How to Create a Polywav/Multichannel Audio File with ANY Number of Channels

Mono, stereo, 5.1, 7.1, 3 channel, 16 channel? All of these formats are still used today, and sometimes you might need to create an audio file that contains a specific number of stems/splits. In this livestream I'll show you how to use Audition to create audio files with any number of channels and even add channel labels.

[Keybkeybkeyb]

Really helpful! The only article/video I could find that actually shows how to create a multichannel Wav!

[factotumindustries]

Thanks a lot! I needed to create a 15 channel BWF for an audio sculpture and this stream really helped!

[jas_bataille]

The Cloud Jesus have spoken!!! I need Audition, if not only for this, then this will be the main reason :)

[PanAthen]

Very nice video Jason, thank you!

I wanted to add that apart from Audition being an awesome audio editing application, you can save time if you choose the best tool for each case.

For example channel conversions, separations, fusions, can be made easily and fast using the free SOX command line utility. Have in mind that SOX generally strips your audio from its metadata, so it would be better (if you use metadata in your audio pipeline) to add them on a later stage. SOX can also be used with a batch file, automating your channel conversion processes.

I don't mean to impose on your excellent video, I just want to inform anybody interested that some processes can be made faster.

[PanAthen]

At 25:38 more clarification is needed as this is a common misconception for those that are not initiated to immersive audio. To create ambisonic encoded files you need to use an ambisonics encoder. The ambisonics format is not a discrete channel format, so while you can use Audition to create the file that holds in all 4 channels that first order ambisonics need to work, if you just take your files and put them into an ambisonics file, it will not work.

You can use the free encoders from IEM or SPARTA, or the excellent tools from Blue Ripple Sound. Audiiton is not so good as Reaper for the advanced audio routing that such workflows need, but for simple tasks, with little reading you can do magic in Audition or Audition <--> Premiere.

[MykeHawke-rr]

Cue creepy smile, yet informative information

[stealthassassins]

Is there a way to export 64 tracks to 64 channels in OGG format? I can't seem to figure out how to do this anywhere. i can't let alone figure out how to generate 64 channels. No DAW i've used gives me the option to export 64 tracks to 64 channels.

[amiashanley]

Thanks so much for your video, Jason.

I had a question on this topic – is it possible to send multiple mono files to individual tracks? For example can I send three separate mono files to Channel 1, so that when exporting all three files will render to track 1 of 8 within the interleaved file (similarly to how one might route multiple files to a bus). Thanks!

[OmnionAmbients]

Hi, An Ableton user here crippled by the fact that it doesn't do polywav. I need to set a single channel from my Zoom F6 polywav recording to 'side' (mid/side), should i really split up my current poly to mono tracks, convert the one track to stereo, invert one channel and then paste everything back to a blank file? this seems quite the undertaking for such a simple thing? Also, why cant we add a track line after the fact that you created an 'audio file'? Thanks

[tanthai]

Jason, Can we switch channel(choose which one play and which one don't) once it is played on a media player ea. vcl player?

[paolopiaser_SystemsComposer]

Jason, this entire process is ridiculous, slow and plain annoying, or am I missing something here ? Exporting multichannel files should be easy and fast. Audacity is free and has a simple and fast way to do them. I would love to see such feature in Audition, which I was going to choose for the incredible performance in sample rate conversion, now I will look elsewhere.