PDF chapter on Audio in Premiere Pro

Audio Editing is what most people struggle a lot with in Premiere Pro, especially if coming from other NLEs like FCP, Vegas or Avid. Premiere Pro CC handles audio in very different ways from all of these. Once you understand the logic behind the audio handling in Premiere, you’ll see that it’s very powerful and deep. You’ll get a full overview of the complete audio chain in Premiere Pro CC.

Update July 2017: This chapter is no longer available

The updated version of The Cool Stuff in Premiere Pro will be available this September, and the single chapters from the 2015 version are no longer available. See the web page for the updated book here.

 

In this chapter you’ll learn everything about how to decide what channels from a source to import and what channels to put on the timeline. You’ll learn how to make Premiere treat Stereo clips as Dual Mono (like FCP and Avid does), and understand the difference between Mono, Standard, 5.1, Adaptive and Multichannel clips and tracks. You’ll also learn how to make Multichannel timelines where you can route audio tracks to whatever outputs you need – and how to treat a 5.1 mix. Need to export 32 audio channels? You’ll learn how.

In addition to this fundamental knowledge you’ll learn how to record Voice-Overs, how to mix and sweeten your audio and how add and adjust EQ, Compression and other effects. Read how to create simple sound effects and how to enhance your audio in Adobe Audition using the almost magical Noise Reduction, DeClipper and the Healing Brush. Match Volume to Broadcast standards and export better OMF.

Learn clever audio UI tricks that will speed up your audio editing immensely! Understand what the many Audio Preferences mean, and how to work with Dual System Sound, Speech Analysis, Submixes and Control Surfaces. Make perfect fades with Bezier curved fades.

Almost 200 illustrations makes everything crystal clear.

 

This chapter is now obsolete. The chapter has been updated to cover more features added to Premiere Pro since this was released, and is now part of the book. Read more about The Cool Stuff in Premiere Pro here.

This chapter was downloaded 145 times before it went EOL.

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Table of contents

Oh, what a difference a sound makes
Audio adds to the continuity
Audio quality matters
Always record sound
Temporal relations of sound

Types of Audio

SOT
MOS
Dialogue
Ambience, Nat-sound, Atmos, Presence
Room tone
Wild sound
Silence
Foley
Sound Motif
Sound FX
Make your own Sound FX
Walla
ADR, Dubbing, Looping
Voice-Over (Narration)
Music

The Audio Chain in Premiere

Channel Mapping
Audio Gain
Clip Volume
Clip Channel Volume
Clip Audio Effects
Clip Pan
Track Effects
Track Volume, Solo and Mute
Post-Fader Track Effects
Channel Output Mapping
Track Meters
Track Assignment
Track Pan
What about Sends?
Nesting

Audio Track Types in Premiere

Standard Tracks
Mono Tracks
Adaptive Tracks
5.1 Tracks
Master Track
Submix Tracks

Audio Stuff in the Project Panel

Preferences for Audio Channel Mapping
Audio Settings for FCP 7 and Avid users
Other Audio Preferences
Audio channel patching in the Project Panel
Get rid of audio channels
Modify Audio on Sequences
Working with dual system sound
Merged Clips
Merge using MultiCam sequences
Gaining and Normalizing in the Project Panel
Break out to mono and Extract Audio
Speech analysis

Audio Stuff in the Source Monitor

Adjust Audio Volume in Source Monitor
Audio waveform in the Source Monitor
Edit Multi-Clips in the Source Monitor

Audio Stuff in the Timeline

Using a Control Surface
Ways to adjust Audio Level
Audio Gain and Normalizing
Keyboard shortcuts to raise and lower volume
Rubber banding
Select multiple keyframes
Audio Clip Mixer
Clip Channel Volume
Clip Volume vs Track Volume
Track Volume Trouble
Panning
Fast forward with better audio
Select Source Audio Channels
Changing Source Channel in the Timeline
Source Assignment presets
Track Height Presets AKA Timeline Views
Audio Crossfades
Long exponential fade
Sample accurate audio editing
Recording Voice Over
Preparation for Voice-Over recording
The quick and easy way
Merge clips
Linked clips, AKA Multi-Clips
Grouping clips
Time Remapping and Audio

Multi-channel Audio

Multichannel Mono Set-Up
What did we just accomplish?
Multichannel Adaptive Tracks Set-Up
Many other set-ups are possible
Editors do it differently
Who needs 32 Output Channels?
Tweak the Audio Meters
Audio Output Mapping preference

Multi-channel Audio Export

Multichannel out
Export Discrete QuickTime Tracks
5.1 Track Layout for QuickTime

Audio Sweetening, Mastering and Mixing

Audio Sweetening and Mastering
Mixing Audio
Miscellaneous Mixing tips
We need variation
Choose your reference level
Loudness radar
Normalizing
Submixes
Fill Left/Fill Right
Listen in a loop
Equalizing
EQ tips
Be aware of conflicting frequencies
Targeted switch
Dynamics
Compression
Limiter
Add Compressor and Limiter to Master Track
Adding compressor to some tracks
Multiband Compressor
Create a richer Voice-Over sound
Reverb and delays
Make a reverb ring-out

5.1 mixing and editing

5.1 Sequence Setup in Premiere
Using 5.1 clips in a Multichannel Sequence
Sending 5.1 and Stereo to separate Output Channels
5.1 Mixing in Mixed Multitrack Sequence
5.1 with Mono Tracks
5.1 with Adaptive Tracks?

Sound effects

Scary voice
Telephone voice
Distortion
DeNoiser is for analogue tape noise
Third-Party Audio Plug-ins

Using Audition

Edit in Audition
Fix Problematic Audio
Noise Reduction
Auto Heal Selection
Spot Healing Brush Tool
DeClipper
Speech Volume Leveler
Match Volume
Make Your Audio Broadcast Compliant
Generate Noise and Tones
Film Projector Sound
Do your final audio mix in Audition
Export OMF from Audition

Premiere Pro Sequence Audio Signal Path

Complete listing