Batch MS Decode/ MS Decode multiple files at once

[tlloren]

Hello,

I just received a project and all the Sound Recordist tracks are still encoded Mid Side recordings.

Is there an easier way to MS decode a hundred or so files in Protools that will still keep the files separate? Or do I have to decode them one by one .

How is this typically handled?

FYI, this footage was recorded almost a year ago and the sound recordist is in another country.

Thanks in advance!

Terence
MBP, PT8, DVTK2

[mr.armadillo]

Ah, that sucks. I always ask location recordists not to record encoded M/S but only monitor in M/S.
You can use tools like the S1 by Waves as Audiosuite to batch decode, but it's a bit of a pain.

[Frank Kruse]

Soundminer.

(unlike PT´s Audio-Suite it will also preserve the meta-data)

[MIKEROPHONICS]

Why do you have to batch decode?

Why not use the MS files and decode using your PT mixer?

remember:
M=(A+B)-6dB
S=(A-B)-6dB

So Put the M on a mono channel panned centre and route to L and R
Put the S on a stereo channel panned to L and R with a phase invert on the right leg
Group the two faders together and voila AB stereo with width adjustable by increasing or decreasing the S fader.
MS was hugely vogue in the BBC during the 90's due to mono compatibility of MS location mics like Neuman RSM 191 etc and the ease of "ditching the S leg" during editing (not a practice I would recommend)
Most studio sitcoms are boomed in this manner still and converted on the desk

Hope this helps

[mr.armadillo]

Originally Posted by MIKEROPHONICS

So Put the M on a mono channel panned centre and route to L and R
Put the S on a stereo channel panned to L and R with a phase invert on the right leg
Group the two faders together and voila AB stereo with width adjustable by increasing or decreasing the S fader.

He already has AB stereo. He want's MS again. (which is basically the same formula, just wanted to point that out)

Originally Posted by MIKEROPHONICS

Why do you have to batch decode?

Why not use the MS files and decode using your PT mixer?

(...)and the ease of "ditching the S leg" during editing (not a practice I would recommend)

For exactly that reason: Most of the time when doing dialogue, I don't really need the S, so I want to split it and put it on a separate track which I can then deactivate and hide. This way, I can keep and edit all my dialogue tracks as mono tracks which seems to be easier to me and helps keeping the PT session clean and neat.

He would have to first decode the AB then encode to MS again which is a pain.

[Frank Kruse]

There´s also a free MS matrix in the free RTAS package from soundhack. (of course won´t help in a batch-processing scenario)

frank.

[rhumphries]

Originally Posted by Frank Kruse

Soundminer.

(unlike PT´s Audio-Suite it will also preserve the meta-data)

Is there an MS decoder in Soundminer that I'm missing, or do you have a third party VST plugin?

-Richard

[Frank Kruse]

Originally Posted by rhumphries

Is there an MS decoder in Soundminer that I'm missing, or do you have a third party VST plugin?

-Richard

SM automatically runs files through it´s built-in matrix if you put "M/S" into the channel-layout field.

If you want more control, you can install the soundhack free package and then use the VST version of the matrix.

Both options work in a batch process.

Frank.

[rhumphries]

Originally Posted by Frank Kruse

SM automatically runs files through it´s built-in matrix if you put "M/S" into the channel-layout field.

If you want more control, you can install the soundhack free package and then use the VST version of the matrix.

Both options work in a batch process.

Frank.

Thanks! I didn't know about the built in matrix.

-R

[Frank Kruse]

Originally Posted by rhumphries

Thanks! I didn't know about the built in matrix.

-R

You can also force SM to custom output routings via the channel-layout field. So if you want to audition mono-sounds through the center-speaker instead of L/R just batch-fill in "C" into the channel-layout field for your mono-sounds. I find this very helpfull because a mono sound monitored via L/R sounds gives a very different impression than monitored through the center speaker. Helps the selection process a lot, IMO.

You can also do weird custom routings like L/R/C/C/C or C/C when you audition multi-channel production audio.

(of course this only works via rewire)

Also see page 113 of the SM-manual.

Frank.