That post is in the topic vMix 13 preview.

Just please pay attention so the shortcuts will work when that pop-up window is in focus.


Also, an important addition probably can be the ability to make the audio mixing trough a web page, just like the other controls trough web.

That way, when needed we can have a dedicated person for the audio part just like we have with the titles.
I think that web part will be useful even we succeed to do the audio mixing mainly trough the external mixer.
There will be always a need to monitor which inputs are audio enabled and where and the levels and mute-unmute ... or solo-ing things without interfere with the video mixing person and fight for the "mouse pointer" :)






Absolutelly right. But I think those buttons (MAB) should be present both within the main input modules ( on the left ) and within the audio mixer area (on the right) because, when we want to quickly check the status of a module or change something (mute-unmute) it is easier to go to the main module window on the left as it is easier to visually identify it.
Also, probably, the "Follow" button should be there, too as sometime, we see the Audio button deactivated but forget to check the "Follow" on the right in the Audio Mixing area to have that deactivated, too.


On that point, probably it can be a discussion if isn't a better solution having all the audio options ( MAB, volume slider, visual metters) for the input modules only there on the left side of the screen and keep only the Outputs in the audio mixing area.


I mean, we already have the volum level indicators and some of the audio buttons in the input module placeholder.
The only thing in the audio mixer area is the level slider.
If we move it to the input module the slider, too.. we'll be able to control anything from there.

That way, we probably save a lot of real estate and train our quick reactions to go to only one point when need to change anything about an input module no matter what we need to change.

Right now, we mute-unmute them from the input module area, check if there is sound or not from the same place (input modules area) and go to the audio mixing only when we need to change the volume level (and now when need to solo-ing)

I don't think it's neccessary to put more audio controls to the input modules. Normally audio routing and levels are set before going live. For small adjustments it's fine to open the audio mixing part in vMix. The saved space will also be lost because you will have the audio input modules in full size like video input modules.
Speaker icon has to be there as Martin described (mute all buses).
Color in grey and green is fine for me. Some real audio mixers do it the same way (Soundcraft Compact/Expression). Going to red could be confusing because you're also dealing with video and there red normally means "live".

Maybe it would be a good idea to just test Martin's version and see if the workflow is fine or should be refined. Can't wait for the next preview version... because I have some days off work and time to play around :-)

In our case we have quite a few scenarios (real life) when we change things during the live session and not only before start:

1) The main sound from mics has to be muted-unmuted several times per session ( before the start during the intros, during pauses, at the end during breaks).
We do that from the input module and not from the audio mixer.

The danger here is to forget to unmute the mics after the break. If you have the module "solo-ed" then you will see the sound level in the master and you think you have sound in live but you only have it in your headphones only :)

This is why the red button is a very good idea.

2) The sound from Skype has to be constantly adjusted ( we do Skype by desktop capture, including the audio capture).

So, we need to adjust the volume several times ( we do it from the vMix Mixer)
Also, we need to mute-unmute the skype sound many times between the skype-person speeches just to cut the noise (we do that using "Audio" button from the input module.

3) The sound from several RTMP input modules has to be constantly adjusted during a live.

For example, we had a special project with Discovery Channel having 8 cameras outdoor in the city capturing them into vMix trough RTMP modules. ( )
Imagine having to adjust the sound in live from the audio panel. You are never sure which is camera 3 and which is camera 5 there. You have to do that in split of a second.

If you have such control near the input module on the left, there you simply have the visual identification of the module so do not have to effectively read the name of the module each time just to be sure you check or adjust the right one.

4) In conferences when we capture ( desktop capture module) the slides of the speaker you are often taken by surprise by the speaker having a video with sound.
Then you have to react in a second and activate sound and adjust the level in a second.

It is always hard ( time consuming ) to find the right audio item in the vMix mixer and activate it.

5) During some shows, while a video input (video clip) is running, the speakers in front of the camera start to comment the images.
Then you have to do the following steps in a split of a second: unmute their audio input from the mics ( previously muted) -> lower the volume of the video input -> increase the volume after their comment is finished

Once again, it is very hard to identify which audio item in the vMix mixer is the video clip running where you have to lower the volume from the video clip. You can do that only by visual identification in the input modules area.






Just to be sure I was clear. I do not say that we have to move the same audio modules from the right to left area.

I wanted to say (maybe) it will be better to have audio controls on the input modules just like we have now the audio metering, Audio button and ( probably this is a better solution) just like we have the option to show there the playback speed for video ( having the option to show it or hide it).

My experience is that when there are multiple audio sources and multiple video/image sources (the latter is the point with vMix) audio must be mixed separately (by another person, or automatically) on an external mixer. And for the type of live productions we do, audio sources constantly change. It is impossible to set audio levels before going live without adjusting afterwards. In sum, for more than one, or maybe two audio sources, we take it outside the vision mixer (read vMix).

Of course, other vMix users make other types of productions, where audio can be set up beforehand and left as is. In that case you do not need a lot of controls on the Input modules. And you don't need an external mixer.

Typically we take the ready mixed audio output from the venue's house mixer, and insert our own five channel external mixer before we take the audio into vMix. Two channels for house audion, two for playouts from the PC. The reason for our own mixer is that the operator immediately and always can do necessary fine adjustments (when the house's sound engineer or auto mixer relax too much, happens all the time) with the left hand hand operate vMix with the right hand. No way we can do a good job mixing both audio and video via the mouse and a screen interface.

I trust ClementN when he says that they mix both audio and video in the same PC. But I am afraid that making each input a mini audio mixer will clutter the user interface. Most users of vMix would probably be overloaded with information and choices.

That's my five cents, looking forward to more views on the matter.

Aha! (for a while I thought you were Superman, or a game player star ;)

The recording/streaming audio is completely unaffected by the solo button. So no audio is removed or anything.

Couple of notes on my work on the bus system:

1. I will set the Master output meter to always show what is going to the recording and stream, regardless of solo or bus selection.
This is to prevent the confusion Clement mentioned when soloing at the moment.

2. There will be a separate headphones volume dial underneath Master so you can monitor with different audio volume levels
than the Master.

3. I'm working on sub-channel selection for the audio outputs.
This will allow users to take advantage of the 3 stereo outputs on most computers that are currently being used for 5.1 surround sound.

So you could send the Master to L/R, Headphones to Center/Sub and Bus A to BackL/BackR
I need to do more testing to make sure there isn't any freq cutoff happening with the Sub output on the sound card. I suspect it won't, but we'll see.

So, it seems we all agree that:

1) vMix is not an audio mixer and it should not be turned into one
2) One should organize things to use external audio mixer (or maybe a midi hardware interface) and a dedicated person for the sound
3) As much as possible, vMix should facilitate routing out audio


Martin, in order to be able to truly have a dedicated person for sound, what is your opinion about web controls for audio ?

Each square in the audio meter represents 2db.
0 = 0db
1 = -2db
2 = -4db
3 = -6db
4 = -8db
5 = -10db
6 = -12db
7 = -14db
8 = -16db
9 = -18db
10 = -20db
11 = -22db
12 = -24db
13 = -26db
14 = -28db
15 = -30db
16 = -32db
17 = -34db
18 = -36db
19 = -38db
20 = -40db
21 = -42db
22 = -44db
23 = -46db

Out of approximately 96db dynamic range