Create in Dolby
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Dolby Atmos Album Assembler
An easy-to-use tool for mastering Dolby Atmos music.
Dolby Atmos Album Assembler
An easy-to-use tool for mastering Dolby Atmos music.
Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision are integrated into workflows across several entertainment verticals
See what Dolby can do for your content.
Learn about our technology
Create
Create
For Music & Podcast
For Music and Podcast
Create in Dolby Atmos
The central element of any Dolby Atmos mixing system is an Atmos compatible renderer. Available as a native integration in your DAW, or via the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
Create in Dolby Atmos
The central element of any Dolby Atmos mixing system is an Atmos compatible renderer. Available as a native integration in your DAW, or via the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
Quality you can control.
Explore our QC tools.
Quality you can control.
Explore our QC tools.
Explore all products for Music & Podcasts
Explore all products for Music & Podcasts
Create
Create
For Film & Television
For Film & Television
2-in-1 solutions
Explore our partner products for both audio and video content.
2-in-1 solutions
Explore our partner products for both audio and video content.
Enhance your Dolby Vision workflow
Explore all products for Film & Television
Explore all products for Film & Television
Creating in Dolby Atmos
The foundation of any Dolby Atmos workflow is a renderer that supports Dolby Atmos content. The renderer receives input from your mix and outputs the Dolby Atmos metadata required to monitor, export, and play your Atmos content.
Solutions that incorporate the Dolby Atmos renderer allow you to mix your audio in Dolby Atmos, then monitor and export that audio for a variety of channel configurations. There are two ways to access our renderer for Dolby Atmos content: (1) as a native integration in your DAW and (2) through our software offering – the Dolby Atmos Renderer – in conjunction with your DAW.
Atmos-Enabled Digital Audio Workstations (DAW)
The first thing you need to have to mix in Atmos is a Dolby Atmos-enabled DAW. There are several DAWs that include integrated rendering and panning – there’s nothing you need from us to start. DAWs that do not include native integration require the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
Some of these DAWs have the required Dolby Atmos panners that can be connected to the Dolby Atmos Renderer. For DAWs that don’t support Dolby Atmos panning, the Dolby Atmos Music Panner plug-in (available for AAX, AU,and VST) can be installed and connected to the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
DAWs with native rendering integration
Atmos-Enabled Digital Audio Workstations (DAW)
The first thing you need to have to mix in Atmos is a Dolby Atmos-enabled DAW. There are several DAWs that include integrated rendering and panning – there’s nothing you need from us to start. DAWs that do not include native integration require the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
Some of these DAWs have the required Dolby Atmos panners that can be connected to the Dolby Atmos Renderer. For DAWs that don’t support Dolby Atmos panning, the Dolby Atmos Music Panner plug-in (available for AAX, AU,and VST) can be installed and connected to the Dolby Atmos Renderer.
DAWs with native rendering integration
Mixing in Atmos
Once you have your Atmos-enabled DAW and/or Dolby Atmos Renderer, you can start mixing in Atmos. In your DAW, you can maneuver up to 128 channels of audio, comprised of “objects” and “beds.” Up to 118 of these channels can be objects that are positioned anywhere in 3-dimensional space. Beds are optional channel-based audio groups that get mapped to physical speaker or headphone layouts (e.g. 5.1 or 7.1.2).
Depending on your DAW and personal work style, you may also consider installing some of Dolby’s add-on tools created to support smoother workflows and user experiences.
Mixing in Atmos
Once you have your Atmos-enabled DAW and/or Dolby Atmos Renderer, you can start mixing in Atmos. In your DAW, you can maneuver up to 128 channels of audio, comprised of “objects” and “beds.” Up to 118 of these channels can be objects that are positioned anywhere in 3-dimensional space. Beds are optional channel-based audio groups that get mapped to physical speaker or headphone layouts (e.g. 5.1 or 7.1.2).
Depending on your DAW and personal work style, you may also consider installing some of Dolby’s add-on tools created to support smoother workflows and user experiences.
Monitoring and Playback
You can mix and monitor your Dolby Atmos audio using multiple channel configurations from binaural or stereo to 9.1.6 to match your room’s speaker configuration, and to emulate consumer listening environments. You can either outfit your personal studio with these surround systems or visit an outfitted facility.
You can also monitor and render through a standard headphone configuration, or through Dolby Atmos Personalized Rendering for headphones. Personalized Rendering refers to the use of a personalized Head Related Transfer Function (PHRTF) generated via the Dolby PHRTF Creator iOS app. With the use of a smartphone camera, the PHRTF is created based on data on your unique physical features to render immersive mixes for your characteristics.
