Master the Art of Creating a Submix in DaVinci Resolve

If you’re a video editor and you’re looking for a way to organize and streamline your audio workflow, creating submixes in DaVinci Resolve is a game-changer!

DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing software that offers a wide range of tools and features for professionals. One of the key advantages of Resolve is its ability to handle complex audio projects with ease.

So, what is a submix? A submix is a way to group and control multiple audio tracks as a single unit. Instead of adjusting the volume and effects for each individual track, you can make adjustments to the submix and affect all the tracks at once. This makes the process of mixing audio much more efficient and saves a lot of time.

Creating a submix in DaVinci Resolve is straightforward. First, you need to select the audio tracks you want to include in the submix. Then, right-click on one of the selected tracks and choose “New Compound Clip” from the menu. This will create a new compound clip with the selected tracks.

Once you have your compound clip, you can make adjustments to the audio settings just like you would with any regular track. You can add effects, adjust volumes, and even automate changes over time. The changes you make to the compound clip will be reflected in all the tracks within the submix.

Using submixes in DaVinci Resolve can greatly improve your workflow and help you achieve professional-sounding audio in your videos. Whether you’re working on a small project or a large production, mastering the art of submixing will give you greater control over your audio and take your editing skills to the next level.

What is DaVinci Resolve?

DaVinci Resolve is a professional video editing software that offers advanced color correction and editing capabilities. It is widely used in the film and television industry for its powerful features and intuitive workflow.

With DaVinci Resolve, users can edit, enhance, and grade their videos with precision and accuracy. The software provides a wide range of tools and effects to achieve the desired look and feel of the final product. It also supports various formats, resolutions, and frame rates, making it suitable for both small-scale projects and blockbuster films.

One of the standout features of DaVinci Resolve is its color grading capabilities. The software includes a dedicated color grading panel that allows users to manipulate and fine-tune the colors of their footage. This feature is particularly useful for achieving consistent color grading across multiple clips and creating a visually cohesive look.

In addition to its color grading tools, DaVinci Resolve also offers a comprehensive editing environment. Users can easily import, trim, and arrange their clips on a timeline, as well as apply transitions and effects to enhance the overall flow of the video. The software also supports multi-camera editing, allowing users to sync and switch between multiple camera angles effortlessly.

Furthermore, DaVinci Resolve includes DaVinci Neural Engine, an AI-powered feature that can automatically detect and optimize footage, making the editing process more efficient. The software also supports collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same project simultaneously.

Overall, DaVinci Resolve is a powerful and versatile video editing software that provides professional-grade tools for color grading and editing. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, DaVinci Resolve offers the tools and features you need to bring your creative vision to life.

Why use DaVinci Resolve for creating submixes?

DaVinci Resolve is a powerful video editing software that offers a wide range of features and tools for professional-grade audio mixing. When it comes to creating submixes, DaVinci Resolve provides several advantages that make it the ideal choice for audio post-production.

1. Intuitive Interface: DaVinci Resolve has a user-friendly interface that allows for easy navigation and efficient workflow. This makes it easier for both beginners and experienced editors to create and manage submixes without any hassle.

2. Advanced Mixing Tools: DaVinci Resolve offers a comprehensive set of audio mixing tools that allow users to create complex submixes with precision. From EQs and compressors to reverb and delay effects, the software provides everything you need to enhance the overall sound quality of your project.

3. Seamless Integration: DaVinci Resolve seamlessly integrates with other popular audio software, making it easier to import and export audio tracks. Whether you’re working with Pro Tools, Logic Pro, or any other DAW, DaVinci Resolve ensures a smooth workflow and compatibility.

4. Real-time Collaboration: DaVinci Resolve supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple editors and sound engineers to work on the same project simultaneously. This is particularly beneficial when working on complex submixes, as it enables efficient communication and enhances productivity.

5. Professional-grade Output: DaVinci Resolve is widely used in the film and television industry due to its ability to deliver high-quality audio output. Whether you’re creating a submix for a short film or a full-length feature, DaVinci Resolve ensures that your audio sounds professional and polished.

