Resolve 17 Proxy audio channel mapping

We're looking at using Resolve 16/17 for a feature length project rather than our usual Avid.

The new proxy workflow is superb. We've just generated 20 shoot days of Prores Proxies to an external SSD.
4k Prores masters from an Atomos recorder (stored on an external Lacie HDD, to 1080 Prores Proxies on an external Samsung T7 SSD.

Before generating proxies, masters were dragged onto timeline, embedded audio channels 3 + 4 (camera top-mic) were routed to Track 1 (Stereo L + R), and empty embedded audio channels 1 + 2 dis-interpreted. External sound from Zoom recorders was manually synced on timeline Audio tracks 3, 4, 5. Sync was achieved mostly through Auto Align by Waveform, then refined. Each clip plus sync sound was Linked on the timeline.

We eschewed traditional sync process via Media workspace as had multiple external sound recordings to sync, and the Auto Sync by Waveform And Append tracks produced too many false matches. Lining up clapperboard spike on the guide track with same on the external recorders was quick and effective.

PROBLEM: Switching to Use Proxy Media mode removes playback of the embedded audio, which we use liberally at this stage of the assembly. We can alter clip attributes again on the timeline to reinterpret the Proxies' Stereo track 1 as a mono track in order to hear playback, but this needs switching back after switching off Use Proxy Media.

THESIS: In order to maintain embedded audio between Proxy/Master playback modes, we would need to have generated proxies with no changes to the interpretation of their embedded audio.

THESIS 2: Top mic audio embedded on channels 3 + 4 wouldn't have made it into the Prores Proxy files anyway, as they only encode a single stereo Track 1.

THESIS 3: There IS a way to patch the proxy or master clip's audio such that we can use the hotswitching functionality between Proxy/Master playback without interruption to top mic guide track availability (presuming Master source drive and Proxy source SSD are both plugged in.)

My current solution is simply to Relink to the proxies (as a full Relink, not Relink Proxy) and lose the ability to hotswitch back to masters to check sharps etc. That keeps my project on track, but feels like i'm missing a simple solution to this, which i've spent a couple of days trawling the forums/reference manual for a solution to.

Many thanks in advance if anyone can point me in the right direction.

Will Randall

PROJECT:
80+ Hrs 4k Prores 422 HQ rushes, 4 Channel Audio embedded.
Additional 4 Channels of sync sound.
No Timecode, sync by waveform and eye only.

SYSTEM:
Resolve 17 beta7
Macbook Pro 15" 2018
2.6 GHz Intel Core i7
16 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Radeon Pro 560X 4 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB

following.
We also have problems with linked audio, but with timecode. Resolve misinterprets the audio timecode (Update Timecode from Audio Track) and introduces random delay up to 40 frames.
Tentacle Sync Studio does not have this problem when reading Audio Timecode to LTC.

Just hoping that that proxies will not cause further problems...

Following.

I'm getting an issue where four channel MXF files are losing audio after proxy conversion. I'm only getting the mic routed to Channel 1 on the proxies after their conversion. Optimized Media maintains all four audio channels but I'd prefer to use a fully Proxy workflow since it seems that's the direction Resolve is heading.

I made Prores-LT proxy files on a mac in Resolve 16 and now cutting on Windows Resolve 17.1
with no problems. ( same with DnxHR, and other flavours )

I think the best way to go is your thesis (1).

THESIS: In order to maintain embedded audio between Proxy/Master playback modes, we would need to have generated proxies with no changes to the interpretation of their embedded audio.

So just make proxies without altering anything.

When you don't use some audio tracks, you can disable them in clip "attributes" and they won't show up in your timeline.

Maybe it's better to use version 17.1 (and not a beta version)

Hope it helps