Mono or Stereo - advice wanted

[darkwillow]

Hello,

I will try to explain my problem.

I have an instrument here which is equipt with 4 pickups. Offcourse these are mono(4 mono jacks ). I want to record all 4 channels at once in Cubase.

What record method gives the best sound quality? I use an delta 44.

If you would record a mono signal in stereo, would this lead to a bad signal since your splitting one mono signal into 2 stereo signals.

 

[Track Rat]

Recording a mono signal in stereo won't degrade the sound, just waste storage space since it's the same info, stored twice. If you have a mono track and add a duplicate mono track (assuming they're both in phase) will result in about a 3dB increase in volume and that's about all.

 

[darkwillow]

Thank you for your answer.

Is it possible in Cubase to record 2 different mono signals from one stereo plug.

What i would like to do is make 2 mono jacks into one stereo, but i don't know if it is possible to record seperatly in Cubase.

I use a Delta 44

 

[pratt]

"Is it possible in Cubase to record 2 different mono signals from one stereo plug."

first thing, a stereo signal is really just 2 mono signals put together....having said that - the delta 44 has mono inputs, so you can record a stereo signal by routing the L and R channels into 2 of the delta inputs and then set up a channel in Cubase to record a stereo signal from those 2 inputs.

 

[darkwillow]

I didn't know the delta 44 was mono(mine is still underway). This is "in my case"perfect. I can just connect my instrument which is 4x mono jacks.

Thanks for the info

 

[pratt]

sounds like you're set....

just wondering..what kind of instrument do you have that has 4 outs? sounds interesting...

I know that bootsy collins has multiple outs on some of his basses...so he can route the signal in different ways

 

[darkwillow]

Hi,

Kind of an unusual instrument.

An very modern Hurdy Gurdy!!!!

Samples of the instrument can be heard here if your're interested:

http://perso.wanadoo.fr/xaime/vielle/construc/sioratd.html

And photo's

http://luthiers.free.fr/altosiorat.html

Please note, my instrument is not finished yet. They are hand build in France. I'm just preparing. I have a simple one here so i can experiment now, so when it arrives i know how my installation and software works.

This is not a normal model but a special electroacoustic one, with 4 outputs, (for every stringgroup one)

I don't know if know this instrument but it's a drone instrument. You play a melody, there are drone strings, and you create a buzzing rythm with your right hand which also rotates the crank.

So the buzzing you here in the samples is all the same instrument.

 

[jdrockweller]

Maybe I'm just a newb to all this and am missing something, but I always record tracks in stereo - even though it is a mono signal (say, from a single mic source). Essentially the left and right channels are exactly the same on the track. But when I add effects like reverb, the stereo field begins to play a big part. In contrast, when I add reverb to a mono track there is no stereo widening at all. Note that I am not using outboard equipment for the reverb, etc. - it's all done as send effects in Nuendo.

 

[maestro_dmc]

The only way it should matter at all is if the Software processes the tracks differently.

I don't know Nuendo at all, so I couldn't say if it does, but in Cakewalk PA8, it doesn't matter at all.

Also, will someone please explain the basics of Mono/ Stereo here?! I see a lot of confusion on this topic in this thread, and I just don't have the strength for it today.

 

[jdrockweller]

allow me to clarify... I don't "actually" record my tracks in true stereo. Since I only have a single source, then that becomes logically impossible. The "stereo" setting I was referring to is simply the setting for the track which determines the type of wav file that is recorded to the computer.

I'll illustrate why I do my mono recording to a stereo track:

Scenario 1: Say I record a single mic source to a mono track. Then I process that track with a reverb effect. When I listen to that track, it will still be a dead-center-sounding mono track. No effects that I apply will ever widen the sound field.

