Mix recorded sound

This Standard is about mixing sound during post-production, also referred to as “re-recording mixing” or “dubbing”. It involves the assessing, selecting, balancing and treatment of sound that has been organised on tracks, to achieve the level, tonal quality, audio image and intelligibility required. This Standard should apply to anyone who is involved with mixing recorded sound in post production.

1. carry out an accurate assessment of each characteristic of sound

   tracks

   2. adjust individual sound tracks so that they have the desired

   intelligibility, position and image in terms of required sound

   3. position and balance sound to achieve desired creative and

   aesthetic effects according to director's or other decision maker's

   vision

   4. achieve appropriate transitions between sound and music

   5. control levels of composite signals within technical limits and

   within desired dynamic range

   6. manipulate sound tracks to achieve appropriate level, balance,

   tonal quality, perspective and dynamic range

   7. create sound mixes within time, budget and other production

   constraints

   8. make critical judgments about, and control, audio quality against

   agreed artistic and technical standards

   9. create mixes which are appropriate to the context in which they

   will be heard

   10. create sound mixes that present the characteristics of individual

   sounds and atmospheric sound in line with briefs

   11. make sure sound files comply with legal limits and standards for

   distribution and delivery

   12. use information from reliable sources to identify and correct any

   problems in creating mixes

   13. interpret suggestions and requests from decision makers in line

   with company procedures

   14. suggest options to decision makers which satisfy both artistic

   requests and the operational requirements of productions

   15. organise components of mixes in suitable ways for later use

   16. check that paperwork is accurate, legible and conforms with

   conventions that will be understood by other mixers, sound

   technicians or studios

   17. explain technical issues in ways that enable non-technical people

   to understand their significance

   18. maintain security for files and other materials in line with company

   requirements

1. production requirements, technical and financial

   2. principles of sound editing and how to edit sound using popular

   software programmes

   3. requirements for dynamic range

   4. criteria for evaluating sound mixes as they are created

   5. the context in which mixes will be played, and how to take this into

   account when creating them

   6. the different kinds of sound treatment and equalisation, and how

   to achieve them

   7. the characteristics of tonal quality and perspective, and how to

   achieve them

   8. relevant acoustic principles and how to apply them

   9. characteristics, uses and requirements of mono, stereo and

   surround formats, and how to achieve them

   10. the features and operating characteristics of commonly used

   mixing, ancillary and encoding equipment

   11. the legal limits and standards for sound files for distribution and

   delivery especially in relation to loudness, immersive audio and

   metadata and how to work creatively within them

   12. the importance of audibility of dialogue especially with regards to

   the impaired hearing of an ageing population

   13. effective strategies to enhance dialogue audibility

   14. how to recognise defects in monitoring systems

   15. the director's (or other decision maker's) creative and aesthetic

   requirements

   16. how to discuss and respond to the decision maker's creative and

   technical requests

   17. how to interpret requests and suggestions in terms of specific

   genre or style of sound mixes

   18. the principles of "stortytelling" as they apply to all forms and

   genres

   19. the conventions of different genres and styles of film and

   programme-making

   20. the principles and styles of music and different musical ensembles

   including orchestra, string quartet, rock group, jazz quartet and

   soloist

   21. how to explain technical issues clearly to non-technical people

   22. company systems for storage, back up and security