Sound effect file creation, multi channel HELP

Special Interest Groups Audio Processing
1

I read so many interesting posts in this forum that I was hoping someone here can give me some ideas.

I am trying to create a sound track for a haunted house. We have 5 zones that need sound effects. Instead of 5 separate systems, I was going to try ONE 7 or 5 channel surround sound AMP. I could play the result with a DVD via the fiber/coax connection to the Amp.

If I can take my effects, and port each to a different channel, then I can control the whole setup from one location. For example: wolf howl = Right Front. THunder = Sub, screaming = Left Rear.

Anyone know how I can take multiple sound files (wav or mp3) and somehow MIX them into one multi-channel file, then burn that to a cd or dvd to then put on repeat.

Thanks for even reading this. I know I am crazy, but it is for a fund raising project and I am just trying to help.

Rob Korn.

2

The only part I can help with is the Audacity part.

Create a project with one mono track for each “channel”.
If you have stereo sounds, convert them to mono: “Tracks menu > Stereo track to mono”.

When you have completed all 5/7 tracks, you need to export as a multi-channel file.
To do that you need to use the “Advanced Mixing Options”
See: http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/advanced_mixing_options.html

3

Thanks Steve…

AFter I have mixed the 5 inputs into 5 Channels - Burning a multichannel disk is doable? (sorry I am new to all of this)

4

I’d guess so, but I’ve no idea how to do that (Audacity does not burn disks). I’d guess that it would need to be some sort of DVD. You also need a player that is capable of playing the disk. Audacity does not have multi-channel playback - just mono or stereo.

5

I am learning… BUT…

I cannot seem to ever get the advanced export matrix with more than 2 ch.

Some setting somewhere is keeping me stuck on 2 ch…

6

Do you have 5 separate mono tracks in Audacity like this?
trackpanel000.png

7

Burning a multichannel disk is doable? (sorry I am new to all of this)

“Burning” the DVD isn’t a problem (assuming your computer has a CD/DVD burner) but if you want to play the DVD on a regular DVD player you need DVD authoring software to create the standard DVD format (VOB files in a VIDEO_TS file, etc).

[u]Corel VideoStudio[/u] ($70 USD) can do it. Or, there is a FREE DVD authoring application called [u]DVDStyler[/u]. (I have not used DVDSyler, and although I have VideoStudio I use a different DVD authoring application.)

If you use DVDStyler, you’ll also need a video editor. The VOB files on a DVD are MPEG-2 audio/video files with the audio in a compatible format. (Dolby AC3 is the only 5.1 channel format that plays on all DVD players.) If you don’t have video, you can make a blank-black video or a slideshow, or just a still-image of text showing the title of the program, etc.

DVDs are not required to have a menu, but you can create one with your DVD authoring software.