Course overview
The complete guide to Dolby Atmos is a 4 week course of 8 live online classes and 30 hours self paced, taught by Music Hackspace teacher Hugh, providing the necessary latest skills, techniques and first-hand industry insight into the methodology, workflow and tips and tricks to using Dolby Atmos in commercial music production. The teaching has been optimised for online delivery using headphones.
Who is this course for?
- Engineers, sound designers, and mixers looking to deepen their understanding of Dolby Atmos technology and its applications in various media, including film, music, and home entertainment.
- Individuals interested in exploring Dolby Atmos for music production, including advanced mixing techniques and creative uses in spatial audio design.
- Those who work with digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, and others, aiming to learn specific workflows and configurations for Dolby Atmos content creation.
- Professionals focused on the technical aspects of audio production, such as equipment setup, software configuration, and mastering for Dolby Atmos, looking to enhance their skills in setting up and operating Dolby Atmos environments.
Course content
- Overview of Dolby Atmos: History, development, and significance in audio technology.
- Basic Concepts: Understanding 3D audio, surround sound vs. Dolby Atmos.
- Applications: Cinematic, home entertainment, and music production.
- Interactive Discussion: Q&A on the basic concepts.
- Dolby Atmos Basics
- Dolby Atmos Renderer Functions and Concepts
- Dolby Atmos Content Creation Signal Flow
- Dolby Atmos Renderer Configurations - DAWs with Integrated Dolby Atmos Functionality
- Dolby Atmos Renderer Application running on the Same Mac Workstation as the DAW
- Additional Components of a Dolby Atmos Content Creation Studio
- DAW Configuration for Dolby Atmos Workflows
- Technical Specifications: Channel-based audio vs. object-based audio.
- Dolby Atmos in Film and Music: Differences in application.
- Dolby Atmos Tools: Introduction to software and hardware requirements.
- Case Study Analysis: Examining existing Dolby Atmos projects.
- Installer Components and Other Tools
- Renderer Window Overview
- Initial Configuration using the Dolby Audio Bridge
- Initial Configuration using a Dedicated Atmos Renderer Workstation
- Basic Renderer Operations
- Room Requirements: Understanding room acoustics and speaker placement.
- Equipment Setup: Configuring speakers and calibration for optimal sound.
- Software Setup: Installing and configuring Dolby Atmos production tools.
- Practical Demonstration: Setting up a basic Dolby Atmos environment.
- Input Configuration
- Re-renders
- Trim and Downmix Controls
- Binaural Render Mode
- Exporting and Importing Input/Binaural/Re-render Configuration Files
- MP4 Export
- Mixing Concepts: Understanding the Dolby Atmos mixing pane.
- Spatial Audio Design: Techniques for placing sounds in 3D space.
- Hands-on Practice: Basic mixing exercise with provided audio samples.
- Group Discussion: Sharing experiences and troubleshooting.
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Establishing Communication with the Dolby Atmos Renderer
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Audio Output Routing, Bussing, and Bed and Object Mapping
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Assigning Audio Tracks to Beds and Objects
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Using the Supplied Templates
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Synchronizing Pro Tools and the Dolby Atmos Renderer
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Single and Multiple Bed Configurations
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Groups and VCAs
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Bouncing a Mix to ADM BWF and Re-renders
- Pro Tools Ultimate - Using the Dolby Atmos Music Panner
- Advanced Mixing Techniques: In-depth exploration of Dolby Atmos tools.
- Creative Uses: Exploring artistic possibilities in music and film.
- Project Work: Starting a small project (e.g., remixing a song or film clip).
- Feedback Session: Discussing project ideas and potential challenges
- Ableton Live using the Dolby Atmos Music Panner
- Apple Logic Pro using the Integrated Atmos Renderer
- Apple Logic Pro using the Dolby Atmos Music Panner
- Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio
- Steinberg Nuendo and Cubase
- Mastering for Dolby Atmos: Best practices for finalizing projects.
- Export Formats: Understanding different distribution formats.
- Project Completion: Finalizing the projects started in Session 5.
- Final Presentation and Review: Sharing and reviewing completed projects.
- Pro Tools Exercise 1 - Playback from Pro Tools and Monitoring the Renderer Input
- Pro Tools Exercise 2 - Pro Tools and Renderer Monitoring Options
- Pro Tools Exercise 3 - Create and Playback a Dolby Atmos Master File
- Pro Tools Exercise 4 – Mixing in Dolby Atmos, Assign Tracks to Groups and VCAs
- Pro Tools Exercise 5 - Using VCAs to Mix to a Target Loudness Level and Exporting Re-renders
- Pro Tools Exercise 6 - Using the Dolby Atmos Music Panner
- Logic Pro Exercise 1 - Setting up a Project in Logic Pro Using the Integrated Dolby Atmos Workflow
- Logic Pro Exercise 2 - Setting up a Project in Logic Pro and the Dolby Atmos Renderer
- Logic Pro Exercise 3 - Recording a Dolby Atmos Master
- Logic Pro Exercise 4 - Creating a Dolby Atmos Mix
- Logic Pro Exercise 5 - Loudness and Exports
- Ableton Live Exercise 1 - Configuring an Ableton Live Set and the Dolby Atmos Renderer
- Ableton Live Exercise 2 - Recording a Dolby Atmos Master
- Ableton Live Exercise 3 - Creating a Dolby Atmos Mix
- Ableton Live Exercise 4 - Loudness and Exports
- Listening exercise
- Group review
- Best practices for mixing in Pro Tools
- Q&A
- Pro Tools Exercise 1 - Playback from Pro Tools and Monitoring the Renderer Input
- Pro Tools Exercise 2 – ADM BWF Import to Pro Tools and Renderer Monitoring Operations
- Pro Tools Exercise 4 – Configuring Pro Tools and the Renderer for Multiple Bed Workflow
- Pro Tools Exercise 5 – Combine Select Tracks from ADM BWF Files, Assign Tracks to Groups and VCAs
- Pro Tools Exercise 6 – Using VCAs to Mix to a Target Loudness Level
- Pro Tools Exercise 7 – Creating Deliverables
- Pro Tools Exercise 8 – Using the Dolby Atmos Music Panner
- Listening exercise
- Group review
- Best practices for mixing in Pro Tools
- Q&A
Requirements
- Access to the Dolby Atmos plugin
- Access to the Dolby Atmos Assembler Software
- Good quality headphones
Course schedule
Meet your instructor
Hugh Neal brings over 20 years of professional experience in the music industry as a session musician, producer, engineer, and mix engineer. He has performed globally and worked in top London studios such as Abbey Road and Metropolis. Specialising in Dolby Atmos Mixing, Hugh built the Dolby-certified "Friary Studio B" and collaborates with leading audio companies to stay at the cutting edge of the industry. Hugh has worked with renowned artists like Paul McCartney and producers such as David Kahn. He is an approved UMG Dolby Atmos global engineer. With over 15 years in music education, Hugh has taught at prestigious institutions, including BIMM Institute London, where he led music technology modules. His extensive industry experience and educational background make him an ideal tutor for a professional Dolby Atmos course.
Testimonials
Sony Music
“Thanks Hugh, Sounds Incredible”
Audacious Management
“Always very happy working with Hugh at the Friary Studios, we always get the results we were looking for. Amazing studio and amazing team”
Universal Music Group
“Amazing Hugh, Thanks so much”
Willow Tree Music
“We look to Hugh and the Friary for our Atmos work, he has lots of experience and a creative musical mindset that always gets us great results”