Strange Audio Problem at DVinfo.net

Zelle Olson · March 24th, 2014, 01:28 PM

I got an email from a customer that said…

"there is no audio for a big portion of the ceremony... Actually, the only parts that we can hear audio are during the first and second reading, prayer of the faithful, and when the cantor sings."

I burned 4 copies of this wedding, sent 3 to the client and kept one for myself. I checked the audio on 2 different DVD players on 2 different Televisions and it was fine. I used Verbatim DVD+R DL disks. Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

Dave Partington · March 24th, 2014, 01:32 PM

I would have them send ONE disc back to you that exhibits the problem and see if it plays on on your player, since there is no point sending replacements for them all to do the same again.

Zelle Olson · March 24th, 2014, 01:38 PM

Good idea Dave!

Jeff Pulera · March 24th, 2014, 02:22 PM

Do you monitor your edits through stereo speakers? I've seen situations where a video gets edited and delivered and sometimes either the left or right channel may not have audio some of the time, or at all. If the customer views with mono audio, they may hear silence on their end.

Thanks

Rickey Brillantes · March 24th, 2014, 03:04 PM

Where you able to pan all your audio tracks to the center? I don't know what editing system you are using but in Final Cut Pro it defaults all my audio track to the left, probably thats what happened specially if they are watching it in a mono TV speaker.

Zelle Olson · March 24th, 2014, 03:52 PM

Rickey, I use FCP 7. I don't know anything about panning my audio track to the center, I'll do a search to learn what that is. I've been editing the same way for over 10 years and never had this come up before and I don't want it to come up again. I tested the DVD on a old TV with a mono speaker and it works for me. I am stumped.

Roger Gunkel · March 24th, 2014, 04:37 PM

I had a similar problem a couple of years ago, which may have a bearing on it. I had put the audio on the dvd in L/R stereo, but the client could only hear part of the sound. I eventually discovered that they had a 5:1 surround system that had been wired up incorrectly and was listening for just rear channels that weren't there.

It would be worth getting one of their discs back to check and if it is ok then check their system. They may not have noticed a problem if they normally only watch commercial dvds.

Roger

Zelle Olson · March 24th, 2014, 07:49 PM

Thanks Roger!

Marco Leavitt · March 25th, 2014, 10:00 AM

I'm with Jeff. This sounds like a problem with the stereo mix. I wouldn't be surprised if the client is playing the footage back on an old television or something with a single RCA connection for audio. It's usually best to mix footage like that down to mono.

Zelle Olson · March 25th, 2014, 10:40 AM

With everyones help and some clues from the client I believe I have figured out how to resolve the problem.
The client said that only parts of the ceremony sound was lost. I looked at my FCP file and saw it was the audio I used from the digital voice recorders (Mono!). I listened to everything through stereo speakers and found that the audio was lost on one side, so I adjusted the panning on the mono tracks and now I can hear them through both speakers! Yay!

Jeff Harper · March 25th, 2014, 10:51 AM

This is an amazing thread that demonstrates the usefullness and power of this forum. I've edited hundreds of weddings but I would have never thought of Jeff's idea that a mono track could be the issue for you Zelle.

I do love this place!

Jeff Pulera · March 25th, 2014, 11:24 AM

Glad it worked out. I always edit with stereo speakers, one on each side of my desk in front of me. Any such "dead channel" issues are immediately obvious. Avoid surround systems or sub-woofer thingies at the edit desk if you intend to edit and deliver in stereo, as they will only add to the confusion and maybe give a false feedback.

Many years ago, early NLE days, went to an associate's studio to help him with a similar issue. I believe he had a Matrox breakout box, and was using a 13" color TV as the output/preview display while editing. Noticed right away that the TV was mono so he was only using the LEFT audio cable - the right was dangling....unmonitored.

Thanks

Dave Blackhurst · March 25th, 2014, 01:04 PM

Even better, do a pass with headphones... you'll definitely notice things in the mix you might not otherwise!

Although you still need to check on a full surround system too, just to make sure it'll sound good in ANY listening environment - the old studio trick was to take a "rough mix" out to the car stereo system to see how most people would be listening to it - if it sounded good there, you might have a "hit"!

March 24th, 2014, 01:28 PM	#1
Zelle Olson New Boot Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Paso Robles, CA Posts: 21	Strange Audio Problem I got an email from a customer that said… "there is no audio for a big portion of the ceremony... Actually, the only parts that we can hear audio are during the first and second reading, prayer of the faithful, and when the cantor sings." I burned 4 copies of this wedding, sent 3 to the client and kept one for myself. I checked the audio on 2 different DVD players on 2 different Televisions and it was fine. I used Verbatim DVD+R DL disks. Has anyone ever had this happen to them?

