Stereo track vs mono track

[Saffire]

Hi All...

Can anyone in the know explain what the essential difference is between stereo and mono tracks? I'm confused about the idea of a stereo track as opposed to two mono tracks; for example, recording a guitar onto a stereo track with identical signals vs duplicating that same signal in two mono tracks. Is there some advantage of a stereo track?..for example, can something be done with them that cannot be done with a mono or two mono tracks?

Thanks in advance..

 

[Bobbsy]

Use a stereo track when you have a true stereo signal: for example, two mics at once on an acoustic guitar or piano...or maybe a stereo line out from an electric piano.

Putting identical signals in the two sides of a stereo track accomplishes nothing other than doubling your disk storage space.

(A bit of background here. True stereo is when you have two versions of the same sound source done with two microphones. The minor phase differences between the two give the illusion of space/direction when played back via two speakers. Two identical tracks with no phase differences are still mono.)

The only thing I can think of that could require a mock-stereo source might be a few effects units or plugins that are stereo and want two inputs--but unless you have something that works this way, there's no gain at all from not just using mono.

 

[Saffire]

Use a stereo track when you have a true stereo signal: for example, two mics at once on an acoustic guitar or piano...or maybe a stereo line out from an electric piano.

Putting identical signals in the two sides of a stereo track accomplishes nothing other than doubling your disk storage space.

(A bit of background here. True stereo is when you have two versions of the same sound source done with two microphones. The minor phase differences between the two give the illusion of space/direction when played back via two speakers. Two identical tracks with no phase differences are still mono.)

The only thing I can think of that could require a mock-stereo source might be a few effects units or plugins that are stereo and want two inputs--but unless you have something that works this way, there's no gain at all from not just using mono.

First off, thanks for the above explanation; I have a few more questions..

- What is the advantage of using a stereo track in such cases as opposed to using two mono tracks to record the individual mics? I understand that the stereo track would neatly include both inputs into the one track..but can you then manipulate each like you could with the two individual mono tracks? Am I reading too much into it I wonder..

What I am really needing to know.."is there anything that one can do with a stereo track that could not be done with two mono tracks"?..

- Regarding phase.. If two mics were captured resulting in phase differences..is that something that should be corrected or it's OK as long as they're panned in the stereo spectrum/panorama?

 

[roffli]

"is there anything that one can do with a stereo track that could not be done with two mono tracks"?..

yes. Number of audio processors need a stereo input so 2 mono tracks won't do it. Also, even a processor that can work either in mono or stereo, might work differently in either cases. Compressing a stereo track for instance.

- Regarding phase.. If two mics were captured resulting in phase differences..is that something that should be corrected or it's OK as long as they're panned in the stereo spectrum/panorama?

The answer here can't be reduced to yes or no. Google "ORTF, XY, MS stereo techniques". After a few hours of reading, you should have your questions answered.

... and more questions too !

 

[Bobbsy]

- What is the advantage of using a stereo track in such cases as opposed to using two mono tracks to record the individual mics? I understand that the stereo track would neatly include both inputs into the one track..but can you then manipulate each like you could with the two individual mono tracks? Am I reading too much into it I wonder..

What I am really needing to know.."is there anything that one can do with a stereo track that could not be done with two mono tracks"?..

It depends what you want to do with it. Two mono tracks, one panned right and the other left, gives you exactly the same information as a single stereo track. However, with a stereo track you can apply effects etc. and know that both sides will be processed exactly the same way. On the other hand if, for whatever reason, you WANT to do different things to each side, it's easier with two mono tracks. Most DAWs give you the facility to combine two mono tracks into a single stereo or else do the reverse and convert a stereo to two mono. I've been known to use either/both processes depending on what I want to do.

- Regarding phase.. If two mics were captured resulting in phase differences..is that something that should be corrected or it's OK as long as they're panned in the stereo spectrum/panorama?

As Roffli says, there's not a yes/no answer. There are specific miking techniques like X-Y or ORTF that give you the necessary phase differences for stereo information without messing up your sound. Every time you listen to a stereo track, it's these phase differences that let you visualise the sound stage and "hear" instruments in a specific left to right position--so you certainly don't want to correct this. However, badly placed mics can result in comb filtering and cancellation that can sound ugly indeed. There are whole books written on this so I won't try to go into detail here. Besides the Googling already suggested on mic techniques, also have a look for Alan Blumlein--he was the guy who invented stereo.

yes. Number of audio processors need a stereo input so 2 mono tracks won't do it. Also, even a processor that can work either in mono or stereo, might work differently in either cases. Compressing a stereo track for instance.

Well, being pedantic, if you can feed those two mono tracks panned left and right into the effect unit inputs, that would work as stereo. Of course they have to be a proper stereo recording placed in two tracks--two identical mono tracks wouldn't do it.

 

[Saffire]

Appreciate the input..the stereo track vs mono particularly helped. Thanks to both of you.