Calrec offers free training on mixing live broadcasts in Dolby Atmos

Calrec has launched a free educational training module for mixing live broadcasts in Dolby Atmos using the Brio console.

The need to train people on how to mix in Dolby Atmos has grown rapidly through increased demand from service providers who want to deliver their live events in Dolby Atmos. These training modules explain how to create and monitor immersive mixes with a variety of inputs quickly and easily on Calrec’s Brio console.

Now boasting 96 full DSP channel inputs, Brio is fully loaded with dynamics and delay on every path. Comprehensive automatic downmix facilities and the way its internal router allows post-fader outputs to be quickly patched as monitor inputs, make management of immersive channels simple.

“Mixing in Dolby Atmos enables the ability to place an audio source freely within a three-dimensional environment; not only within a 5.1 or 7.1 bed, but also overhead,” said Henry Goodman, Calrec’s director of product development. “Many larger consoles have features which make this easy, but assistive features on smaller desks can also help reduce the workload when it comes to NGA mixing for live broadcasts.

“For live broadcasts, all the Dolby Atmos work is done in real time in the mixing desk rather than in post-production; there are no retakes in live TV so mix engineers have to get it right the first time, as well as create additional outputs for host and international mixes, plus surround, stereo and mono versions,” said Goodman.

“The broadcast landscape has changed rapidly over the last few years with the rise of live events delivered in Dolby Atmos, which is why online training courses are more important than ever,” said Mike Babbitt, director of solutions engineering at Dolby Laboratories. “It has been great to work with Calrec on this effort, which will provide additional tools and resources that the next generation of broadcast mixers will need to meet this growing demand from service providers.”

From major worldwide live events to local sports, broadcasters and streaming services are choosing to deliver their premium entertainment in Dolby Atmos to provide the ultimate home entertainment experience for their customers. NBC has been producing leading sporting events in Dolby Atmos since 2016. In Europe, sports have been broadcasting Dolby Atmos since 2017, including all tier one football matches in the UK, as well as sports such as cricket, basketball, boxing, tennis and even darts.

Stevie Kaura Jr, senior audio mixer at ESPN, said: “One of the things I love about Calrec and Dolby Atmos is how easy it is to set up. With Calrec you just follow the instructions and as long as your speakers are patched correctly… hey presto! Dolby Atmos. I also love the creative freedom Dolby Atmos provides. You can take a moving graphic that has noise associated with it and go to town by flying the noise almost anywhere. Does stereo still exist after Dolby Atmos?”

The free training is available at Calrec.com/calrec-sound-institute.