Multicam with multiple audio tracks recommended approach

3 cameras, 4 Tentacle Sync Es

I've read here that multicam timeline "audio" (with multiple-different audio tracks) should be deleted and that individual audio tracks should be added back to the multicam timeline.

This gives individual audio track control but throws out audio timecode, no?

Since I have 6 different audio input channels, does it make sense that I need a standalone recorder like an F6?

I'm envisaging recording (to F6) a 2 channel mix of the 6 source channels. Then running the F6 audio file through the Tentacle Timecode Tool (Windows).

Won't this allow me to keep the single combined multicam audio track created by "Create new multicam clip..."

If this makes sense, how do I get rid of the camera (not F6) generated audio tracks prior to creating a multicam timeline?

My preference is to create Multicam clips using only camera media, and to keep all usable audio out of the Multicam. I just find it easier to do the mix in Fairlight this way, but it certainly doesn't have to be that way.

I use an F4 myself. After adding the Multicam to the timeline, I add the audio and sync it up. 17 can even do this automatically, and it works pretty well so long as camera scratch is there.

Once synced up, I just Disable the audio from the Multicam and edit away.

That help at all?

Thank much for the helpful reply!

First time I have control over audio and can cut by multicam I see that Auto Align clips by timecode works with dropped-in audio. Very nice.

At the moment my audio is recorded by the cameras. Is there a way to create the multicam timeline without audio if I don't yet have a recorder?

There is a weirdness about Multicam. When you Mute the audio portion of a clip, the video portion also goes dark.

You can use the same process above with the camera audio. It doesn't have to come from an external recorder.

Hi Jim. I now have an F6, but when I add those audio tracks (with timecode) to a multicam timeline as you describe, they won't sync with the multicam video track.

Does your F4 audio have embedded timecode that was previously synced to the video timecode?

The F4 does have timecode, but I've never jammed it to the cameras so I always use audio or sync manually.

Thank you for answering! Yes I understand. Any thoughts as to why multicam video can only sync with the single multicam audio track and not pasted audio? I'll post to the group too.

You can only sync one clip per track in a timeline. Is that a factor here?

Possibly. I see that right-click sync by timecode is limited to 2 files per sync.

Inserting many clips synced by timecode works, but now that you have me thinking, they have to be sequential and in the same track. So no limit to the number of tracks synced this way.

The F4 and F6 produce multiple mono and one stereo track (my setup), each with timecode. So I can try syncing one of these tracks at a time to the multicam video track. Does that make sense? I can test it this weekend.

You should be able to add one clip per track, and sync them all at once to the main Multicam clip using audio.

As the Multicam clip won't necessarily have the same timecode as the original clips, because it's a sort of Compound Clip in essence, audio is probably the way to go. (So long as the camera clips do have that scratch track.)

Thanks much but sound sync won't work. 2 mics are headsets for different people. 2 other channels are ambient audio without voice.

OK. You might have to sync manually, then. A slate was used?

My preference is to create Multicam clips using only camera media, and to keep all usable audio out of the Multicam. I just find it easier to do the mix in Fairlight this way, but it certainly doesn't have to be that way.

Actually looks like if you have more than 2 audio tracks then it does indeed have to be that way. As per all the other threads on the subject.

I use an F4 myself. After adding the Multicam to the timeline, I add the audio and sync it up. 17 can even do this automatically, and it works pretty well so long as camera scratch is there.

My current question is if it's possible to sync an audio (or whatever) track with a multicam clip based on timecode. Say my audio has a timecode which matches at least one of the tracks in a multicam clip... but is that even helpful, or would I have to fall back on waveform sync?

Not to hijack this thread, but I think it's relevant. The "just add your audio to the main timeline not multicam" and "use a sync device" advice is very prevalent on this forum but I've seen nothing about how they're supposed to actually sync up automatically. I hope I'm missing something!

possible to sync an audio (or whatever) track with a multicam clip based on timecode.

I've never tested. But I can see where that may not be possible.

A Multicam is a special type of Compound Clip. It has it's own timecode, independent of the timecode for the clips inside.

I'm able to timecode sync the recorder's audio and camera video tracks, if added one camera track or audio track at a time (to a regular timeline). Next I do audio edits. I should then be able to convert the resulting edited audio and video to a multicam. This locks the audio tracks up but at least they've already been edited alongside the source video.

I assume it is a simple matter to convert the timeline into a multicam clip as here,

...though I haven't gotten this far.

Converting to a Multicam is only possible if you don't use a Timelines Bin in the project settings, which I prefer to do, so I've never tested that feature.

