How do you "sweeten" your sound?

[superamazing]

I've been hanging out with the sound guys on a film project I'm working on, and they were describing the exhaustive process that audio goes through before delivery: dozens of filters, equalizers, and the like, all simply designed to improve the quality of the actor's voices.

For me, hearing this kind of thing is always a little disheartening, because I've delivered sooo much audio without ever even touching an equalizer.

So, how do you sweeten your sound? And recommendations about the process?

 

[Alcove Audio]

"Sweetening" is not the kind of thing that can be covered in a post.

EQ is used to reduce or eliminate unwanted frequencies, and to enhance others. It is also used to "fit" the myriad pieces of the audio post puzzle into a coherent whole during the mix process. A very basic example is when you "carve a hole" or reduce frequencies in the score that the dialog occupies.

Reverbs are used to create or match the reflective properties of a space, everything from a bathroom to a gymnasium to a canyon. Quite often you use reverb on the Foley and sound FX to match the ambient/reflective properties of the room in which the dialog was recorded.

Dynamic processors (limiters, compressors, expanders and companders) are used to manipulate the dynamic range of everything from individual sound clips to whole tracks to the entire mix.

Before you even get to that point you need to be able to create the proper sounds (Foley and sound FX). This is also a combination of technology and artistry - mic selection and placement, selecting the props used to create the desired sounds, and then "performing" the Foley or sound effect.

Having the proper mixing environment and speakers is a major piece of what is needed, but even more are the years of experience that makes it instinctual.

You can read dozens of books and blogs, and watch endless "how to" videos, but it all comes down to knowledge and experience. It's always amazing how often very subtle changes make such a substantial difference, but you never really catch on until you listen to the an expert at work during the process. I'm not trying to discourage you, I'm just saying that you have to do the job a lot and in the proper environment. I've been doing this for almost ten years now, and recorded and mixed music for quite a few years before that. I'm very good at what I do, but am often humbled when I get to observe (and occasionally work with) one of the masters of the craft. Look at it this way, how many hours have you put into learning how to set up, frame and light a shot? How many times have you done it? How good are you at that? You have to put in an equal amount of time to achieve the same proficiency with the audio post process.


Just for fun, if you want to turn green with envy (as I do on a regular basis) check out the websites for Skywalker Sound, Sony Pictures, Warner Brothers and Disney. Just one of their editing suites is many times the cost of my shop. And the mixing stages; HOLY CRAP!!! There are a number of smaller but equally nice places in the NY metro area, like Nutmeg Audio Post, Creative Audio Post, my buddy Frank Piazzas place Audio Paint/Legal Audio, and Real Recording (where I've worked for my friend Questar) in Manhattan.

 

[GuerrillaAngel]

For me, hearing this kind of thing is always a little disheartening, because I've delivered sooo much audio without ever even touching an equalizer.

If you've not been getting complaints about your sound you may be good to go. If you're getting CLEAR dialogue (nomalized throughout the entire film) and the ambient and foley tracks sound believable then you're way ahead of vast majority of indie filmmakers. Additional $$$ spent on sweetning at the expense of other things on your film might not be worth it. If you've the money or you're a sound expert, by all means, go for it, it'll give you an edge.

 

[harmonica44]

I don't know much about sound and still learning but maybe if the quality of the actors voices isn't good enough, perhaps next time you can hire actors, who don't need their voice quality to be improved, cause it's fine the way it is? What about their voices is not working well?

 

[gpforet]

Here's the thing, there is NOTHING that can be done to IMPROVE an actor's VOICE. An actor's voice is what it is, and should be cast accordingly.

First and foremost is investing in quality production sound. Typically a combination of the right tools, being used by a skilled operator, in an appropriate location. The best of the best in both gear and skill won't be able to do much if you're shooting a soft-spoken exchange while shooting under an active highway overpass. If the location is absolutely required for the story, than plan on just grabbing scratch audio as a guide to a later ADR session and budget time and funding accordingly.

Getting good room tone is second and goes a long way towards providing the content needed when working audio post. Lastly, wild fx are sometimes easier to get on location but remember that much of that will be replaced with "larger than reality" fx in post.

As a location sound recordist, these are the three elements I focus on when on set.

Many will use the term "sweetening" to mean cleaning. In other words, attempting to repair or patch up poor production sound. That is not the way I use this word.

Tasks such as EQ (applied as NEEDED to each track individually), noise reduction (when NEEDED), level automation (NEVER NORMALIZING), FX, and Foley, are part of the normal process for audio post. Only after everything is applied, leveled, and automated, will I begin the "sweetening" process which I typically do on a stem by stem basis. And again, this is more an attempt to reduce anomolies. Only after everything is sounding good and seems to sit well in the mix and seem gelled with the picture do I insert the multi-band compressor/leveling amp/master EQ for final tone/dynamics shaping. By this point, it's a light touch and not some dramatic change. Toggling this final processing stage in an out is not a night/day experience, but more a polish to what was already a very acceptable soundtrack.

 

[superamazing]

Great insights, as usual! Thanks, guys.

 

[rocksure]

For me, hearing this kind of thing is always a little disheartening, because I've delivered sooo much audio without ever even touching an equalizer.

Like anything else, audio skills don't just 'happen'. Aquiring them takes lots of time, hard work and having a good ear, and good basic knowledge of the tools used, what they are for and why and where to use them.
When done well the results will always be better than unprocessed sound, and often dramatically so.