# Level mix around dialogue or leave to editor / Sound stage



## Bropecia (Sep 19, 2018)

for TV comedy series: I think I know enough to not have crazy instrumental parts and percussive elements competing with dialogue, but I'm not sure how to handle overall volume? Do I mix what would presumably be a low music part, _low_, or do I mix and then bounce everything uniformly/at the same level, to give the editor and final mixer this creative control? 

thanks!


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## jneebz (Sep 19, 2018)

I would ask for delivery specs from your client (usually they want stems). If that’s not an option and you’re not responsible for mixing the dialogue, then just send in you track at normal loudness (and not automated/dipped)...


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## gsilbers (Sep 19, 2018)

its delivered mixed by the composer. we rerecording engineers (my side gig) really dont want to be guessing... or even dealing with the music. just drop it in the template, select reverb and amount of 5.1 and done. maybe ride the fader here and there once in a while but no guessing. thats not the creative control poeple want. thats the composers job.
dont do the volume rides for dialogue. if you have a pad for example, leave it low at the same level. dont try to lower the volume when an actor is talking and viceversa when not taking. so basically follow the normal filmscoring rules of orchestration, dynamics etc to not interfere in the dialog.

dialog is mixed at one of the 4 or so main specs. movies maybe do dianorm, LUFS of 27 or tv is 24 lufs. its not your job to mix the dialog of course but i usually do waves vol rider or strong comp to get it around that level that might approximate the final delivery. and mix the music volume accordingly in the music mix, like any of your normal mixes. not an overall mastering volume thing. 

maybe import the audio from a movie that is similar so you can compare the dialgue vs music ratio. also if you get in touch with the audio guys maybe they can send you a temp dial mix just to check.

ive seen tons of music from many composers, from remote control guys to fox, disney and universal shows. its always mixed. close enough to the final delivery.
i think the harder part is figuring out how low is too low and high is too high.
which is why importing the audio of a movie thats about the style and format of the project you are doing is like transcribing a pieace of music. it can help see the difference in levels and how each scene is handled mix wise.


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## Bropecia (Sep 20, 2018)

Great thanks guys!


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## MatFluor (Sep 20, 2018)

A few more answers in the same area not that long ago


https://vi-control.net/community/th...-the-level-of-mixed-music.75065/#post-4281937


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## Bropecia (Sep 21, 2018)

MatFluor said:


> A few more answers in the same area not that long ago
> 
> 
> https://vi-control.net/community/th...-the-level-of-mixed-music.75065/#post-4281937


Oh this is perfect, thanks!


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## Jeremy Spencer (Sep 25, 2018)

Bropecia said:


> or do I mix and then bounce everything uniformly/at the same level, to give the editor and final mixer this creative control?



In my experience, this is exactly what happens. I've never had to pre mix any levels, the editors took care of that end of things (that's their job). There's usually a bunch of dialogue and SFX parts/levels added afterwards as well, so I would have no idea on the volumes needed anyways.

Note: Guys like @gsilbers have much more experience than myself, but this is how I have worked for TV and the few feature-length's I did.


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