Exporting a Dolby Atmos Mix
When you are ready to export your mix, the Dolby Atmos Renderer can record. Atmos files and then export to ADM BWF (commonly used for encoding by streaming services) or IMF IAB (commonly used for film and TV). If you are using a DAW that supports Dolby Atmos ADM BWF, you can export directly from the DAW.
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Creating in Dolby Vision
Color-grading workflow for TVs and other devices
Creating the Dolby Vision master begins with creating your master HDR grade first, using a color-grading or mastering system with your output color space using the PQ EOTF (SMPTE ST. 2084) transfer function and P3 or Rec 2020 color primaries. In order to see the proper peak brightness levels, deep blacks, and wide color gamut to create an incredible-looking HDR image, Dolby has recommended guidelines which closely follow the EBU Tech 3320 specification for a grade 1 HDR mastering monitor. It should be:
- At least 1,000 nits of peak brightness
- At least a 200,000:1 contrast ratio
- A minimum black level performance of 0.005 nits
- At least 99% of the P3 Color Gamut
Note: Other aspects of the content creation pipeline like VFX creation, packaging, and QC may have less stringent guidelines. For more info about monitors, read this article on our content support web portal.
Dolby Vision analysis
Once the master HDR grade is complete, you simply perform the automatic Dolby Vision analysis to automatically generate the core Dolby Vision metadata: three values for each shot that represent the minimum, average, and maximum luminance levels. This function is integrated into the most popular video color-grading and mastering tools.
You then can see and confirm the Dolby Vision shot-by-shot metadata tone-mapping to SDR Rec. 709 100 nits in real time, through a Content Mapping Unit (CMU for short). This can be either an internal process integrated in the application you’re using (or iCMU), or via an external unit (or eCMU).
Artistic trim controls
When viewing the mapped version through the CMU process, many content creators will want to make adjustments to the metadata on a shot-by-shot basis using (optional) additional "artistic trim controls." This creates an additional level of metadata in a fast and easy way. The combined automatic and artistic trim metadata travels with the HDR image to Dolby Vision TV’s and devices to help best deliver the creative intent of the HDR master by mapping each shot to the capabilities of the consumer device.
Analysis metadata creation is included in many professional video tools at no charge. The artistic trims are available in color-grading systems but require a one-time license purchase from Dolby to activate.
Dolby Vision workflow and tools now also include additional Cinema targets and trims, allowing you to take your HDR master grade for ‘home’ and create great looking versions for standard DCI (SDR) cinema projectors and the Dolby Vision (HDR) laser projection system at the Dolby Cinema.
USA and Canada customers – click here to purchase the license (or get more info) in our online store
‘Rest of World’ customers – please contact us here to start the license purchase process
Mastering and QC workflow for TVs and other devices
Once color grading is complete, you can create all your high-quality deliverables using the HDR master grade and Dolby Vision metadata. You can then export the final grade in the highest image quality – typically a 16-bit TIFF sequence, 12-bit JPEG2000, Pro Res 4444XQ or other uncompressed or lossless image container, and the accompanying Dolby Vision dynamic metadata as an XML file for the deep archive master – and/or export the final grade directly as an IMF package or J2K Mezzanine with interleaved metadata (as a service master).
Archive masters, and/or mezzanines, can then be imported into a Dolby Vision mastering tool to create a mezzanine file (or service master), any deliverables and, if needed, perform any additional editorial functions. This file can also be used to create and deliver all other rendered versions like generic HDR10 and SDR Rec 709.
These tools are also used for QC purposes by decoding the image and metadata to a target display, like a 600-nit HDR monitor. You can also QC the Dolby Vision XML using the Dolby Metafier tool, included with the Dolby Vision Professional Tools - which is a free download on the Dolby Customer portal.
Encoding
Some partner tools allow for Dolby Vision encoding which generates a Dolby Vision HEVC bitstream for remote review and approval or independent distribution. Broadcast quality encoding is usually accomplished by the studio, streaming service, or there are on-premises and or cloud encoding solutions that support Dolby Vision.
Facilities
Dolby Vision facilities are commissioned by Dolby engineers and staff colorists and QC personnel trained by Dolby.
Facilities
Dolby Vision facilities are commissioned by Dolby engineers and staff colorists and QC personnel trained by Dolby.
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