How do you edit and mix direct and ambient sound to achieve a coherent and engaging audio narrative?

To craft a compelling audio narrative, editing and mixing direct and ambient sounds is crucial. Start by cleaning up direct sounds, removing unnecessary noise or disruptions. Then, delicately integrate ambient sounds to enhance the atmosphere without overpowering the main narrative. Utilize equalization, volume adjustments, and strategic placement to achieve a harmonious blend that captivates listeners and maintains focus on the primary content. Regularly review and refine the mix to ensure a coherent and engaging audio experience throughout the narrative.

I use Cubase, a digital audio workstation, in my recording studio for editing. While recording, my direct sound is visually represented in real-time, so I notice if I make a plosive or get too energetic and need to turn the gain down. To Create Ambient Sound, record the room. Then you can cut and paste as needed for spacing, etc. 2) You can remove all the background noise, but be mindful of the transitions. Otherwise, it sounds very cut off, so make sure to pay attention to each transition, breath, pause, etc. Lastly, I'm sure everyone (except the AI machine who wrote this question) knows this, but "Traffic, Wind, and Crowd Chatter" are all Sound Effects and should be added in after the narration is recorded and de-breathed.

For editing direct and ambient sound, I use clipchamp editors options. you can cut audio into parts,incresase/ decrease sound of each part, re-record something if u want to. Audio option in clipchamp.

1. Find Your Sweet Spot: Think comfortable speaking volume, just a tad closer to the mic. Aim for -18 to -12dB LUFS . 2. Silence is Golden: Find the quietest corner, away from traffic, air conditioners, and chatty housemates. Bonus points for fluffy rugs and thick curtains! 3. Mic it Right: Dynamic mics, like the Shure SM57 or Audio-Technica ATR2100, are your noise-cancelling friends. Shure SM57 and Audio-Technica ATR2100 microphones 4. Tame the Unwanted: Use noise reduction tools like iZotope RX or Supertone's Clear sparingly. Too much can suck the life out of your sound! 5. Ambience Adds Atmosphere: Free royalty-free ambiences from freesound.org or Splice can add depth and mood. Choose wisely and blend subtly! Blending is the game !

Mixing is a little critical but easy to understand. You need a good pair of ears, to begin with . Then you need to balance the audio tracks in terms of volume first. You can use the mixer or volume sliders of your DAW. Ensure that the individual tracks should be in the range of -14 to -12db LUFS in any case. You can also pan sources to the left or right to create a 2d space. Once the balance sounds right, you can use the preset EQs present in your daw for voice and then tastefully EQ the music etc. Your master meter should be anywhere between -12 to -14 db LUFS for most mediums. You can put a brick wall limiter on your master bus.

Para ter um melhor resultado dessa mistura, o ideal é editar e limpar os arquivos de diálogo, eliminando possíveis ruídos indesejados. Em seguida misturar esse diálogo suavemente processado a um ou mais canais separados de som ambiente. Dessa forma, com o controle independente dos arquivos, trará um melhor resultado final.

to test your audio narrative: 1. play video and listen properly if audio is properly recorded where it is supposed to be 2. if there is any misplacement, you can shift it as per your convenience before finalizing it 3. Listen to the audio in different devices like speaker/headphones/mobile/laptop which you have

If you need some sort of a meter plugin, I would recommend Waves WLM. It shows you how loud the sum of all your tracks is. Ideally, it should be -14 db LUFS. WLM also has some amazing presets for different mediums which give you instant gratification. I would recommend people to use meters along with their ears to have an accurate judgement. Investing in a pair of decent studio monitor headsets will go a very long way.

This is too big of a question to answer in 750 words, so I will skip the technology part and assume you're all pros looking to improve you narration skills. Here's an assignment to help you become even more impressive than you already are. 1) Record three scripts in a row - one take each ( Preferably one serious script, one conversational, one happy/excited) 2) Go eat a sandwich or a nice warm cup of soup. (yes, this is mandatory) 3) Return to your studio, take a seat, and press play. How did what you hear make you feel? If the answer is "nothing," it's time to get to work. Keep working until you genuinely feel and believe what you hear when you press play. Go get 'em, guys! ☮️✌️~Bailee