Additionally, I prefer to follow the page order, doing my editing first, and audio work later on in Fairlight, so this would not be an approach I recommend.

I assume it is a simple matter to convert the timeline into a multicam clip as here

I watched the video and I don't really understand the point of having a regular timeline first and then converting it to MC and then creating a new timeline. Everything he did before converting to MC can also be done in an MC clip to begin with (adding/aligning tracks and editing them, etc). One can add as many angles as one wants (eg. I sometimes add a crop/zoom version of a camera angle so I can just switch to it easily when I want). And for pretty much most other purposes a MC "clip" is almost exactly like a Timeline already (just need to have a matching number of audio and video tracks). I usually do my color grade/adjustment on the clips inside the MC, usually after cutting the final program (switching between views/etc), so that way I don't have to deal with the resulting zillion individual clips in the program timeline.

Mind you I'm not talking about the "sync bin" stuff. I tried that a couple times and couldn't grok it. In a MC clip it seems I have much better control of everything.

Anyway, the end result after placing that MC clip back into a regular timeline all seems the same... you'll only get up to two audio tracks in the final result (and the same mixdown bug with > 2 tracks I reported earlier). If the audio is pre-mixed/edited then of course that's all you need. But again it doesn't seem to make a difference how the MC clip is created (converted from a timeline or created directly from clips in the first place).

I still haven't tested this yet.

I am not following the video publisher's workflow. He isn't trying to solve the timecoded audio in a MC clip problem.

The point of my suggestion is that you can edit separately imported (timecoded) audio in the timeline easily when it is aligned with video clips. One cannot edit individual audio tracks after creating a MC clip. I can't imagine editing audio outside of a timeline without seeing the video.

I agree Jim that this breaks the workflow. I've never had to padlock the audio tracks before cutting up video clips. It seems pretty horrible. But what other option if timecode synced audio is used (and waveform sync is impossible)?

what other option if timecode synced audio is used (and waveform sync is impossible)?

Manual. Been doing this for a long time now. It's pretty quick.

Finally got around to testing and was just about to admit defeat, but then...

I noticed that a multicam clip can be inserted into the timeline based on timecode. That puts it right where the timecode audio tracks are when they are inserted the same way. Now, I have easy editing access to all 4 tracks while the multicam video responds to the blade tool normally.

All audio and video are perfectly synced.

It works as long as all needed steps are performed in the right order. I've gotten all the necessary steps in OneNote. I'll paste it as soon as I clean it up.

I'm praying no unexpected issues pop up. I'm feeling lots of potential with this approach. 2 audio tracks create stereo ambient. The other 2 are different presenters. So now timecoded audio and video work together, MC editing works and control of individual audio tracks is possible.

I'm running into an efficient way to do this as well. Working in Resolve 18 right now.

I want to have a multicam clip that brings in all audio and doesn't change with the angles. I know I can change those on an edit-by-edit basis but why not be able to bring it all in and follow the multicam.

The problem with syncing the audio separately:
Say I have 4 tracks of audio Boom, LAV 1, LAV 2, Reference Audio. I then have 10 Multicam Clips and I'm cutting together an hour-long documentary.

Is the sync later approach suggesting that after I edit the video I then go back and find the audio to sync up? Total waste of time and a massive headache.

What I want:
My multicam clip video to have my camera angles. The audio needs to come into the timeline with all tracks and not switch with the camera and always be in sync. I would then be able to switch to fairlight with my track assignments already set up and ready to mix.

This is possible in premiere which has made me stick with cutting in premiere main for the way it handles multicams and audio on the timeline... but I like Resolve and the Color Page and Fairlight is really good - trying to avoid roundtripping and sticking in Resolve.

My approach is to add flies from each camera to timeline including external audio. Sync with audio sync. Then edit the audio for the whole thing and export a wav file. First save this timeline project as audio. The make a copy of timeline and convert to multicam. Now bring in the wav file and sync with audio again and then mute the multicam audio. If you find a problem in the audio, go back to that project, correct and re save file with same name. That is how I do my multicam with GH5S ( 2 channel ), GH6 ( 4 channels ) AX100- ( 2 channels ). Main audio is from the 4 channels of the GH6 as a mix of mics and theatre board feed.

