Before exporting (“Flipping”) any piece for msnbc.com, please first verify its audio is set as follows:
- Sequence should be mono mixed, with at least 2 audio tracks (1 track only yields audio levels that are too low when exported)
- Levels should be set for average speech around -14 dBFS, with peaks NEVER exceeding -8 dBFS
(dBFS is the left-side scale in Avid’s Audio Tool)
For many users, the two items above are all you need to know. Please remember to check every piece for both. For those who want more guidance on how to achieve the specs above, here are steps for one method in Avid (Helpful if you are working on an edit sequence with split track and/or many edits):
- Enable all of your wanted Audio tracks
- Mark an In and Out on your sequence for the whole piece
- Ensure Mono Mix Mode is set via the button in top left corner of Timeline window (single yellow is mono mix, dual red is stereo). Or, in Audio Project Settings>Output tab, select Mono
- Do an Audio Mixdown, choosing Stereo, and directing the mixdown to 2 new audio tracks in your timeline
- With the 2 new Stereo Mixdown tracks enabled in your timeline, disable all other Audio tracks
- Check your levels against the dBFS (left-hand side) scale in the Audio Tool, while playing
- Adjust levels +/- dB using the Audio Mixer tool for the 2 tracks containing your Mixdown. Aim for average speech around -14 dBFS, with peaks NEVER exceeding -8 dBFS.
Note: Steps above are based on standard Avid Newscutter XP setup and options. Some systems’ options may differ, but the levels and mix requirements remain for all pieces (even if cut with other NLE’s like Final Cut, etc.)
