# Experiment in Surround Recording for Dolby Atmos 7.1.2



## Gerhard Westphalen (Apr 18, 2017)

Not sure if I should post here or in mixing subforum.

I recently had the chance to do some experimental recording of a choir. I was mostly looking to test out a few techniques and try out some things mentioned in some AES papers rather than trying to get a good recording of the choir but I think it turned out really well. I don't think a Decca tree would be most people's #1 choice for recording a choir.

I was testing out how a surround Decca tree sounded for 5.1 and 7.1 recording and I was also testing a couple of options for recording for height channels. It was a total of 11 mics. I was fortunate to get to record in the amazing hall that we have here at the University. From what I've heard, no other University in Canada has such a hall where all of the ensembles can regularly rehearse and perform.

If anyone is interested in reading my paper and/or listening to some demo files you can find them here:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/236982/GW%20Final%20Project.zip (https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/236982/GW Final Project.zip)

All of the specs from the recording are in the paper. Included is a mix that I thought works well for the 7.1.2 Atmos bed format. 

Even if you don't have a surround system, you can still listen to how each of the mics sound as the files are all in multiple mono. It's a good chance to get the LCR from a Decca tree and experiment with mixing those as 99% of demo files available online for Decca trees are already mixed to stereo.


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## Dietz (Apr 19, 2017)

Interesting! Thanks for sharing your experiences.

I think it is worth pointing out that you can't actually "record" a signal in Dolby Atmos, though, as this is a reproduction standard (which relies on encoded meta-data for audio objects) rather than a recording format. I assume your setup was similar to an Auro 3D array - a channel-based format which is much more oriented towards music recording and playback.

-> http://www.auro-3d.com/system/concept/

Kind regards and all the best,


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Apr 19, 2017)

Dietz said:


> Interesting! Thanks for sharing your experiences.
> 
> I think it is worth pointing out that you can't actually "record" a signal in Dolby Atmos, though, as this is a reproduction standard (which relies on encoded meta-data for audio objects) rather than a recording format. I assume your setup was similar to an Auro 3D array - a channel-based format which is much more oriented towards music recording and playback.
> 
> ...



To clarify, it was the Atmos bed format of 7.1.2 - I'll edit that in the OP.

The Auro 3D generally use sort of a cube setup of mics which replicates the speaker setup but that's not what I did here. My heights were much farther out and higher up. More similar to outriggers. They were also pointing up rather than pointing at the source as is normally done in the Auro 3D setups.

Right now I don't have rear heights set up for Auro 3D and I was already maxing out the channels in the recording booth but in the future I'd like to try one of those arrays.


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## Dietz (Apr 19, 2017)

I see - that makes sense, now.


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