Assigning Events to Sub Mixes and Sub Mixes to VCAs

FMOD Studio
1

Hi Everyone,

I’m getting my session set up for the first time and want to be able to set up a signal path that’s audio event --> Defined Group (ex: Dialogue, Ambi, SX) --> Master Track

I’m unfamiliar with all the steps to do this in FMod Studio.

I’ve successfully added Groups and VCA’s in the Mixer widow, but when I right click on a Group to add it to a VCA no drop down list with my VCA’s show up.

Same problem when Right clicking on an Event to try and add it to a Group…

Help?

Thanks,
Kristi

2

Open up the routing window in he “Mixer” view. You can press Control+2

When that window is open, you’ll see all of your channel groupings to the left under routing. Just simply drag any events that aren’t in their right spots into the appropriate group.

Also, make sure you assign your events to the appropriate Bank, bu right clicking the event and assigning. Then in the mixer window, you’ll have to manually drag the events into the group you want.

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3

Thanks JB. I tried this and launched the game in live edit mode, I tweak the Sub Group fader and the volume isn’t effected. Any thoughts?

4

Thanks JB, that makes sense.

Just so I understand the typical routing:

Audio Event -->X Group --> X VCA --> Master Bus correct?

I just wanna control the volume of a Group of Sounds ( ex: SFX or Dialogue) before it all hits the Master Output.

Also totally unrelated to Mixer routing, but How do I ensure that an Ambiance has been set to “loop” in game? When I audition the file that’s meant to loop in the Audio Track view, it just cuts off at the end of the file instead of looping.

In the “deck” of the file I have the “Looping sound” icon on the top right selected.

Thanks!
Kristi

5

A bus assigned to a VCA doesn’t actually route into the VCA; It’s just controlled by the VCA. VCAs aren’t necessary in most FMOD Studio projects, since group bus volumes can be adjusted via code without them (See https://www.fmod.org/docs/content/generated/FMOD_ChannelGroup_SetVolume.html).

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6

To make an ambience loop without the event ending, you just need to make sure the playback position doesn’t leave the sound module’s trigger region. The easiest way to do this is to add a loop region to your event: In the event editor window, select the event so that it appears in the editor, then right-click on the trigger region to open the context menu and select the ‘New Loop Region’ menu item.

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7

Thanks Joseph!

8

Ah. I think you may want to try relying BUS groups instead of VCA’s. Is there any reason that you’re wanting to use VCA?

Based off of your description, it seems like it’s a unnecessary step. If you want to control multiple groups of of sounds you can just use the Bus groups. Here are two ways you could do this…

I suggest using Bus groups because they integrate with the API code just fine. From my experience using Unreal and other proprietary engines, BUS groups are easy to manipulate.
For example: Assign all of your dialogue to the dialogue bus channel, all of your SFX to SFX Bus Channel - Then if you want to lower the volume of these, just say in code, lower volume Bus SFX and Dialogue Bus Channels. This should get you the same results as what you’re trying to do with the VCA channel.

So Event --> Assign to Bank --> Mixer Window --> Create Group --> Move Events Into Group

That should be it. If you must use VCAs, just simply do exactly what I listed above then right click the Group Channels in the mixer window and go “Assign to VCA.” Now, your VCA should control any Buss groups that are assigned to it.

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