Bill Evans
FLYING COLORS
Bill Evans - executive producer, engineer, and manager for progressive rock super group Flying Colors - has adopted Halo Upmix (originally published via Digital Cinema Report)
Keeping it musical
Bill Evans, executive producer, engineer, and manager for the number one-charting progressive rock super group Flying Colors, has adopted NUGEN Audio’s new Halo Upmix tool to automate and streamline up-mixing of stereo audio to 5.1/7.1 surround. Most recently, Evans used Halo Upmix to accelerate production of the Blu-ray version of Flying Colors’ latest concert album, 'Second Flight: Live at Z7', from Music Theories Recordings/Mascot Label Group.
"Halo Upmix was a lifesaver on this project because we were able to create a mix that feels exactly like native 5.1 surround."
The Blu-ray release of 'Second Flight: Live at Z7' features a menu option that allows viewers to switch between multiple stereo and surround audio mixes, based on the listener’s location in the venue. To enhance that feature, Evans required the actual menu music to switch from stereo to surround when the user chose the surround option. Equipped with only a stereo mix of the menu music, Evans had a single day to create a surround mix and meet his deadline for delivering the final Blu-ray master to the post-production facility. With Halo Upmix, he was able to up-mix the audio in only two hours.
“Halo Upmix was a lifesaver on this project because we were able to create a mix that feels exactly like native 5.1 surround, and do it with lightning speed,” Evans said. “Clearly, the NUGEN Audio team put a lot of thought into the design of Halo Upmix and it shows in the interface, which gives precisely the type of information an engineer needs to see — no less and no more. I’ve used many Pro Tools plug-ins, and Halo Upmix is one of the most useful, easy, and intuitive.”
"With Halo Upmix, the ability to go back and breathe new life into existing intellectual property — quickly, easily, and predictably — is a significant advantage."
Halo Upmix is the first product based on NUGEN Audio’s proprietary new processes for upmixing stereo audio to 5.1/7.1 surround in television and film productions. Available in Avid AAX, VST, and AU formats, the plug-in automates the creation of a stereo-to-5.1/7.1 down-mix-compatible up-mix with unique center channel management, and spatial density controls.
After experiencing the capabilities of Halo Upmix on the Blu-ray project, Evans is exploring the use of Halo to create up-mixes of the Flying Colors’ entire catalog and also the solo catalogs of individual band members. He is also exploring use of another NUGEN Audio plug-in, Monofilter, to sharpen and define the band’s bass tracks.
“The members of Flying Colors are dedicated to giving their fans new ways to enjoy their music, so we’re all about applying technologies that can improve the fans’ experience. At the same time, we need tools that will help us work as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible given our constant tight deadlines,” Evans added. “NUGEN Audio’s plug-ins are the best I’ve found for meeting all of these requirements. With Halo Upmix, the ability to go back and breathe new life into existing intellectual property — quickly, easily, and predictably — is a significant advantage.”
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