Using a stereo imager while mixing

  • Thread starter Thread starter MatthewH
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MatthewH

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Im currently mixing a bands EP, its fairly heavy, big riffs but it still has vocal driven choruses.

When im putting this all together i love cutting down the 'center' guitar signal (tracked in stereo) leaving more L&R which makes masses of room for the vocals and it makes the guitars surround you.
BUT
when checking in mono this means my guitar level is way way low (because I've taken the 'center' out)
Im assuming this band will send this off to radio stations and it may even be played on PA systems so i think i have to remedy this
What alternative are there to make the guitar sound like it pushed to the edges, but not have it affect the mono signal?

Thanks
 
If the guitars are already panned all the way wide, the only thing you could do is use eq to get the guitar out of the way of the vocals. Or, simply turn the vocals up.

Using a widener just makes things sound weak and transparent. It's nifty for a bit, but it gets very fatiguing to listen to after a while.
 
Use EQ to sit the vocals, first and foremost. Use compression to keep levels in check and allow the vocals to ride above the guitars without getting unruly. Use volume automation to drop guitars down during verses. Stereo widening isn't going to help you sit things in the mix.
 
I'd highly recommend starting the mix in mono... If you can get everything into its own sonic space in mono, panning everything out doesn't screw with mono compatibility and MS processing (such as radio transmission). You'll probably find that you don't need any imaging treatment.
 
MatthewH said:
What alternative are there to make the guitar sound like it pushed to the edges, but not have it affect the mono signal?
Click to expand...

The best stereo-izer plug out there is the bx_stereomaker from Brainworx/Plugin Alliance:

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/plugins/detail/bx_stereomaker.html

It does a fantastic mono-to-stereo conversion, with lots of options for width/tilt/EQ....but what makes it unique from other stereo-izers is that it is 100% mono compatible. So it will NOT lose its punch if the mix is heard in mono.

That said...what I also like to do when I need both guitar and vocal at center stage....is to pan each just a notch or two off-center....or just the guitar and leave the vocal dead center. That little bit of sepration sometimes does the trick when both are happening at the same time.
 
miroslav said:
That said...what I also like to do when I need both guitar and vocal at center stage....is to pan each just a notch or two off-center....or just the guitar and leave the vocal dead center. That little bit of sepration sometimes does the trick when both are happening at the same time.
Click to expand...


I'll often put the lead guitar at 5% to one side - just enough to separate it, but it still sounds centered.
 
i have found that stereo imagers will clownphuck your sound faster than anything else.

again, depends on the situation, and your talent/decision making with it,
but i would stay away from it unless you just need it to save a track or something
 
Try the bx_stereomaker :)

Of course....you can't hit up every track with a stereo imager. It works best when you have nice contrast between tracks....same thing with wet/dry tracks.
I've only used it on a couple of tracks each in a couple of different mixes....and only then, because I didn't originally record them in stereo. So it was it was a spur of the moment decision made during mixing...otherwise if I know I want some tracks in stereo, I'll just record actual stereo tracks from the start.
 
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