The MS process

[kevinfellows85]

Ive probably missed something down the line, and it probably is quite easily explained. I came across this MS process button in one of my vst effect plugins, hit the button in and wow!... it all became clean and punchy! What is this ms process, does it have something to do with phasing?

there is a picture attached

[kraley]

a 'middle/side mic technique' simulator.

[kevinfellows85]

Oh yes! MS! ima dumbass.
any idea how it works though? the vst? it must use some kind of method to get it sounding like that?

[Atterion]

Here is an article explaining the basic layout of a M/S routing. http://www.professional-sound.com/sound/spr195.htm

Here is another really good M/S encoder/decoder http://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/

M/S is a good option to utilize as you minimize any Phase problems related to traditional stereo micing, and can control the overall width of the image while keeping all the center channel information strong and punchy.

Try using your ToolsOne on a duplicate of your bass tracks with the most of the bottom shelved out. Your bass track will breathe with new life.

Try encoding stereo tracks to M/S and adding FX to the individual channels and then decoding back to stereo. You'll end up with odd FX placements that are often more subtle than trying to with stereo material, and might have taken hours more to create using panning moves, volume changes etc.

[Phildo]

Cool. We only found that little gizmo ourselves last week - just doing that "flicking through the plugins at random" thing. Realised it must have been some sort of M/S gubbins, but just clicked away and all of a sudden the vocals leapt out of the mix.

Not entirely sure why a M/S whatnot should have such a marked effect on a mono source, though...

...any of you clever types wanna try & explain to this here thicko?

[PapillonIrl]

Originally Posted by Phildo

Cool. We only found that little gizmo ourselves last week - just doing that "flicking through the plugins at random" thing. Realised it must have been some sort of M/S gubbins, but just clicked away and all of a sudden the vocals leapt out of the mix.

Not entirely sure why a M/S whatnot should have such a marked effect on a mono source, though...

...any of you clever types wanna try & explain to this here thicko?

It shouldn't have that effect...An M/S decoder need two sources to work, I don't know how an M/S simulator could work with one mono source...

Does it have the same effect when you listen in mono ?

[Phildo]

Hmmm...haven't tried that. Will check it tonight and report back.