> don't nave the references with me at the moment.
>
>
> On 11/16/2011 05:44 AM, rterry_uk wrote:
> > Hello to all
> >
> > My new video editing software is able to record in 5.1 sound format
> > (DD) and I was wondering if there is any 'best guide' as to sound levels
> > for the finished production.
> >
> > As an example, if I record say the narration track at about 0dB (5
> > PPM) should the front L&R be the same or lower say -4dB (4 PPM) and what
> > of the surround levels -4dB (4 PPM) again? (all in UK scale)
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> >
> > Ron
>
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