A Question to Sonusman, BlueB, Etc....

A

atomictoyz

New member
Hey Guys, I was playing around with my eq's while playing back in mono and it seemed easier at that moment to get the frequencies where I thought they should be, then switched back to stereo for panning. Am I nuts or do I need a someone to post a dissertation on the importance of checking the mono once in a while for eq problems that are not obvious because of panning?

Thanks in advance,

Dennis
 
You should always check your mixes in mono to look for phase issues (which EQ can be a contributer).
 
I think I covered that in one of my articles on the main page of the site. If not there, then in the "I will finally share some mixing secrets" thread buried back somewhere in this forum.

Yeah, checking in mono is pretty important. I use it as much to check levels as well as eq. Tracks panned hard left and right need far less volume to be very upfront in the mix.

Eddie
 
Thanks guys,

So Im not that crazy afterall. I did go to the main Homerec homepage and looked under your robots, tips and tricks section. Voila, monitoring in mono. Many thanks to the respondents.

Peace,
Dennis
 
Because they are?

Are you talking about 2 tracks that were recorded sperately (but the same part being played)?

Or are you talking about a track that was tracked copied and panned opposit?

Where both tracks done with the same signal path? If not, you might check the phase of your input chain, something is probably amiss.

So many things. I can pan two guitar tracks of the same part together and the sound is thicker and louder usually. I suppose if I play out of time in certain way that I could cause phase cacellation, but that would be pretty tough to keep up the whole time!

Are you sure you are even using the right phrase? Phase cancellation would result in there being a LOT less low end on the guitars when they are panned center. When they are panned hard left and right, you would get a sort of "dizzy" effect when you are in a perfect triangle with your monitors.

Are you having all these effects?

Describe better what the effect you are getting is with two guitar tracks are in the center together, and please explain how they were created (recorded).

Eddie
 
I recorded a guitar part on one track. I then played the same part and recorded on a different track. Same setup, pre, mic, etc. When they are center, some stuff sounds like it's cancelled. When they are hard panned, it sounds smooth as butter. Are they really phase cancelling when in the center?
 
Well, a pretty good chance that a doubled guitar part COULD cause phase cancellation. It would not be over the entire sound.

Think of it as on one track a certain frequency is on the + side and at the same time the same frequency of the other track is on the - side. Phase cancellation of that frequency. Leave them panned out at least a bit or try eq'ing the tracks a bit differently from each other and you may solve the problem well enough. Usually though, this is NOT a problem, but it would appear in your case that it is.

Eddie
 
yes, it's not over the whole spectrum. it sounds like its just in the lows and maybe some of the highs. I'm a huge fan of hard panned doubled guitars (pop punk type music) but I always wondered when it came to rock, the guitars sound less panned and I tried to have both guitars center and it sounded somewhat phase cancelled when they were both at the same volume.
 
Ok, I have a question that I think relates to this phase cancellation biz...

Ed stated...
Phase cancellation would result in there being a LOT less low end on the guitars when they are panned center.
Click to expand...

Could this be a contributing factor to my low end problems in my mixes?
I had originally thought phase cancelling would result in a null value (no sound). Since I never had any cancellation (by my definitio) I never really worried about it. I am gathering it [phase cancellation] effects low end sounds based on your statement.

With that in mind, when I track some instruments (specifically low end stuff like the bass and kick) I set up Sonar for mono, but I am now realizing that I don't do anything else in my setup (both the left and right channels from my drum machine/synth are still plugged in to their respective channels on my mixer (pan pots centered) with the main outs from the mixer going straight into the sound card. Will I get phase cancelling on those tracks by doing this. Is that why it is harder for me to get definition, clarity, punch, on the low end because those frequencies are being cancelled out?

And checking the mixes out in mono - does that many record all my stereo tracks to separate left and right tracks so that I can monitor each track individually? I hope I'm not missing the boat on this one...

Thanks,
Vice
 
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