6. Comprehensive Documentation and Support: DaVinci Resolve provides extensive documentation, tutorials, and a supportive online community. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced audio editor, you can find plenty of resources to enhance your submixing skills and troubleshoot any issues you may encounter.

Overall, DaVinci Resolve offers a powerful and user-friendly platform for creating submixes. Its intuitive interface, advanced mixing tools, seamless integration, real-time collaboration, professional-grade output, and comprehensive support make it the ideal choice for audio post-production.

Step 1: Importing Audio Tracks

When creating a submix in DaVinci Resolve, the first step is to import your audio tracks into the software. This can be done by clicking on the “Media Pool” tab, which is located in the top left corner of the interface. Once you are in the Media Pool tab, you can either drag and drop your audio files directly into the media pool or click on the “Import Media” button to browse for your audio files.

After you have imported your audio tracks, they will appear in the media pool as individual clips. You can then select the clips that you want to include in your submix by clicking on them and dragging them into the timeline.

It is important to note that when importing audio tracks, DaVinci Resolve supports a wide range of audio file formats including WAV, AIFF, MP3, and more. This gives you the flexibility to work with audio files from different sources and in different formats.

Once you have imported your audio tracks into the timeline, you are ready to move on to the next step of creating your submix.

Adding audio tracks to the timeline

In DaVinci Resolve, you can easily add audio tracks to your timeline to create a seamless audio experience for your project. Here’s how:

1. Open your project in DaVinci Resolve.
2. Navigate to the timeline panel.
3. Right-click on the empty space in the timeline panel and select “Add Track” from the dropdown menu.
4. A new audio track will appear in the timeline panel.
5. To import audio files, go to the media pool.
6. Locate the audio files you want to add to your timeline.
7. Drag and drop the audio files onto the audio track in the timeline panel.
8. The audio files will be added to the timeline, and you can adjust their position and length as needed.

By adding audio tracks to the timeline, you have the flexibility to mix and adjust the audio levels, add effects, and create a professional-sounding audio mix for your video project.

Step 2: Adjusting Audio Levels

Once you have created a submix, the next step is to adjust the audio levels to ensure a balanced mix. This is important to prevent any parts of your video from being too loud or too soft.

To adjust the audio levels, you can use the audio mixer panel in DaVinci Resolve. This panel allows you to view and adjust the levels of each individual track in your submix.

First, open the audio mixer panel by clicking on the “Mixer” button in the top toolbar. This will open a new panel displaying the audio tracks in your submix.

Next, locate the track that you want to adjust the audio level for. You can identify each track by its name, which is displayed at the top of each track.

To adjust the audio level, simply drag the corresponding fader up or down. Moving the fader up will increase the volume, while moving it down will decrease the volume.

As you adjust the audio levels, keep an eye on the audio meters located next to each track. These meters provide a visual representation of the audio levels, allowing you to monitor the changes you are making.

It’s important to pay attention to the overall balance of your mix while adjusting the audio levels. Aim for a balance where all the audio elements can be heard clearly without overpowering each other.

Once you are satisfied with the audio levels, you can listen to your submix by playing back your video. Make sure to listen on different devices and in different environments to ensure that the audio sounds good across different setups.

Remember, adjusting audio levels is an important step in the process of creating a submix. By carefully adjusting the levels, you can ensure that your audio elements are well-balanced and contribute to the overall quality of your video.

Using the mixer panel

The mixer panel in DaVinci Resolve allows you to create and control submixes, which are a combination of multiple audio tracks. This can be useful when you want to apply effects or adjust the overall level of a group of tracks.

To create a submix, first, make sure you have all the desired audio tracks selected. You can do this by holding down the Ctrl or Command key while clicking on the tracks in the timeline. Once the tracks are selected, right-click and choose “Create Submix” from the context menu.

Once you have created a submix, you can see it in the mixer panel. Each submix has its own strip in the mixer panel, with controls for adjusting the volume, panning, and applying effects. You can also solo or mute a submix directly from the mixer panel.

