suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

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Rick van den Berg

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suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

PostSat Nov 13, 2021 12:11 pm

I'm an all-round editor, with like 10 years of paid experience. I know how audio mostly works, compression, EQ, etc, it's always been an important part which i try to ace every time. However, i'm interested in taking the audio part of my skillset to a newer high, both in speed and quality. (which could come hand in hand) I'm editing short commercials, but also TV-programs of 30 minutes.

There are some panels available from blackmagic which i'm interested in, to find out if they can help me in this process. However, there are some things which i highly doubt, for example, i never really understood how faders would be beneficial compared to a workflow of just editing individual clips and setting a keyframe now and then. I mean, if i press play and turn the music down with faders when somebody suddenly starts to talk, i'll always be too late, right? But since there are many audio experts in the higher-end section of the market using these panels (i think), it keeps me questioning on how it could fit inside my workflow. I do see how the desktop audio editor can be beneficial however, since that is purely for editing. The difference between the editing and mixing part is also by the way something i never really understood, probably because i mostly work on my own. But i wan't to find out.

I can find a lot of video's of panels showing off what you can do with faders of the desktop console, how they work, etc. I watched for example a 2 hours recording of a workshop by a BMD representative showing it off, explaining the buttons, but not really showing real-world situations.

I'm interested in video's explaining workflows, the handling of real world projects from scratch, and also with the desktop audio editor, but they seem rare.

I'm wondering if there is video content for that, or i might want to see people with this specific experience. I live in the Netherlands, but it could be important enough to pay a visit abroad. Since the price could be similar to that of a new car, and i still need to be convinced, i can't just buy it to try it out.

Any suggestions on how to approach this?
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Charles Bennett

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Re: suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

PostMon Nov 15, 2021 2:39 pm

I've always mixed using faders right from analogue days, with and without automation. Personally I have found the keyframe way to be a bit clinical. With faders you can feel the mix as you go.
Maybe it's just me being old school. :D
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Charles Bennett

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Re: suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

PostMon Nov 15, 2021 3:45 pm

Going back to your post, though I track lay and mix in Pro Tools, the workflow I use would be identical in Fairlight.
Doing the audio as a separate operation rather than piecemeal as you edit has benefits. You can concentrate on the whole program, get an overall picture of the audio, and mix with consistency. I use clip gain to get them all to a similar level. Multiple music tracks will go to an aux input, the same for fx and dialogue. These aux tracks will be the ones I mix with using automation. To know when a cue is coming you can check the waveforms on the screen. If you miss one you can go back, set the automation to Touch, and pick up at a point before the error.
As I have a calibrated monitoring system I don't have to watch the meters, I can watch the video and mix by ear.
This is a very simplistic explanation of how I mix but having done it for so long it's something I don't have to think about which makes it difficult to put into words.
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Reynaud Venter

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Re: suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

PostTue Nov 16, 2021 8:52 am

Rick van den Berg wrote:there are some things which i highly doubt, for example, i never really understood how faders would be beneficial compared to a workflow of just editing individual clips and setting a keyframe now and then.
Faders are not isolated to adjusting individual Track levels but also control a number of additional system parameters. In larger sessions, fader layouts and mapping may be employed to consolidate and simplify complex sessions and organise mix elements for greater speed, efficiency and flexibility.

A few workflow examples:

Efficiency - Parameter Agnostic
Input Level, Aux Send Level, and Track Level for a specific channel may be adjusted with a single fader.

Management - Custom Fader Maps
Like sources may be grouped together maintaining a compact physical footprint during different phases of the editing and mixing process.

With 12 fader banks one can manage large sessions and dedicate each custom bank to a group of very specific Tracks or Groups.

For example, a single fader bank of 12 faders may contain a Dialogue VCA Master, followed by the most important production dialogue and ADR Tracks, followed by an effects return, a Foley VCA Master, Ambience VCA Master, and finally a Music VCA Master.

A complex session that may contain in excess of 250 Tracks can be simplified down to only 12 faders while still controlling all elements (e.g. solo and mute stems, control aux sends and effects returns, or balance the entire mix), and individual mix elements are always immediately accessible when required.

