DaVinci Resolve Sound Recording and Editing

Keith Scott FRPS DPAGB AV -AFIAP

In the previous issue of AV News (August 2022) we provided an overview of DaVinci Resolve Video Editor and specically DaVinci Resolve Studio 17. Typically, after writing that article and providing it to our Editor, but before the magazine was delivered, the creators Blackmagic Design introduced an updated version entitled DaVinci Resolve Studio 18. This later version added some useful functions of particular interest to those working in groups, or perhaps to those people working remotely on a joint project, where access to the same project and working les over the internet can be of great benet. Whilst such features may be very useful to those lm makers producing large blockbuster movies and employing very many people, it will probably be less important to our AV fraternity who usually (but not always) tend to work as individuals. Therefore, if you already have version 17 there’s no real need to upgrade. In the previous issue I stated the cost of the software package as £225.00. Whilst this was accurate, I should have stated £225 plus VAT. The current price at time of writing for the new version of Resolve Studio 18 is £255 plus VAT, £306 (if VAT rate doesn’t change). This still compares favourably with the cost of other professional video editors. However, there is still the free version of DaVinci Resolve that will more than sufce for most AV workers’ and videographers’ needs.

The advantage of both the free and paid versions is that they are quite comprehensive. They allow video editing, colour grading, sound recording, sound editing, and include special visual and sound effects all in one package. Obviously, the paid version does contain the most functions. In this issue we’ll look at recording and editing sound using the tools under the “Fairlight” section. Although called Fairlight this section has nothing to do with light, it’s where all sound recording, editing, and sound mixing take place.

The Fairlight Audio Core engine allows for simultaneous playback of up to 1,000 audio tracks without any additional hardware, so the average audiovisual worker who generally uses just a few tracks for voiceovers, background music, special sound effects etc., is never going to run out of track space.

This huge track count is intended for major studio lm producers where a separate audio track would be reserved for each individual actor’s voice, and for each piece of music and sound effect, allowing editing of every single piece of sound.

Sound les can be inserted into the Fairlight editor directly from the “Media Browser” or imported using the “Import” command in the “File” menu. Sound can also be recorded from a microphone into the Fairlight editor, usually via a digital interface with mic pre -amp. When recording directly onto a track, perhaps a voiceover for example, the track needs to be armed in readiness for recording, this can be done by clicking the “R” button directly on the track, or on the audio track number within the “Mixer panel”. Also, the system needs informing which input source to use i.e., which source the microphone signal is coming from and which bus to output the recorded signal to.

These simple choices can be selected at the click of a mouse within the “Mixer panel”. Anyone who has previously used sound editing and mixing programs such as Adobe Audition, Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, or any similar professional software will recognise and be comfortable with this process, because they all follow a similar pattern. As an aside, from a personal point of view I rarely record audio directly into any computer because computers have fans which usually create unwanted low level background noise. I much prefer to record into a silent digital recorder which is made specically for this purpose, then transfer the .wav les to a computer program for editing.

DaVinci Resolve: Sound Recording and Editing continued ...

The layout of the workspace in DaVinci Resolve Studio can be as complex or as simple as you wish to make it. Various control and information panels may be opened or closed as needed. Below is an example of a full screen view of the Fairlight page which includes Media Browser, Track list, Video Output, Track Meters, and the Track Timeline showing three separate audio tracks.

When editing sound tracks it’s preferable to simplify and enlarge just the track workspace including “Master Meters” by closing everything that’s not necessary, this makes it easier to make ne adjustments to amplitude levels and clip spacing. Below is the same soundtrack view simplied.

Audio tracks may be reduced in size or enlarged both vertically and horizontally as required. This makes it easier to view any selected track or clip that you wish to edit. Selected clips are always highlighted therefore it’s easy to see instantly which clip is ready for editing.

