5,6,7.1 . . . . I'm Surrounded ?!?

[adriaan]

Remember people might actually be listening to the music, not necessarily paying much attention to what's being shown on-screen. Highlighting an instrument by changing the balance might be good for educational purposes, but I don't think it works outside of that scope.
 
Then again, if you're even considering this for instance because you can't make out the solos, then perhaps there's a problem with the mix, and you're looking for more than a cosmetical solution.

[kmh364]

Actually, one of the reasons video with surround works as well as it does...considering the sonic artifacts such as image smearing, soundstage scrambling and coloration due to freq. cancellation/re-inforcement...is due in no small part due to the huge distraction the video is to viewer. Notice I said viewer, not listener. You're not really paying attention to the audio when you are fixated on the video. Surround audio system that serves as more than satisfactory for video sound usage often can fall short for audio only. The audible effects mentioned above can kill the audio-only experience when effects and coloration are not desirable.