Accessibility - Lock Faders
Certain Faders may be permanently or temporarily locked in position to ensure a Dialogue VCA Master or a Commentary Track from Bank 1 is always available on Fader 1 regardless of which mix elements are within the current Bank - e.g. banking to Music Tracks.

Speed - Spill
While Mix elements may be controlled via VCA Masters in a single Bank, the associated Slaves are always available and may spill either to the left or right of the VCA Master based on user preference - e.g. Dialogue VCA Master on Fader 1 spills all component dialogue Tracks across Faders 2 through 12 to adjust a specific element (e.g. solo or mute a specific ADR Track), unspill and return to mixing with VCA Masters only with global control of Dialogue, Music, Foley, and Effects.

Productivity - Mixer Fader Sets
Specific Mix elements may be assigned to faders without having to constantly bank or go digging for specific Tracks. For example, Fader Set 1 may only contain Production Dialogue Tracks, Fader Set 2 ADR Tracks, and Fader Set 3 the language Dub Tracks.

Resolve's UI follows Fader Sets and only displays the associated Timeline Tracks while all non-essential mix elements may be hidden while remaining audible.

In other words, if only Dialogue Tracks should be focused in Resolve UI and across faders, call Fader Set 1. With a key press, Music Tracks will be focused in Resolve's UI and across faders, and then instantly switch back to Dialogue.

Flexibility - User Layouts
A Fader Set may be active (e.g. Music) but only Dialogue Timeline Tracks may be visible in Resolve's UI. With User Layouts all non-essential mix elements may be hidden and remain audible. In other words, Dialogue Tracks may be focused for editing in the UI while riding individual Music Track levels on faders.

These modes are not an either/or proposition and operators may instantly switch between modes depending on which Resolve UI Track or groups of faders are required. Fader Sets and User Layouts are saved with the Project file ensuring customisation of the entire system according to a particular workflow or session type.

It's not just about faders but the workflow centres on being better organised, providing greater efficiency while maintaining greater control over specific individual mix elements or global aspects of a complex mix. It is a symbiosis between Resolve's UI and retaining tactile control over elements that may not be visible in Resolve's UI - all without touching a mouse or keyboard.

I do see how the desktop audio editor can be beneficial however, since that is purely for editing.
The Desktop Audio Editor is not just an editing panel, but that is one aspect of its many functions.

Each function is categorised with a “megamode” - Setup, Record, Monitor, Macro, Mix, and Edit.

ADR or Dubbing controller
Dedicated functions related to script text entry with QWERTY key layout, tactile control over creating and jumping between Cues, rehearsing Cues and recording Takes, or auditioning and selecting Takes.

Recorder:
Advanced recording functions are provided including automatically dropping in and out and recording across a specific Audio Clip's duration including a pre-roll. No need to set In and Out Points, select an Audio Clip, followed by the Record Clip command and the system automates the process.

Punching in at specific points such as at the Audio Clip Head automatically, or recording across a Range (with a user definable pre-roll) and automatically dropping in at the In Point and automatically dropping out at the Out Point, or dropping in automatically at the CTI with a pre-roll, or dropping in again at the previous drop-in point for another Take.

Mixer
With a Fairlight fader panel, the Audio Editor assigns fader control over specific functions, building and accessing Mixer Fader Sets, or defining and recalling User Layouts.

Even without Fairlight fader panels, Track and Buss Level is available via a dedicated rotary. The Audio Editor provides rotary layouts for 2D and 3D Panning, Aux Send Level/Mute/Pan, with dedicated keys for Track Mute/Solo, or Solo Clear and Mute Clear.

Track selectors provide control over Couple Groups (e.g. select a range of Tracks and adjust Track level or Aux Send Levels for all members) or quickly creating and disbanding Edit Groups, with dedicated keys to Show/Hide Tracks, Arm Tracks for recording, Mute or Solo single or large ranges of Audio Tracks.

