missing a channel

[chizzle]

when i'm recording my vocals for some reason I'm getting one sided audio instead of two channels. why isn't my mic feed stereo? any ideas.
What I have been doing is converting the file to mono, this is how I work around it. . . cause I can't figure it out!

[MadAudio]

What soundcard, what software, what mic, how's it connected? I can't see your computer from here!

[thajeremy]

Originally Posted by MadAudio

What soundcard, what software, what mic, how's it connected? I can't see your computer from here!

yea....what he said...

[Strryder]

A single microphone is a mono device, as are most electric basses and guitars.

While it is possible to use either a "Y" cable, or sometimes a software setting to record a single mono source onto both sides of a stereo track, the most common method of recording a mono source is on a mono track, instead of two "sides", the track will only have a single waveform in the middle, on playback the mono sound can then be shfted to the left or right by using the pan control.

[chizzle]

okay....emachine (can't remember - 2825 I think, I'll check when I'm home)
512/120.......cool edit.........with the lexicon omega desktop package....marshall 990 mic

[thajeremy]

go to your multitrack view of cool edit. to the left of each track, you should see things like the record button (red and has an R in it), solo button (yellow with an S) and a mute button (green with an M). Below those buttons, there should be an IN and OUT button. click the in button and your input devices options should come up. Yours is probably set to record in stereo. change that to either right or left depending on what side you are getting your signal recorded to. This will cause it to record in mono and you will just get one wav down the middle of the track and you can then use panning to get your stereo effect with the other tracks.

[chrisharris]

yeah, what he said. And just to punctuate the point a bit, all you're doing if you're recording that mic in stereo is wasting hard drive space. Even if you record in "stereo," all it'll do is take the exact same signal and put it on the left and the right...which is mono.

[Change of POETS]

Originally Posted by chrisharris

yeah, what he said. And just to punctuate the point a bit, all you're doing if you're recording that mic in stereo is wasting hard drive space. Even if you record in "stereo," all it'll do is take the exact same signal and put it on the left and the right...which is mono.

Exactly. Unless you're using a dual mic setup on dual channels, you're not recording in stereo...

So many people confuse that... I know when I was a newbie, I did.

[chizzle]

Thanks to all of you
just now getting back to the site haven't gotten back home yet to tweak and adjust....but I also noticed I've really got to do some adjusting . . . cause all sources last i checked yielded the exact same results....CD player, drum machine, sampler - clearly I'm doing something really stupid that I'm overlooking...will keep all posted.

[rapedbyape]

I used to record everything in stereo when I first started out going from a mixer into the line-in of a a soundcard. It seems kind of stupid now but I didn't realise that at the time.

[Change of POETS]

Originally Posted by rapedbyape

I used to record everything in stereo when I first started out going from a mixer into the line-in of a a soundcard. It seems kind of stupid now but I didn't realise that at the time.

More confusion.

Originally Posted by Change of POETS

Unless you're using a dual mic setup on dual channels, you're not recording in stereo...

So many people confuse that... I know when I was a newbie, I did.

[rapedbyape]

Ah, you know what I mean. I used to record everything from a mono source as a stereo signal.

[dobro]

Okay, illuminate me.

I can see how recording a mono source in stereo is a giant waste of time.

But when would you record in stereo, then? If you're putting two mics on an instrument (I do that with guitar), wouldn't you route each mic to its own mono track? That's what I do. So, what's the point of recording in stereo?

[Change of POETS]

Originally Posted by rapedbyape

Ah, you know what I mean. I used to record everything from a mono source as a stereo signal.

I still do that, and I honestly don't see why I wouldn't...

It gives a more full sound than a mono track panned center, IMO. Or I just like seeing the pretty waveforms on both sides of the form... I'm not sure...lol..

[Change of POETS]

Originally Posted by dobro

Okay, illuminate me.

I can see how recording a mono source in stereo is a giant waste of time.

But when would you record in stereo, then? If you're putting two mics on an instrument (I do that with guitar), wouldn't you route each mic to its own mono track? That's what I do. So, what's the point of recording in stereo?

Well, it's good for instrumentation like you stated, as you don't have a need to layer guitars etc, with multiple takes. It's nice in that aspect.

Vocally, there isn't much need for it at all, unless running the seperate signals through different processors or effects racks for a different layered sound. I know Celine Dion has done this quite a bit, as well as Cher, and Madonna. It's easier on the Engineer and the artist, reducing studio time needed and amount of takes.

As for home studio applications, I don't see a vocal need for it, but I only record Hip-Hop and some adult contemporary groups...