In the last part we learned how to make a Surround mixer using the Mx51 software from Minnetonka. In this part we will put it to use.
You are now at the point of no return. Mixing to Surround is so much fun you can't go back once you've experienced it. There. Don't say I didn't warn you.
Let's say, for sake of simplicity, that we have a 5-track project.
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When we start out, all inputs are panned to the center. For our first mix, we will make a song in which each instrument takes one place on the soundstage, and doesn't move. For projects with no motion, we will leave the automation turned off. To do this, go to the Mixer menu, and make sure there is no check mark next to "Enable Automation".
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With automation disabled, we can move the Surround panner to any position, and it will stay in that position. So, let's hit the Play button, and start moving Surround panners. Just grab the red ball and move it, to move the sound to any location in the room.
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When you are done, your panners may like this. When you save your project, all of the panner positions will be saved with it.
Gee, that was fun, but let's do it again, and this time lets go crazy. This time we will have sounds moving around the room. To do this, we must turn on the automation.
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In addition, we want the program to make it easy to record our automated movements, plus any changes we make. So we must also put it into "Update Mode".
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When we select "All to Update Mode", the "A" button ("A" for Automation) changes to a split red/green color. Now all the channels are ready to record our panning automation. This time, when you hit the Play button, and then grab the red ball and move it around, Mx51 will record the motion of the red ball as it moves the sound around the room. The next time you play, if you grab the red ball again and move it in other directions, the new motion will be recorded, and overwrite the previous motion.
Now you can have all your channels moving in the soundfield any way you want, and you can easily change the motion of any of them.
Some Things to Make Surround Panning Even Easier
Each Surround panner can be zoomed, so you can see it in more detail, or from a greater distance. Just right click on the Surround panner, and select "Zoom". This will bring up an extra-large version of the Surround panner.
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Back on your input channels, a square is drawn around one of the panners to tell you which one is zoomed. You can grab the ball in the zoomed panner and move it around, just like with the smaller panner.
For the easier, most intuitive and ergonomic panning, you will want to use a joystick.
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The joystick will grab the red ball anytime you pull the trigger button (the "firing" button under your index finger). In Automation Update mode, you write new automation every time you pull the trigger button.
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This is a Microsoft Sidewinder Force-Feedback joystick. Mx51 uses the buttons on top for the functions you commonly need while doing Surround panning.
The long button on the left starts and stops playback. Playback always starts at the position of the edit cursor on the waveform display. You can move the edit cursor by twisting the joystick handle to the left or right (called the "rudder control").
The center button (called a "top hat" button) can be pushed to the left or the right to select which Surround panner the joystick is controlling. You will see the square outline jump from panner to panner on the mixer as you use the top hat button.
The top right button solo's the channel that you are on, so that you can hear just the channel that you are panning. The solo button on that channel will turn green. Hitting the button once again will turn off the solo.
The bottom right button brings up the zoomed Surround panner. Hitting the button once again will close the zoomed panner.
If you leave the solo on, or leave the zoomed panner up, they will follow you from channel to channel as you use the top hat button.
So, in a typical project, you will solo a channel and bring up the zoom window. Then you will hit the play button, and pan out that channel. Then you will hit the stop button, hit the top hat button to switch to the next channel, hit the play button, and pan out that channel. You will keep going like that until every channel is panned into Surround.
And guess what, you just panned out a complete Surround mix, without ever touching the mouse or keyboard!!!!
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