Curious about stereo mixing techniques

[jake-owa]

I'm just wondering, do you:
A: mix in mono and then place things in the stereo feild appropriately
B: Place stuff in stereo feild and then mix accordingly

I know that you will have to take your DAW or mixer's pan law into consideration while moving stuff into the stereo feild (if you chose A) but generally speking which comes first?

I am a B person but I wonder if I might have my priorities totally screwed.

 

[chessrock]

I think I kinda' do both at the same time.

 

[grinder]

I usually have an idea of where I want things to be before hand and pan first since that's what I'm mixing towards.

 

[jake-owa]

I think I kinda' do both at the same time.

I guess I do too. I was just wondering what is usually your priority.

 

[Gidge]

i start mixing with things panned, but every now and again i check it in mono to see where i stand there......but my mixes suck......

 

[Scott Mellish]

I mix in mono first, get the levels right, the do my panning, then i re-evaluate my levels. To me getting a decent sounding mono mix is just as important as getting it right in stereo...
Scott

 

[Chibi Nappa]

I mix in stereo from the start, and periodically check my progress in mono. I do this for 2 reasons:

1. I have somewhat of a mix layout in my head even while tracking and overdubbing. I even make recording decisions (at least as far as what gets double tracked) according to that mental panning image.

2. I listen to stereo referance CDs before mixing, so the "standard" I have set in my head is in stereo.

 

[TexRoadkill]

I usually have an idea where the tracks are going to go when I record them. So when it comes time to mix I just pan them where I planned and go from there.

I used to prefer a more mono mix but with all the new surround systems it really fucks things up. Have you listened to a mono mix through a surround decoder? Everything comes out the center speaker, lol.

 

[MaxB]

Random Stereo placement...
I let the synth/sampler/effect processor to deceide

 

[CoolCat]

mixing

first I mix in mono, i have a mono select option, which i use for the volume check, so i place the tracks pans where i want them but engage the Mono botton to set volumes.

i read this mono volume mix idea in a george martin book, and it worked surprisingly well for mixing & track volumes...don't ask me why.
so now when I play a store bought pro cd, i always check the MONO versus STEREO sound, and usually there is a hardly any difference, stereo is wider sounding,but the volume doesnt change significantly...i found this very interesting.

 

[glynb]

Interesting indeed...

The other day I was listening to The Beatles' track 'Birthday'. I listened in mono for reasons which I won't go into and the vocals seemed too quiet. I then realised and changed to stereo, vocals sounded fine. They were split left and right between Lennon and McCartney - for those interested.

I have read/heard before that you should mono all of your mixes before the final cut just to check the balance and the results can often be surprising.

To come to the quaetion, bearing in moind what I said above, I would not liek to mix in mono and then start to pan because you may find volume lelvels for certain instruments or even the EQ doesn't sound right FOR THE OVERALL MIX once it is stereo'd. They are different jobs, mono mixing and stereo mixing, as witnessed by what happened to some of the The Beatles' recordings (originaly in mono)!

I do both a I go along. I eq the instrument for the whole mix to try to find a place where it suits nicely in the mix and also consider the stereo field and where it can go without masking another instrument(s). I've even put the kick drum very slightly left and bass guitar slightly right in order to separate them, though according to some they should both be straight down the middle.

If you are getting great end results that's all that matters.

 

[fenix]

Will someone tell me the point of "checking the mix in mono"? I've never done this. I never intend to check my mix in mono. What the hell could I get out of checking my mix in mono that I can't in stereo? I know you'll say phasing issues, but people don't listen to cds in mono. There's all this dolby 5.1 hype and you guys are still "checking mixes in mono" like it's 1970 and someone is going to take your mix and put it on an 8 track cartridge and listen to it in their 1976 trans am.

I've listened to music for over 20 years. Only a couple times have I listened to music on a mono system.

Someone shed some light here.

 

[badgas]

I'm not manogamous. ( hope I spelled it right )
I do both. Depends on what sound I'm aiming for really.

 

[glynb]

Fenix...

Firstly, I don't mix in mono, or check my mixes in mono, so that's where i come from.

However, I think some people may do as it may help to highlight issues with the mix that aren't all that apparent in stereo, maybe. That's the only reason I could see for it anyway.

I could be that there's something wrong with a mix, you're not sure exactly what, but by listening in mono it suddenly becomes apparent?

If you never listen to the mixes in mono, then just try it for once and hear the difference, it can be quite striking - things 'disappear'!

 

[MaxB]

someone is going to take your mix and put it on an 8 track cartridge and listen to it in their 1976 trans am.

No, but if you are lucky enough people will listen your music in their televisions, that in most cases had only one speaker (mono).
You need to check your mixes in mono. If your mix sounds wrong in mono then your mix sucks.

Try to listen to your mixes through your tv speaker.
Then listen MTV.

 

[christiaan]

Not to mention my radio/alarm clock.

 

[glynb]

Also...

...my old transistor radio in the garage.

 

[MaxB]

What about...

Mickey mouse Walkie Talkie?

Well, just keep on mixing in stereo, dolby surround, thx...