Lesson14.Working with Surround Sound | Apple Pro Training Series: Logic Pro 7 and Logic Express 7

Lesson 14. Working with Surround Sound

Time Goals

APTS_Logic_7 > Song Files > Lesson 14 Project Files > 14Begin.lso
APTS_Logic_7 > Song Files > Lesson 14 Project Files > 14End.lso
This lesson takes approximately 40 minutes to complete.
Configure outputs for surround sound mixing
Use the surround sound Pan control to assign tracks to speakers
Control subwoofer sounds with the low-frequency effect channel
Create a final surround mix

Have you ever noticed that when you watch a movie on a really big screen, you almost start to feel as though you are in the middle of the action? This happens because the screen is so large that it fills your entire field of vision. The screen doesn't need to extend behind you, because your eyes see only what's in front of you. Is that true for sound? Do you hear only what's in front of you? Of course not. So why do people typically listen to music played only through speakers sitting in front of them? These days they can put speakers around them and hear prerecorded sounds from all directions, as they hear other sounds. This is something that the movie industry has done for quite some time, and consumers have begun to follow suit, making surround sound home theater systems hugely popular.

Recent years have seen ever greater activity in surround sound music production. New audio-specific formats such as DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD, and of course DVD-Video are making their way into the market as vehicles to deliver surround sound music to the masses.

Logic Pro has the tools you need for surround sound audio, whether you want to score a movie or produce music only. If you've never experienced surround sound music, then you owe it to yourself to check it out. Here's how you can do it for yourself using Logic!

NOTE

To hear the results of this lesson, you will need an audio interface with six outputs wired to a six-channel surround sound playback system. If you do not have this type of system, you can follow the lesson steps, but you will hear your results only in stereo.