Stereo Soundstage Design

Problem: post-production soundstage design often stays conceptual

For audio dramas, audiobooks, and narration, the issue is not only “make it echo,” but specifying where each character sits, what RT60 the room needs, how crowd dialogue layers should be split, and which EQ and Chorus chain belongs to inner monologue. This skill focuses on post-mix parameters rather than pure text-stage creation.

How it works: build a DAW-ready soundstage

• Pan positioning: map roles to DAW Pan -100 to +100 values, such as center for the protagonist, side positions for supporting roles, and wide random positions for background passersby.
• Acoustic spaces: provide RT60, Pre-delay, and recommended reverb presets for small wooden rooms, stone halls, plazas, caves, and outdoor areas.
• Crowd layering: define four crowd tracks for ambient hum, blurred chatter, intelligible keywords, and dramatic lines, with volume, random Pan, and reverb send levels.
• Dynamics techniques: include executable steps for sudden stops, silence, focus narrowing, and inner-OS chains using automation, EQ, Chorus, and routing.
• Reference docs: cover indoor, outdoor, transitions, emotion mapping, DAW presets, and full examples, useful as a parameter checklist before mixing.

Boundaries

The skill is best used after scripts, dialogue, or storyboards exist, when the task is to refine spatial sound and mix parameters. It is not a replacement for earlier-stage writing or casting. The tables can be entered into common DAWs, but final decisions still depend on source audio, listening environment, room calibration, and delivery platform.