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   Question    posted to Narration & Audio Recorders on 01/27/09 05:54 PM, Purchase, NY 10577
I wondered if anyone knew of someone well versed in surround sound mixing for music and potentially film scoring. I am a student at Purchase college and we focus on Audio Production for the Recording Arts, but we don't have a comprehensive Surround Sound course/class. What would someone recommend I do to combat this short coming in my education?
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   Answered By     Edge Studio and the Voice Design Group, LLC, 01/28/09 04:42 PM
Edge Studio and the Voice Design Group, LLC
1817 Black Rock Turnpike
Fairfield, CT 06825
203-334-3343
david@edgestudio.com
View Business Info

Great question - surround sound mixing is becoming more and more popular, and yet specialists are still hard to find.  It’s a great field to study.   Some thoughts:

 

For schools, check out the SAE Institute Of Technology – they have locations around the world, including one in New York city.  Their website is www.saeny.com – they have great programs, great teachers, and they’re always cutting edge with technology. 

 

You also mentioned film scoring – this mixes very well with surround sound mixing.  This is because surround mixing is generally only used in post-production for film and television soundtracks.  Other applications for surround sound:  Some music albums are released in surround sound, but not too many.  And some concert DVDs are released in surround sound to better capture the sound of the crowd, but again, not too many.

 

These days, most surround mixes are done in 7.1 (seven speakers plus one subwoofer) rather than 5.1 which was popular just last year.  The engineers who mix 7.1 (and 5.1) usually ONLY mix surround sound.  Just a small handful of engineers mix surround as well as stereo.

 

Remember: the objective of surround sound is to make the sound more realistic – as if the listener is in the center of it all.  Similarly, a film scorer (who does not have an orchestra at his/her disposal and therefore creates music electronically) has the goal of making the soundtrack sound as close to real instruments as possible.  For these reasons, the film scorer and the surround sound mixer often work in tandem.  If you offer both, you may be in high demand one day

 

So here’s your homework: When you watch TV, don’t.  Instead, listen to it.  Close your eyes and listen carefully.  Listen to as many different styles as you can: children, sports, comedy, reality shows, and so on.  Hear how the music is v-e-r-y different than anything you hear on radio - timing is different, instrumentation is different, genres are different.   Enjoy listening.

 

If you have questions, feel welcome to contact me.  My name is David from Edge Studio, www.edgestudio.com, 212-868-edge. 

 

And thanks for asking your question through Zoomnia.  It’s a great service in Westchester – you should tell other people to use it.

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