Multichannel Q for mastering engineer

Steve,
Let's say you're going to make a surround sound mix from a stereo master. How will you get ambience for the rear speakers? What will your center channel be like?

 

Wrong question. A more accurate query would be whether the sound engineer would make the 5.1 mix of tracks such that the down-converted bi-channel version would sound similar to the original stereo version. One should never up-convert. The result is artificial.

Also, the center-channel should always be dedicated to the lead vocals, IMHO.

 

I still say most of it can be easily done by keeping each instrument track on separate channels. Rarely do much more than 4 instruments & one lead vocal play on an album. As such, I don't believe a majority of audiophiles would have no problem with less F'n processing. I think we can all agree on getting as close to the source as possible.

 

Mart,
If you're saying, for example, assign lead guitar to one channel, piano to another, drums to another, and so on, with no mix--that would never work.

 

Why would being in the center of a jam session comprised of impeccable air & imagry where the notes congeal into the art of music not be a good thing. There's nothing like the relaxing natural beauty of rear channel intruments.

What is a real waste of potential is when some well meaning guy dismissing their existance for abience. Then, you're still stuck with the uncomforably tiny front stage. This MAY work for classical stuff where there are more instruments than tracks, but I'd hope the mikes would move the stage to the conductor's podium.