I will often use up to four Rode Go II laves in a shoot. I'll record all of these on a Tascam 701D which has a timecode input. I will sync the cameras and the Tascam recorder with Tentacle sync units. In Davinci resolve I will put all of the camera clips and one of the audio clips in the multicam clip. I will name the audio clip with a unique camera name and sort lanes by camera name. I create the multi clip from the edit page by selecting all of the clips wanted in the multicam prior to putting anything in a time line. Obviously, I sync via timecode. The remaining audio clips will go outside of the multicam clip and are easy to align because the all start at the same time. I select the one Tascam audio clip in the multicam as the audio angle and only switch video in chopping up the footage. This way each audio clip is on a separate lane which can be mixed without problem in fairlight.

When I have multiple audio tracks from mics and lavs I sync them up with the video track(s) in a timeline, then create a multicam clip. Then I place the multicam clip in my edit timeline and make a copy of the multicam clip's audio track for each track inside the multicam clip. I can then select a different "angle" for each audio track to give me individual control.

One downside of that approach is that there are unused (i.e. black) video angles in the multicam, because I typically have more audio tracks than video tracks.

I would love it if there was a way to do this without having to manually copy and change the angle of each audio track. With original clips I can do that with "clip attributes" in the media pool, but that's apparently not an option with multicam clips.

Using multiple audio sources within a multicam clip.
I don't know if this answers the original question, but I found a better way to deal with multiple audio sources in a multicam setup, but it requires the use of Fairlight.
Let's assume that your MC recording setup is 2 cameras for an interview. Each person is mic'ed to one of the cameras. So each camera has half the interview; one face and one audio stream. But we want both audio streams blended together.
Try this:
1. Create your MC clip in the usual way and sync the clips by whatever means, audio (if possible), timecode or just manually.
2. With your new MC clip on the timeline, right click on it and select "Open in timeline" from the popup menu.
3. Now you should see your original source clips, stacked on the timeline and, on the status line below your timeline you should see something like
Timeline1>yourMCclipname
4. Select the Fairlight page. On the Fairlight page you should see your two audio tracks.
5. Right click on the track header area and click Add New Track. Change the name of this track to MC_Mix
6. In the faders panels for your tracks, adjust the volume settings as required, add any EQ and effects you need for each track. When you have your mix set up how you want it...
7. In the Timeline menu at the top of the page, click Bounce Mix to Track.
8. In the popup menu select Main, or Bus1, whatever your main output bus is called and where the dropdown box says Do Not Bounce, click and select MC_Mix
9. When you click OK to dismiss the popup panel, Fairlight will start rendering your mix to the MC_Mix track
10. When the mix is done, disconnect the original audio tracks from the Main or Bus1 by clicking the X next to their name in the faders panels.
11. Make sure that the MC_Mix track IS connected to the Main or Bus1 bus.
12. Return to the Edit Page.
13. Return to your MC clip by double clicking Timeline1 on the status line under the timeline.
14. Set your preview for dual preview and on the left preview set it to be a Multicam display.
15. Now you will see an additional "Angle" called MC_Mix and showing just an audio symbol.
16. Right click on the audio track of your MC clip and select Switch Multicam Clip and select MC_Mix from the list. Now your multicam setup is using your audio mix as you set it up in Fairlight
17. On the MC preview screen, select the video cut only preference, and start cutting!

I know it sounds complicated, but if you follow the steps carefully, it will allow you a LOT of flexibility for dealing with multiple cameras and multiple audio sources. This method can be extended to unlimited audio sources and mixes.

'Flying around' - your example is EXACTLY what I am trying to do. Thank you.
However, I am struggling to follow your work flow right from the start - steps 1 and 2.
When you say in step 1 "Create your MC clip in the usual way", are you referring to Convert the Timeline to a Multicam Clip with the timeline being that which contains the pair of video/audio clips brought in from each of your cameras?
I ask because that is where I encounter my problem.
I drop my clips into a timeline and sync them = timeline with 2 video tracks + 2 audio tracks
I right click that Timeline in my Media Pool > Convert Timeline to Multicam Clip (Step 1?)
When I then open up the new MC clip on a new timeline (Create New Timeline Using Selected Clips...) (Step 2?), only ONE of the 2 audio clips is there?! I cannot see the other either in the Edit window or in the Fairlight window.
I am surely misunderstanding your instructions and doing something wrong; I just don't know what!
Thanks.

I believe that I have answered my own question above but now have encountered another. Yes, this is learn-as-I-go so thank you for your patience.
The reason that I was seeing, and hearing, only one track was because (obvious in retrospect) the audio track that is showing/playing is the audio track related to the mutlicam 'angle' that is chosen. The other(s) are there but are hidden unless/until an alternate angle is selected. Duh!
But my confusion arose in part because the audio track that is displayed, with its track label, does not coincide with the video track displayed and its label. So, for instance, I imported 2 files: interviewer (audio and video) and talent (audio and video). I labelled them appropriately and converted to an MC clip.
Unfortunately, the labels don't match the content. So, if I choose the the interviewer 'angle' (vid+aud), it accesses shows the interviewer video but with the talent audio?!
If I figure out the problem, I will re-post. In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions, come on down!

