Background/ambience audio levels

Dexcon wrote on 3/6/2019, 6:28 AM

This is more of a creative question than a technical question. When editing a travelogue whether it be a documentary TV program/series, or a sponsored travel program (e.g. experiencing an Amsterdam – Budapest river cruise sponsored by that cruise company), or simply making a hopefully enjoyable retrospective on your own travels to show your relatives and friends, what audio levels do you prefer to set for background/ambient audio. This could include ocean/river/beach sounds, mountain/city/traffic ambience, train/bus sounds, or hotel/office/audience/shopping mall ambience with or without air conditioning – etc/etc/etc.

Some TV travel programs have virtually no background audio, but others try to create a feeling of “being there” by setting ambience at a more noticeable level. Obviously, there is no right or wrong on this. Also obviously, considerations would include whether or not location dialogue and/or music and/or VO is involved.

I am very interested to hear from the forum about your opinions about your approach to setting background/ambience audio levels and what works best for you, particularly where just VO is overlayed.

Thank you in advance.

Comments

Robbie wrote on 3/6/2019, 7:00 AM

Great question. Probably not what you're looking for but the sweet spot for me is setting the levels where it is subtle enough that you don't necessarily notice it is there but is loud enough that you would notice if it wasn't.

Cheers, Robbie.

Steve Grisetti wrote on 3/6/2019, 7:00 AM

It depends on what audio is in the foreground. Is it narration? Music? And is your background just ambient noise or does it include things you want to be able to hear and understand, like voices?

As a rule of thumb, I set my background to -10 db or lower, depending on these other factors.

alifftudm95 wrote on 3/6/2019, 8:51 AM

Based on what I've learn, Your ambiance & music set at -10dB. Dialogue set at -2dB and SFX should be set around -6dB.

rraud wrote on 3/6/2019, 10:42 AM

Atmos and S/FX levels are subjective, so there is no 'one-size-fits-all' setting. In addition, check 'your' desired levels on a variety of monitor systems (including HPs, laptops, smartphones, cheap TVs, ect.). If its a multi-channel mix (two channels or more) re-check it in a down-mixed mode and for mono compatibility.

Addendum: I am assuming the atmosphere and/or sound effects will be added elements.

fan-boy wrote on 3/6/2019, 3:29 PM

not sure . I would try near field mic for just voice . Singers eat the mic , when in front of the band . They only want their voice in that mic . So , record separately , the environment . Studios record each person on their own mic , to their own track . They can mix it later .

if using a high quality mic system , that should be just your voice . the camera's mic can get the ambient . Later , sync the high quality mic to the video , and use the camera's lower quality audio for the ambient mix .

Dexcon wrote on 3/9/2019, 3:40 AM

Many thanks to all who responded - it is much appreciated.

I am much encouraged as I have been setting bg/ambience levels fairly much in line with your recommendations. For some reason, I started to doubt myself.

Many thanks once again.