To adjust the volume of a submix, click and drag the fader up or down. You can also type in a specific value in the volume field if you want precise control. Similarly, you can adjust the panning of a submix by dragging the pan control left or right.

If you want to apply effects to a submix, you can do so by clicking on the FX button on the submix strip. This will open the Effects Library, where you can choose from a variety of audio effects to apply to the submix. You can also adjust the parameters of the effects directly in the mixer panel.

Once you have created and adjusted your submixes, you can use them like any other audio track in your project. You can add them to the timeline, adjust their position, and apply further effects or adjustments as needed. It’s a powerful way to organize and control your audio in DaVinci Resolve.

Overall, the mixer panel in DaVinci Resolve provides a comprehensive set of tools for creating and controlling submixes. Whether you need to adjust the volume of a group of tracks, apply effects, or organize your audio, the mixer panel has you covered.

Step 3: Grouping Audio Tracks

Grouping audio tracks is an essential step in creating a submix in DaVinci Resolve. Grouping allows you to control the volume, balance, and effects of multiple audio tracks as a single unit.

To group audio tracks, follow these steps:

1. Select all the audio tracks you want to group by holding down the Ctrl key and clicking on each track.
2. Right-click on any of the selected tracks and choose “Group Clips” from the context menu. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut key Ctrl+G.
3. A new audio group will be created, and all the selected tracks will be included in this group.
4. You can rename the group by right-clicking on it and selecting “Rename Group”. This can be helpful if you have multiple audio groups in your timeline.
5. Once the audio tracks are grouped, you can apply volume adjustments and effects to the entire group. These changes will be applied to all the tracks within the group.
6. To ungroup audio tracks, simply right-click on the audio group and select “Ungroup Clips”.

Grouping audio tracks makes it easier to manage and edit your audio in DaVinci Resolve. It allows you to make changes to multiple tracks at once, saving you time and effort in the audio mixing process.

Creating a submix track

A submix track in DaVinci Resolve allows you to group multiple audio tracks together and apply effects or adjustments to them as a whole. This can be useful when you want to process a set of tracks together or apply specific settings to a group of related audio elements.

To create a submix track in DaVinci Resolve, follow these steps:

1. Open your project in DaVinci Resolve and navigate to the timeline.
2. Right-click on an empty track area in the audio section of the timeline and select “Add New Track”.
3. In the “Add Track” dialog that appears, select “Submix Track” from the “Track Type” dropdown menu.
4. Give your submix track a name and click “Add”.
5. You will now see the submix track added to the timeline. You can rename it by double-clicking on the track name.
6. Drag and drop the audio tracks you want to include in the submix onto the submix track in the timeline.
7. Adjust the levels and apply any effects or adjustments to the submix track as desired.

Once you have created a submix track, you can mix and process the included audio tracks together as a single unit, making it easier to apply consistent settings or effects to multiple tracks at once. This can be particularly useful when working with dialogue, music, or sound effects that need to be balanced and processed together.

Pros of using a submix track	Cons of using a submix track
Allows for easier management and control of multiple audio elements.	Can become complex with a large number of tracks or effects.
Enables consistent processing and adjustments across multiple tracks.	Requires careful planning and organization to avoid confusion.

Q&A

What is a submix in DaVinci Resolve?

A submix in DaVinci Resolve is a way to group multiple audio tracks together and apply common audio effects or adjustments to them as a single unit.

How do I create a submix in DaVinci Resolve?

To create a submix in DaVinci Resolve, first select the audio tracks you want to include in the submix. Then, right-click on one of the selected tracks and choose “Create New Bus.” This will create a new submix bus that you can name and assign the selected tracks to.

What are the benefits of using submixes in DaVinci Resolve?

Using submixes in DaVinci Resolve can help streamline your audio workflow. Instead of applying effects or adjustments individually to each track, you can apply them to the submix as a whole. This can save time and make it easier to make global changes to your audio mix.