Are you curious about the difference between sound editing and mixing? These two professions may seem similar, but they each play a crucial role in creating an enjoyable cinematic experience. Let’s dive into the key differences between the two and how they are closely related.
First up, sound editing. This process happens before the post-production stage of audio mixing. Sound editors are responsible for handling the dialogue, sound effects, ADR, foley effects, and music. They decide what you hear in the movies, but they aren’t concerned with how they should sound. Sound editing requires more than one person, depending on the scale of the project. The lead sound editor is in charge of the sound design for the film, and they assign roles as necessary.
On the other hand, sound mixing is responsible for taking all the individual tracks and mixing them to be balanced. The mixing process can be tedious, but all the little tweaks made benefit the overall sound picture. The sound mixer has complete control over all the sounds and puts them spatially within a scene. They also consider the placement of instruments within a space to create more depth. Without doing this, everything can sound flat.
While the two roles do share many qualities, the overall difference is that the sound editors find the sound sources, and the sound mixers “mix” them all together. So, what movies have captured your ears with their mesmerizing sound world? For more on audio, check out the links below.