Total Noob question about having 2 monitors.

[burnisgood]

I'm doing it in here because I'm sacred of the noobiness of it!!

But can someone explain why it is pretty much a must to have to have 2 monitors for audio recodring/mixing.

Thanks.

 

[Dani Pace]

If you do everything in mono you only need one, however if you have any plans to mix to stereo you will definately need two. For recording one track at a time one will suffice but when you get to the mixing phase two is the only way to hear how it will sound. Even portable CD players (boom boxes) are designed to play stereo so your mixes need to be in stereo.

mono=1
stereo=2

 

[bcains]

what dani said above.
Or do you mean two sets of monitors (4 singles)?

 

[Sal4001]

You want to have 2 monitors because you are not going to pan everything straight down the middle, and you're going to want to hear what you have panned where you have it. When mixing a drum kit, you'll pan the hi-hat to the left, and spread the toms across the mixing spectrum. If you have 2 guitarists, you may pan one slightly left, and one slightly right. You can't gauge where they're panned with only one speaker. You need 2 monitors to hear what is sitting where in your mix. That's why there are 2 earpieces in headphones-1 for each ear.

 

[reshp1]

Are we talking monitors or computer screens?

 

[burnisgood]

I'm so sorry people. I meant computer screens!!

I'm not that noob!!!

 

[Stu_Hig]

I think you could probably get by with one. But I ain't no expert so don't listen to me!

 

[reshp1]

Lol, I had a feeling that was the case. I don't know that it's really that necessary. Certainly nicer. A lot of DAW's will have a mixer window and a waveform edit window, so it's nice to be able to show bothe at the same time. Plus the extra room to put plug in windows out of the way without having to minimize and maximize them every time you need to make an adjustment is nice.

 

[shiatzu]

if you're doing everything "in the box" then yes, i'll agree that 2 monitors would be more convenient. i'm about to add a second, in fact. the project/track window being the primary with the mixer and effect/vst plugin panels on the secondary.

 

[Dani Pace]

Laughing at myself...we have got to figure out a way to distinguish when we are talking about "monitor" speakers or "monitor" computer screens. At least it's all cleared up so we all know why we need two of each.

 

[Erockrazor]

I would refer to them as studio monitors. But you still dont know which one im talking about...

Well I have two monitors set up for video editing. The two monitors essentially serve for twice as much workspace. It's alot easier to work with much more space. I even keep my resolution especially high for mor workspace. It is a priority for me to have plenty of workspace. Maybe you dont want/need it but I feel that its nice to have. Right now I only have one hooked up because I dont feel that its necessary for casual use. I just have the video card that supports it and an old monitor , so I have some options... FINAL ANSWER : I think it just provides efficient workspace.

 

[thane1200]

I also have two CRT computer screens. I love the additional workspace; I'm adding a video editing monitor as well when funds permit.