Audio Matrix (Outputs)

So far we’ve only used the Master fader in the Audio Levels tab of the inspector. Hopefully you’ve seen all the other faders, gizmos, and doodads nearby. Talking through them, the best place to start is the Audio Matrix, which is the grid of inputs and outputs here.

Across the top we have faders that represent the individual outputs of the audio device. If you’re using your built-in output with a set of headphones, it makes sense that you would have two outputs here. Number one for left, number two for right.

Some audio devices have more than two outputs to accommodate something like a 5.1 surround sound system. Here we have 6 individual outputs that I’ve even labeled, Left, Right, Center, Sub, Rear Left, Rear Right.

If we’re continuing down this road, it’s easy to imagine a system such as this with a 5.1 surround sound system, plus maybe a piano special, stage monitors, lobby speakers, more. QLab with a free license gives you only two outputs. However, a pro audio license can provide up to 64 individual outputs. Imagine what you can do!

Taking then our two channel system, left and right, I could play a sound effect in just the left ear by taking down the right fader. I could switch by taking down the left one and bringing up the right. Or I could put less volume in one in comparison to the other.

In a larger system this would allow you to finesse the amount of audio going to individual speakers or even allow you to send a sound to only one speaker at a time! For like a special.

Finally, going back to the fader we’ve been using throughout this course, the master fader controls all the others. It can raise or lower the volume of all the other channels in proportion to how you have the individual outputs set.