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Author Topic: Software Automixer for post production?  (Read 17080 times)

Corey Scogin

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Software Automixer for post production?
« on: February 06, 2016, 06:31:21 PM »

Anyone know of a plugin or standalone software that functions like an automixer? I was doing post production editing for a podcast recently where two mics where shared among 5 or 6 people as they each answered questions from one of two hosts.

There were lots of back-and-forth over the course of the hour long set and each person's mic technique was, while not horrible, not that consistent. I got by with using gates but that can be extra tricky with multiple people using the same channel. I did not have the time to split every single person/group into sections in order to set levels and duck the unused channel.

I searched online for an automixer plugin but only found references to Waves Multirack implementation and other live tools, nothing specifically for post production.

Any suggestions?
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brian maddox

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2016, 08:45:34 PM »

Anyone know of a plugin or standalone software that functions like an automixer? I was doing post production editing for a podcast recently where two mics where shared among 5 or 6 people as they each answered questions from one of two hosts.

There were lots of back-and-forth over the course of the hour long set and each person's mic technique was, while not horrible, not that consistent. I got by with using gates but that can be extra tricky with multiple people using the same channel. I did not have the time to split every single person/group into sections in order to set levels and duck the unused channel.

I searched online for an automixer plugin but only found references to Waves Multirack implementation and other live tools, nothing specifically for post production.

Any suggestions?

Waves sells a Dugan Automix plugin.  Not sure of what is required to implement that...
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Samuel Rees

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2016, 09:27:22 PM »

The Waves website seems to say the plugin is multitrack only. Not sure why they would do that.
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Mac Kerr

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2016, 09:38:12 PM »

Anyone know of a plugin or standalone software that functions like an automixer? I was doing post production editing for a podcast recently where two mics where shared among 5 or 6 people as they each answered questions from one of two hosts.

There were lots of back-and-forth over the course of the hour long set and each person's mic technique was, while not horrible, not that consistent. I got by with using gates but that can be extra tricky with multiple people using the same channel. I did not have the time to split every single person/group into sections in order to set levels and duck the unused channel.

I'm not sure an automixer, at least a Dugan style automixer will do what you think. A Dugan automixer, or sone that works in a similar way, will not adjust the levels so the mics sound the same level. The automixer will only turn off those mics not being used while someone is using one of the mics. It will keep the system gain across all the mics at 1. This will reduce background noise, and increase gain before feedback, but it will not level out the people with bad mic technique.

You may want an leveler, or an AGC which will adjust the gain.

The real solution mixing by hand.

Mac
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Justice C. Bigler

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2016, 11:57:54 PM »

The Waves Dugan plugin is like $500+ and I think it is meant pretty much just for live use. I've never heard of anyone using it in  Protools or other DAW session.

Mixing by hand, with a control surface, using the write automation function and a couple of passes through the session would probably be easiest.
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Robert Lofgren

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2016, 05:12:51 AM »

The Waves Dugan plugin is like $500+ and I think it is meant pretty much just for live use. I've never heard of anyone using it in  Protools or other DAW session.

Mixing by hand, with a control surface, using the write automation function and a couple of passes through the session would probably be easiest.
For that price I'd rather get me an x-air mixer if I wanted an automixer...
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John Penkala

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2016, 09:46:33 AM »

Anyone know of a plugin or standalone software that functions like an automixer? I was doing post production editing for a podcast recently where two mics where shared among 5 or 6 people as they each answered questions from one of two hosts.

There were lots of back-and-forth over the course of the hour long set and each person's mic technique was, while not horrible, not that consistent. I got by with using gates but that can be extra tricky with multiple people using the same channel. I did not have the time to split every single person/group into sections in order to set levels and duck the unused channel.

I searched online for an automixer plugin but only found references to Waves Multirack implementation and other live tools, nothing specifically for post production.

Any suggestions?

+1 on Mac's comments regarding the automixer.

If you want a plugin, Waves Vocal Rider may work for you. IIRC, You can download a demo version that is fully functional for 7 days.
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Justice C. Bigler

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2016, 02:07:03 PM »

For that price I'd rather get me an x-air mixer if I wanted an automixer...

I had to check the price just to be sure. Waves charged $599 for the Dan Dugan Automixer plugin. It has be had for less than $450 at various online plugin retailers.

But, it only runs on their proprietary Multirack host, not directly as a session plugin in a DAW.

It's on my list of plugins to get, but at $450 for the one plugin it's going to be awhile before I can afford it. And it's one of those plugins that Waves never puts on sale.
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John Roberts {JR}

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2016, 02:20:03 PM »

I had to check the price just to be sure. Waves charged $599 for the Dan Dugan Automixer plugin. It has be had for less than $450 at various online plugin retailers.

But, it only runs on their proprietary Multirack host, not directly as a session plugin in a DAW.

It's on my list of plugins to get, but at $450 for the one plugin it's going to be awhile before I can afford it. And it's one of those plugins that Waves never puts on sale.
While an automatic mixer is not what the OP needs, I still don't understand why these aren't free inside digital mixers yet... (they will be eventually).

A few years ago I coded up an automatic mixer running on a cheap couple dollar microprocessor controlling digital pots for gain control.

Using multiplications inside the digital domain for gain control is even easier. Not heavy lifting.

JR
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Mac Kerr

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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2016, 04:55:07 PM »

While an automatic mixer is not what the OP needs, I still don't understand why these aren't free inside digital mixers yet... (they will be eventually).

They are. Actual Dan Dugan labeled mixers are in all the new Yamaha consoles, and a Studer labeled one (VMix) that is gain sharing but mixes to a mix bus rather than being an insert is in the Studer consoles.

Mac
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Re: Software Automixer for post production?
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2016, 04:55:07 PM »


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