Scenario 2: Say I record a single mic source to a stereo track (left channel). Next I duplicate the left to the right so that I have two identical channels. Then I process that track with a reverb effect. When I listen to the track, it will have a widened-field-stereo-sounding feel that the first scenario does not have. The simple truth is that the track is still essentially mono, but I am able to make use of the stereo field with it using effects processing.

I agree with you though, Nuendo is nutty beast, and perhaps Cakewalk and others operate differently.

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

The Basics of Mono and Stereo

A mono signal represents a single channel of information, where a single microphone is used to capture a sound source.

A stereo signal represents two channels of information, where 2 mics, placed in a stereo configuration, are used to capture a sound source. The important distinction other than 2 mics is that the placement of the mics captures the sound source slightly differently, resulting in an audio panorama that mimics the width and depth of the original source when the 2 channels are panned apart.

A mono signal has only one component, but if you translate it to 2-channel terms it becomes a L+R signal, where the left channel and right channel are identical.

A stereo signal has 2 components, a L+R component that represents the common elements in each channel; and a L-R component that represents the differences between each channel.

Panning a stereo signal apart results in the appearance of a phantom image in the sound field, giving the illusion of creating a miniature soundstage in front of you.

Panning a stereo signal together collapses the stereo field, and may show phase anomalies if there are phase problems in the original capture of the sound source.

Panning of 2 mono signals will do nothing but change the overall level.

A true stereo signal starts with the capture of a sound source using 2 well-placed mics. Using a stereo effect on a mono track (very common in multitrack recording) doesn't make that a stereo signal - at best it's pseudo-stereo or simply "big mono".

 

[maestro_dmc]

I just knew the Bear would sniff out this debate and chip in!

Scenario 1: Say I record a single mic source to a mono track. Then I process that track with a reverb effect. When I listen to that track, it will still be a dead-center-sounding mono track. No effects that I apply will ever widen the sound field.

Ok, now I see what is happening here. Duh! When you process the single channel wave file with a reverb, you probably need to tell the software that you want to end up with two tracks after the processing. I don't know Nuendo, but I am sure there is a dialog box somewhere that comes up with a check box allowing you to specify the output as Mono, Or Stereo.
When you process a two track file, perhaps the software automatically processes it as stereo.

 

[jdrockweller]

Indeed maestro - the difference, however, is that with Nuendo the processing is done in "real-time" with send-effects. Basically, that way you can adjust effects without permanently changing the original recording. I used the "processing" scenarios to illustrate the point as to why I would use a stereo track even though the source is actually mono; because essentially the send-effects works the same as if you had processed the file. Hence, the 2-channel vs. 1-channel dilemma.

Anyway, darkwillow - I am making an, abeit poor, attempt to provide an example idea to answer your original question about "recording a mono signal in stereo" (which I assume you mean, recording a mono signal to two channels)...and the reason why I, for one, do it. Perhaps your situation is similar and you can use the info, perhaps not. Good luck either way!

Oh yeah, and kudos Bear - that is a well done breakdown with the mono/stereo stuff. Definitely concepts that anyone working with audio should familiarize themselves with.

 

[maestro_dmc]

Indeed maestro - the difference, however, is that with Nuendo the processing is done in "real-time" with send-effects. Basically, that way you can adjust effects without permanently changing the original recording. I used the "processing" scenarios to illustrate the point as to why I would use a stereo track even though the source is actually mono; because essentially the send-effects works the same as if you had processed the file. Hence, the 2-channel vs. 1-channel dilemma.

I still don't understand why you can't have a stereo return on your mono send? Hardware mixers do this.

I can use realtime or processed effects in Cakewalk too, but I still have a "stereo" sounding return!

I think it all relates to how you set up the "output" of the realtime effects?

I just can't imagine that you should have to have two copies of the same mono track to get a "stereo" return. It just doesn't make sense to me!

 

[jdrockweller]

yeah, I hear ya. Maybe I'm missing something. My only excuse is that I'm a male, and males don't read the instruction manuals. It's against our religion. I'll look into it...