How to create a centre channel ?

[Angelo95210]

Hi Guys,

I have a good camcorder (Sony HD) with an Audio Technica ATR25 mic. It records stereo. I like to do hollidays movies and work on them (Imovie 06 so far).

I would like to buy FCP or FCE. I don't know and it's mostly about the surround spec (Soundtrack)

I know it's not possible to get a perfect 5.1 mix without a good monitoring system, so my question is :

Is it possible the centre channel without involving to many mixes that I would be able to control ?

[stevey500]

Hi Guys, Is it possible the centre channel without involving to many mixes that I would be able to control ?

Is your questions missing words?
I don't think im understanding.

Standardly, if you are exporting your videos in 2 channel and not adding 5.1 tracks for your home videos for specific use of 5.1 ... you have nothing to worry about, because no matter what, most of your audio will be played back through the center channel if the receiver is set to Dolby Pro Logic/II when using a standard 2ch mic on a video camera.

[CaptainChunk]

I'd advise against doing a discrete 5.1 soundtrack in your case.

All production starts as mono or stereo channels. It is the sound designer's (or team of sound designers) job to appropriately re-mix audio elements into a 5.1 soundtrack (this can be done in Apple Soundtrack or a number of other applications like Pro Tools); and these elements aren't just limited to production sound itself. You also have music, folly, ADR, effects, etc. For instance, the dialog and exterior ambience picked up by a boom mic might be laid in as one of several tracks in just one channel of audio.

With that being said, you can't necessarily create a suitable discrete center channel of audio with only two channels of production sound to work with. I'd stick to stereo. Alternatively, you can have Compressor (part of Final Cut Studio) output your finished audio as Dolby Digital 2.0 Professional, with the option selected for Pro Logic. This will encode the audio in a way that virtually any surround receiver/processor can simulate surround from the stereo mix by matrixing. It's not real surround, but it's better than nothing.

[Angelo95210]

OK thanks for this it's a little clearer now :)

Note : and yes my question was missing some words sorry ;)