With streaming platforms offering Dolby Atmos and major record company support from the likes of Universal, it is clear that unlike previous attempts to get greater than stereo music formats established in the mainstream, Dolby Atmos is here to stay. While the film and TV world were already well aquatinted with surround workflows, for the music industry which has been almost exclusively stereo for decades, the jump from stereo to Atmos is a big one.
To help previously stereo-only mixers orient themselves in this new world ADAM Audio have produced a series of free videos which seek to guide people into Atmos workflows.
In the first of these videos engineer Rob Burrell starts with a brief explanation of what it is about Dolby Atmos which makes it different from channel-based surround formats like 5.1.
In the second of this free series, rather than rushing into the “How” of Dolby Atmos Rob addresses the very important “Why”. Why should an engineer who is currently working in stereo invest time and money in a complex new workflow like Dolby Atmos?
Lastly, before getting to work and actually mixing some music in Dolby Atmos, Rob runs through the equipment requirements for a Dolby Atmos setup.
Now to mixing. In this extended tutorial Rob mixes a jazz tune in Dolby Atmos, working step by step through setting up the session and making use of the immersive soundstage availble in Dolby Atmos.
For a more in depth look at the Dolby Atmos workflow we recommend our excellent free 6 part tutorial series,