Advanced automation functions are avialable including dropping in and out automatically across Ranges, putting Tracks in to automation isolation or safe and defining safe zones.

The Desktop Audio Editor is like having a much larger Fairlight Console in a very compact and light weight and therefore portable panel.

Plugin and Fairlight DSP controller
Tactile control over Fairlight Audio Clip and Channel EQ as well as the Channel and Buss Dynamics, along with Fairlight AFX, including 3rd party plugins. The Audio Editor pad (display) reflects the transfer function of the Fairlight EQ without opening the EQ window in Resolve's UI or the Inspector for the Clip EQ, along with the transfer plot for the Fairlight Dynamics Processor, and Pan - all accessible and controlled without looking at Resolve's UI.

Rotaries may be user mapped to 3rd party plugin parameters and grouped across pages with user definable naming for better organisation of functions. Six rotaries with dual layers across six pages ensures 72 plugin parameters are controllable from the Audio Editor. With 6 switches across six pages, an additional 36 plugin functions may be accessed from the Audio Editor.

With logical mapping and experience, it is much faster grabbing a rotary or pressing a switch on the Audio Editor and adjusting a plugin parameter than it is grabbing the mouse and turning a virtual knob or clicking a virtual button on the plugin UI.

Monitor Controller
Dedicated monitor speaker set selection (i.e. small or large speaker sets or TV speakers), individual speaker selects for the array, speaker set dim, mute, phase and level control.

Multiple Stems (i.e. mix elements or groups) may be auditioned collectively or individually. Dedicated keys are provided for external source selects (e.g. an external playback source) for up to 16 external sources.

Fixed speaker level and dim control, mono, stereo, or multichannel fold-downs, loudness metering, etc. are all standard.

Talkback Controller
Studio circuit control is available with a dedicated mute switch and level control rotary and engaging Talkback automatically dims the control room monitoring either as Push to Talk or with "Smart Talk" behaviour.

Automator
Functions available on the Audio Editor may form part of a Macro which are executed via the dedicated Macro switches or within the Macro megamode.

For example, greater efficiency is possible in versioning bumpers or promos with Ranges of Video and Audio Tracks copied or moved down the Timeline on the hour with the press of a single Macro switch.

Many repetitive tasks such as building an M&E by moving or copying Clips or Ranges to different Tracks are executed with the press of a single switch.

The system also provides several functions which are essentially advanced Macros, such as the Range Fill or B/F Fill functions. Select an Audio Clip, define a Range, followed by Range Fill or B/F Fill and the system automatically duplicates the selection across the Range and automatically crossfades across all Clips. In the case of B/F Fill, the system automatically reverses every second Clip and also automatically builds crossfades. Very fast creating Fill for an M&E under an impossibly tight deadline.

Transport
Advanced control over auditioning the Fairlight Timeline is provided, and not limited to basic Play, Stop, Forwards and Reverse functions.

Greater control is provided over auditioning and looping Clips and Ranges or around associated In and Out Points, looping around the CTI, or jumping back by a user definable value (e.g. 5 seconds) and immediately starting the Transport for improved auditioning of specific sections of the Timeline.

In addition user customisation of the behaviour of the Jogger is possible including the gearing for jogging in very fine increments. The jogger can also follow the zoom level which provides greater precision at certain zoom levels, or manual rescaling the jogger to a particular zoom level is possible with a single key press.

Edit Controller
Comprehensive editing functionality is only one aspect of the Edit megamode, which also provides Clip and Track naming, Track Height adjustment, Clip Level and Waveform height adjustment, control over the Media Pool and SFX Library Search and Preview functionality - all accessible without requiring a mouse or keyboard.

Additionally, Clips and Tracks may be bounced or exported, Clip Effects and External Audio Processes are assigned to dedicated keys for a “knob per function” implementation.

Advanced editing functions not provided in Resolve's UI are available such as Slipping Clip Media, Slipping the Head, Tail or the Clip itself, resetting Fades with greater precision over the control of Fades even if the CTI is not placed over a Fade.