March 24th, 2014, 01:32 PM	#2
Dave Partington Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: York, England Posts: 1,323	Re: Strange Audio Problem I would have them send ONE disc back to you that exhibits the problem and see if it plays on on your player, since there is no point sending replacements for them all to do the same again. __________________ Qualified UAV Pilot with CAA PFAW Aerial Photo / Aerial Video \| Corporate Video Production

March 24th, 2014, 01:38 PM	#3
Zelle Olson New Boot Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Paso Robles, CA Posts: 21	Re: Strange Audio Problem Good idea Dave!

March 24th, 2014, 02:22 PM	#4
Jeff Pulera Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milwaukee WI Posts: 691	Re: Strange Audio Problem Do you monitor your edits through stereo speakers? I've seen situations where a video gets edited and delivered and sometimes either the left or right channel may not have audio some of the time, or at all. If the customer views with mono audio, they may hear silence on their end. Thanks __________________ Jeff Pulera Safe Harbor Computers

March 24th, 2014, 03:04 PM	#5
Rickey Brillantes Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ontario, California Posts: 309	Re: Strange Audio Problem Where you able to pan all your audio tracks to the center? I don't know what editing system you are using but in Final Cut Pro it defaults all my audio track to the left, probably thats what happened specially if they are watching it in a mono TV speaker.

March 24th, 2014, 03:52 PM	#6
Zelle Olson New Boot Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Paso Robles, CA Posts: 21	Re: Strange Audio Problem Rickey, I use FCP 7. I don't know anything about panning my audio track to the center, I'll do a search to learn what that is. I've been editing the same way for over 10 years and never had this come up before and I don't want it to come up again. I tested the DVD on a old TV with a mono speaker and it works for me. I am stumped.

March 24th, 2014, 04:37 PM	#7
Roger Gunkel Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: LIncolnshire, UK Posts: 2,213	Re: Strange Audio Problem I had a similar problem a couple of years ago, which may have a bearing on it. I had put the audio on the dvd in L/R stereo, but the client could only hear part of the sound. I eventually discovered that they had a 5:1 surround system that had been wired up incorrectly and was listening for just rear channels that weren't there. It would be worth getting one of their discs back to check and if it is ok then check their system. They may not have noticed a problem if they normally only watch commercial dvds. Roger

March 24th, 2014, 07:49 PM	#8
Zelle Olson New Boot Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Paso Robles, CA Posts: 21	Re: Strange Audio Problem Thanks Roger!

March 25th, 2014, 10:00 AM	#9
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Re: Strange Audio Problem I'm with Jeff. This sounds like a problem with the stereo mix. I wouldn't be surprised if the client is playing the footage back on an old television or something with a single RCA connection for audio. It's usually best to mix footage like that down to mono.

March 25th, 2014, 10:40 AM	#10
Zelle Olson New Boot Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Paso Robles, CA Posts: 21	Re: Strange Audio Problem With everyones help and some clues from the client I believe I have figured out how to resolve the problem. The client said that only parts of the ceremony sound was lost. I looked at my FCP file and saw it was the audio I used from the digital voice recorders (Mono!). I listened to everything through stereo speakers and found that the audio was lost on one side, so I adjusted the panning on the mono tracks and now I can hear them through both speakers! Yay!

March 25th, 2014, 10:51 AM	#11
Jeff Harper Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 8,425	Re: Strange Audio Problem This is an amazing thread that demonstrates the usefullness and power of this forum. I've edited hundreds of weddings but I would have never thought of Jeff's idea that a mono track could be the issue for you Zelle. I do love this place! __________________ "The horror of what I saw on the timeline cannot be described."

March 25th, 2014, 11:24 AM	#12
Jeff Pulera Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milwaukee WI Posts: 691	Re: Strange Audio Problem Glad it worked out. I always edit with stereo speakers, one on each side of my desk in front of me. Any such "dead channel" issues are immediately obvious. Avoid surround systems or sub-woofer thingies at the edit desk if you intend to edit and deliver in stereo, as they will only add to the confusion and maybe give a false feedback. Many years ago, early NLE days, went to an associate's studio to help him with a similar issue. I believe he had a Matrox breakout box, and was using a 13" color TV as the output/preview display while editing. Noticed right away that the TV was mono so he was only using the LEFT audio cable - the right was dangling....unmonitored. Thanks __________________ Jeff Pulera Safe Harbor Computers

March 25th, 2014, 01:04 PM	#13
Dave Blackhurst Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Apple Valley CA Posts: 4,874	Re: Strange Audio Problem Even better, do a pass with headphones... you'll definitely notice things in the mix you might not otherwise! Although you still need to check on a full surround system too, just to make sure it'll sound good in ANY listening environment - the old studio trick was to take a "rough mix" out to the car stereo system to see how most people would be listening to it - if it sounded good there, you might have a "hit"!