In my case, I'd like the Multicam clip to come into the timeline with all the individual audio tracks from the multicam clip on individual tracks of my timeline, just as it would be if I had a clip from a camera that has two or four channels of audio.

I tried changing the clip attributes in the media pool, but only one audio track if my timeline is populated when I pull the multicam clip in.

I love the multicam clip for switching camera angles, but I'd like to adjust each audio track separately in my timeline, with the ability to have multiple tracks playing or overlapping.

So far none of these options really help me. I have no problem making multiclips and I started looking at sync bins and that gives me the exact same issue.

I am editing a scene for a movie with multiple takes and angles. (most of the examples are editing an interview or tutorials).

My scene has 2-5 actors all on separate mics with 2 camera angles per take. If I use the sync bin (as I understand it) I have to drop the full take onto the timeline before I can start editing other angles. For the multiclip workaround where people are dropping their external audio tracks on the timeline outside of the multiclip you run into the same issue as you do with sync bins.

I want to mix up the takes, cutting between take 1 and 3 or 2 and 4. It is imperative that I don't string out an entire take onto the timeline and start editing from the timeline. When I use multiclips I drop a take into the timeline where two actors are talking. Only one track plays so I only hear one actor. I then duplicate the multicam audio and switch it to the other actor, but I end up having to do this ridiculous task of duplicating audio tracks for every edit that I put on the timeline.

I'm okay with adjusting my workflow to use the program in the best way, but I have not figured out any way that makes it possible to have multiple camera angles synced and bring in all tracks at once with the multicamera clip

Think this is all that's needed...

That's essentially the same workaround as duplicating tracks from the multicam in the timeline. You have to go through a million manual steps for each multicam clip every time you pull one into the timeline. The point is that we're looking for multicam clips that come into the timeline with all the audio tracks already broken out without the workaround steps.

I'm able to timecode sync the recorder's audio and camera video tracks, if added one camera track or audio track at a time (to a regular timeline). Next I do audio edits. I should then be able to convert the resulting edited audio and video to a multicam. This locks the audio tracks up but at least they've already been edited alongside the source video.

I assume it is a simple matter to convert the timeline into a multicam clip as here,

...though I haven't gotten this far.

This is how I do my Multicam. However it is a good idea to duplicate the timeline and then convert that to the Multicam timeline. That way you can always go back and get a corrected version. I also edit from this source the audio. I like then to export the audio as a wav file to bring back into the multicam clip timeline, sync then mute the Multicam Audio.

I use Canon cameras for Multicam (C500ii/C70) and each records 4 tracks of audio. Seems to me the essence of this issue is that multicam in Resolve is designed around a single video track and single audio track (stereo) output. My camera angles only include 2 of the 4 tracks when I add them to the multicam and there's no way to edit this.

Surely to get this to work properly Blackmagic are going to have to update multicam to allow multiple tracks of audio (2, 4, 6, 8 - whatever you want) specified so that all the audio tracks can be output with the multicam clip? I'm a bit surprised it doesn't do this already.

Hi everyone, I just did a YouTube tutorial on a couple of methods to do this:

Hopefully will be of use to someone

Adding a +1

All the workaround are okay and all, but what we're really looking for here is that the Multicam clip just uses "Bus 1" for example, of the timeline that is the multicam sync map. Seems like that should just be an obvious option when looking at a Multicam clip inside the source viewer, as to what audio source it is using.

Would help our workflow greatly; tired of decomposing audio and trying to clunkily edit with that (multiple tracks of unlinked audio); OR losing the ability to further finesse the audio/mix while editing without backstepping and rerendering another premix bounce.

This one is a no brainer hopefully dev team gets around to it sometime.

Otherwise.. love the multicam experience in DR <3 performance is crazy good.

Adding a +1

All the workaround are okay and all, but what we're really looking for here is that the Multicam clip just uses "Bus 1" for example, of the timeline that is the multicam sync map. Seems like that should just be an obvious option when looking at a Multicam clip inside the source viewer, as to what audio source it is using.

Yeah I tried so many workarounds and hacks to try and get tracks submixed into a new bus and then piped back into a new multicam angle but there's no way to route a bus output into a normal audio track input in realtime to prevent having to bounce. - Not that I could find anyway!.