The Audio Editor's benefits include the same aspects as outlined in the fader description above, and provides the flexibility and efficiency required for a high degree of operator speed especially in fast turn around workflows.

After decades of keyboard and mouse usage and developing a severe repetitive strain injury as a result, one major benefit of operating the Audio Editor is that the RSI symptoms have now largely cleared up and a full 10 hour work day may be completed with no adverse affects on my hands and wrists.

You may never use any of the editing functionality of Resolve, but the Audio Editor still provides a deep set of tools and core function for multiple workflows and facility types (single operator or multi-room).

The Audio Editor is the single most important panel of a Fairlight Console and really the heart of the Fairlight system - the sweet spot.
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Rick van den Berg

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Re: suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

PostSun Nov 21, 2021 5:39 pm

some great insights, thanks a lot.

@Charles
Doing the audio as a separate operation rather than piecemeal as you edit has benefits.

Well i already agree on that. Mostly i'm only doing some rough adjustments if necessary when going through the video edit, to do finer adjustments later on, focusing purely on the audio. I guess -roughly said- using a mixing panel is a little more work in advance to prepare the tracks, but later on faster, with a better "feel"? Your signature says you're using the presonus faderport 1, is that the one with only one fader?

I don't think "oldschool" is a negative thing, it might be better to say "a proven workflow" :)

@Reynaud
Your signature says "Fairlight Console (DAE-1C-2F)". is it one of these?: https://images.app.goo.gl/RX33eyJWXJXvhj2k8
I've found some video's of similar fairlight panels from many years ago, before fairlight was part of blackmagic. How is your experience with these panels in resolve 17? How did you start using them? Just buy and try? How long did it take you to feel comfortable with it?

Eventually i think i would prefer an all-round workstation, so how these gigantic panels would fit in would be an interesting challenge
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Reynaud Venter

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Re: suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

PostSun Nov 21, 2021 6:37 pm

Rick van den Berg wrote:Your signature says "Fairlight Console (DAE-1C-2F)". is it one of these?
The pre-assembled Consoles which include the chassis are only some of the many available options. The Fairlight Consoles are fully modular which means customisation beyond pre-configured systems.

The Fairlight Desktop Audio Editor is a standalone unit, providing full functionality without requiring additional modules to operate or being required to slot it in to a Console chassis.

In a fixed environment, the Desktop Audio Editor also acts as the brains of a much larger Fairlight Console.

It is also light and compact enough for portable use outside of fixed environments in mobile workflows, such as the recording on set ADR and dialogue editing, in sports production or outside broadcast workflows.

Since each Fairlight Console panel is also available for purchase separately, a user defined Console may be configured within custom furniture housing the panels in any preferred configuration - in my configuration a fairly typical dual fader panel layout.

The modularity of the Fairlight system ensures one can start small (e.g. with an Audio Editor either Desktop or Console) and then expand in future to any size or configuration by simply including Fader and Channel Control panels.

The HDMI Monitor Interface may be included for placing data displays above the Channel Control panels in a traditional Console configuration, or mounting displays to the sides of the Console.

In my case, the current configuration includes a Desktop Audio Editor, Channel Control, two Fader panels, and HDMI Monitor Interface. This configuration may be extended with additional panels, or split and expanded to build two different configurations for dual operator use with dual Resolve systems.
⟦ Mac Pro 7,1 Rack ⊕ 16-core 3.2GHz ⊕ 32GB RAM ⊕ Radeon 580X • Resolve Studio 18.6.6 • macOS 14.3.1 ⟧
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Charles Bennett

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Re: suggestions on audio-post-panels-learning?

PostSun Nov 21, 2021 11:17 pm

Rick, I don't look on the term "old school" as being negative, more as "the way we used to do things".
Anyway, I really can use the term as I've been in professional audio for 50 years. :mrgreen:
As to the Faderport it is the single fader one. I bought a secondhand MK1 version cheap just for fader and pan automation in the Fairlight page. Unfortunately HUI support in Resolve is not the best so only some of the functions like the transport controls, fader, pan knob, and track mute, solo, and record arming buttons work.
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