Mono or Stereo tracks?

T

timvdwest

New member
Hey everybody.

I was just wondering what the difference is when recording your separate tracks in mono or stereo.

I mean, your input is normally always mono (mic, bass, etc.), but I've noticed a few engineers recording most of the tracks in stereo.

Is it mainly for compatibility with plugins that might only work with a stereo track or is there actually a difference in sound?

I record all my tracks mono, but thats maybe 'cause all my plugins will still process a mono track to stereo. It save me a lot of hard drive space too.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
Where have you seen an engineer recording in stereo? Just curious...


As far as the stereo vs. mono thing, certain instruments, like the acoustic guitar sound great recorded in stereo. This is normally done with two mics, pointing at different spots on the guitar. I don't know of anyone (and I am sure they are there) who uses a stereo mic for that purpose.

I use a drum machine to record my scratch tracks, and have a drummer record the tracks for me later. I used to just have them send me the mixed stereo tracks to mix into my song because I didn't know how to mix drums. Now I prefer the unmixed tracks because I am after a certain sound that I can't get with a stereo track.
 
There is no reason to track in stereo unless one is recording an actual stereo source such as a 2-mic setup, a stereo direct source such as a stereo keyboard , or is routing the track through a stereo effect such as stereo reverb or chorus before recording.

If it's a mono source such as a direct bass or a single mic setup like a single mic on a git amp or a single vocal mic, there is no advantage whatsoever to recording the track in stereo; in fact in some DAWs that just takes away your pan flexibility later in mixing.

G.
 
Even on 'stereo sources (kits', ac guitar) I run dual mono -more control options on panning, relative level ect.
 
mixsit said:
Even on 'stereo sources (kits', ac guitar) I run dual mono -more control options on panning, relative level ect.
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+1. Me too. Stereo recording to me just means recording two separate mono tracks--that way I can pan 'em, switch sides, do all sorts of tweaking to them individually.
 
Sometimes I record electric guitar in stereo, mainly fairly clean with a stereo chorus effect, creates a cool swirling in the stereo field. Otherwise I'll double track it.
 
NYMorningstar said:
I'll take the alternate view here but deter the argument to Barry who covers the subject all so well: http://www.barrydiamentaudio.com/recording1.htm
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Unless I'm missing a point, I'm not seeing where he's saying anything different, Star.

Yes, he is making the argument for stereo miking an otherwise mono source, and to record everything with stereo pickups, even if it is physically a mono source. The use of a stereo pair of mics by definition makes that a stereo source which is best recorded in stereo. No disagreement there. Record stereo as stereo.

But in cases where it is electrically a mono source, as in a single microphone, tracking that to a stereo file has no benefit.

G.
 
NYMorningstar said:
Your not missing anything nor do I disagree with what you said. It just seemed the consensus was not to record in stereo and I'm all for it when possible especially when it's in a good sounding room.
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Agreed.

I guess it comes down to an interpretation of the OP question. I think most of us interpreted it as the question regarding whether to record a discrete input to a stereo file or a mono file; in which case even your boy would agree on mono.

If the question, however, is whether to actually capture a stereo image or not - which is what your boy is talking about, and which is a different question altogether - there the answer is much more open.

G.
 
NYMorningstar said:
Your not missing anything nor do I disagree with what you said. It just seemed the consensus was not to record in stereo and I'm all for it when possible especially when it's in a good sounding room.
Click to expand...

No I record in stereo all the time--as in two mics on the source. Guitars, drums, pianos, castinettes (not really), you name it. But I don't send the two mics to a single stereo track. I send 'em to two mono tracks. Just more options & easier to work with.
 
Well, 2 mics does not necessarily mean stereo, either. For example, if you record a git cab with two mics in a non-stereo setup - e.g. two close mics, one straight on the voice coil, one angled in from the surround, or one close miked and one distance miked - you almost definitely would want to send them to mono tracks. There is no stereo image being captured, it's just two different mono captures of a mono source.

What that guy that Star is linking to is talking about as actually setting up a stereo image capture - in his case with a modified Jecklin disc setup, but it could just as easily be an ORTF, XY or other setup intended on specifically capturing a farfield stereo image of the cabinet within a room. In such a case, usually (but, granted, not always) the idea is to treat the stereo image as a single unit.

G.
 
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