“Ducking” is a term used when the amplitude of a sound, usually music is lowered just before a section of voiceover, then raised back to its previous level just after the section of voiceover has nished. This allows the sound of the voice to cut clearly through the mix. Ducking should start several seconds before the voice and end several seconds after. When done correctly, slowly, and smoothly this ducking should be almost unnoticeable to an audience and can benet the overall soundtrack. However, when done too quickly and too dramatically it can also ruin an otherwise good soundtrack. Frequently at AV group gatherings ducking becomes very noticeable and highly annoying. It’s usually better to keep the background music at a lower level overall and avoid ducking wherever possible, but if you must use this technique then it’s very easy to accomplish in DaVinci Resolve. it is achieved in similar fashion to other sound editing software by moving editing points up and down.

To add amplitude editing points to a track, place the cursor at the place where the point is required on the Levels line. If using a Mac hold down Option key and left click mouse. If using a Windows computer hold down Alt key and click the left mouse button. To adjust these points select them and drag up or down with the mouse.

DaVinci Resolve: Sound Recording and Editing continued ...

It’s easy to forget that this software is intended for creating and editing video because the sound editing facilities are so extensive. Most AV workers will almost certainly already have dedicated sound editing software, many have “Audacity” which is a great piece of free software, and others may have “Cool Edit Pro” or later versions which became “Adobe Audition”. However, this software is for those people who are utilising video within their AVs, and who need to edit their video and audio without resorting to external software.

As you may expect there are plenty of special audio effects that may be applied to your soundtracks. Regardless of which workspace you have open the “Effects Panel” can be obtained by clicking “Workspace” on the top main menu, then click “Show Panel in Workspace”, then click “Effects”. The “Fairlight FX Panel” will appear on your workspace. Just like most other panels this can be re-sized to suit your requirements, simply by grabbing and dragging the sides. It could show a single line of effects, two, three, or four, depending on how wide you drag the sides. “Fairlight FX” Panel has twentyfour built in sound effect headings shown here in the top part of this panel. It will also include any VST effects that it detects if they’re installed on your system from other sound editing software. In the above illustration it includes fourteen VST’s at the bottom of the panel detected from an installation of RX8 Audio Editor. VST stands for Virtual Studio Technology. They are usually in the form of plug-ins and are available from many different audio software companies. They usually consist of electronic instruments, synthesisers, compressors, equalisers etc, and work with DAWS (Digital Audio Workstations).

The application of sound effects to your soundtracks in DaVinci Studio is very simple to achieve, simply open the Fairlight FX panel as described previously and choose the sound effect you wish to apply. Click and drag the effect to the clip or clips you want to edit, whereupon a control panel specic to each effect will automatically appear. If you want to add an effect to a single clip just select the single clip rst, if you want to add the same effect to multiple clips click and drag your cursor over all the clips to select them, then drag the effect and drop over the selected clips. In this example an effects control panel entitled “Vocal Channel” has been applied to a voiceover track. It is a very useful tool for the enhancement of voice recordings. This effect includes a “High Pass” Filter at the left side, an “Equaliser” at centre to control low, medium and high frequencies, and on the right side a “Compressor” to effectively lower the loudest parts of the audio recording to prevent clipping, whilst maintaining or applying “Gain” to the lower levels. Using a compressor appropriately can reduce (compress) the dynamic range of a recording that has very high peaks and troughs and can boost the quieter parts and allow the recording to be further amplied or normalised to a useful level. As with most audio effects subtlety is usually better than severity, don’t overdo any audio effects, your aim is to take a good sound recording and make it brilliant, not to damage it.

The instruction manual for DaVinci Studio is not exactly bedtime reading, it consists of over 3600 pages in a 150MB pdf le, some of which is quite technical and heavy going. However, DaVinci do produce several excellent and easy to follow tuition videos covering all sections of this software. If you have the software installed the videos are available free by clicking “Help” on the “Main Menu”, then click on “DaVinci Resolve Training”. After they’ve opened you can save these videos to your system for future reference.