When Keyboards have L and R outputs, do you use both to record?

[ibleedburgundy]

Just seeing what people do. Sometimes I just use 1 output but sometimes I used both. I am wondering about the benefit of both. The Keyboard in question is a Nord. I also somewtimes use a Microkorg. Like most other keyboards, they have L (mono) and R outputs. When I panned them on my monitors they sounded slightly different so I left them both in the mix. I wasn't experiencing phase cancellation or anything like that but I was told they are identical signals merely out of phase. If this is correct, why on Earth would a keyboard even have that feature? Aren't there some features on the keyboard that are intended as stereo such as Leslie? - that won't be captured in mono?

 

[DM60]

Just seeing what people do. Sometimes I just use 1 output but sometimes I used both. I am wondering about trhe benefit of both. The Keyboard in question is a Nord. Like most others, it has L (mono) and R. When I panned them on my monitors they sounded slightly different so I lieft them both in the mix. I wasn't experiencing phase cancellation or anything like that but I was told they are identical signals merely out of phase. If this is correct, why on Earth would a keyboard even have that feature? Aren't there some features on the keyboard that are intended as stereo such as Leslie? - that won't be captured in mono?

Using most modern Keyboard outs, because of the processing, I would think the stereo outputs would matter on many/most of the voices.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

For recording I would use both. For live I would use both if I had the channels available, preferably into separate mono channels rather than a stereo pair so I could pan them less wide if necessary. If only one channel is available I would use the L (Mono) out on most synths, but I might use the R output on piano. Stereo piano outputs tend to have the low keys stronger in L and the high keys stronger in R, and when mixing a rock band I prefer to thin out the sound of the piano to fit it in the mix.

 

[miroslav]

The Left output is for Democrats and the Right output is for Republicans.

If you use both, then you're an Independant who can't decide.


(When you discuss audio with IBB, you have to frame things in political terms.)

 

[Xdrummer]

Live I normally only use mono out. For receording, I use stereo out for strings, pad sounds, etc. - but I normally use mono for piano, organ and single horn lines (sax, trumpet, etc.) - I have dedicate modules for piano, organ and brass/reed sounds. However, if the song/composition is primarily a vocal with piano, then I will record the piano stereo (to fill the space)

 

[ibleedburgundy]

For recording I would use both. For live I would use both if I had the channels available, preferably into separate mono channels rather than a stereo pair so I could pan them less wide if necessary. If only one channel is available I would use the L (Mono) out on most synths, but I might use the R output on piano. Stereo piano outputs tend to have the low keys stronger in L and the high keys stronger in R, and when mixing a rock band I prefer to thin out the sound of the piano to fit it in the mix.

See that's what I thought but someone I trust told me otherwise. It made me question if my room was playing tricks on me.

 

[PTravel]

It depends on the particular sound. Most everything I record is orchestrated -- I want to determine where in the sound field the instrument will appear. This is a problem, not only with recording audio outs from external analog instruments, but with virtual instruments used within the DAW. I'll usually record stereo just because I like to keep as much original data as possible, i.e. it keeps my options opens when it's time to mix. However, for certain sounds, such as piano, I'll usually record in mono (or use only the mono output), because I don't want the piano spread all over the sound field, and trying to constrain a stereo recording without making it mono in the mix results in too altered a sound.

 

[gecko zzed]

I generally record L & R. But it also depends on what role the sound is to play in the song. For example, a big synth pad is probably best recorded in stereo, whereas a cameo lead break might be better recorded in mono.

 

[DM60]

I generally record L & R. But it also depends on what role the sound is to play in the song. For example, a big synth pad is probably best recorded in stereo, whereas a cameo lead break might be better recorded in mono.

Maybe a dumb question, if you record in stereo, but convert to mono maybe? The reason I say this is that most modern synthesizers are really stereo created voices. If you take both in, then on the track output, couldn't you just either pan or convert to mono?

Just a curiosity question as maybe I'm thinking this wrong.