SOUND ON SOUND

[jellyjim]

Afternoon

In Logic Pro X, if I meant to record something in mono but in fact have a stereo file - and there is no meaningful stereo information I want in that recording, a dry bass guitar performance direct from a keyboard for example - is it sufficient to simply change the channel stip mode to mono? Sufficient meaning, the left and right channels will be summed.

How does doing that differ from keeping the channel strip stereo but setting the mono function in the stock gain plug-in or indeed actually converting the stereo file to mono?

Following from that last point, what's the difference between a mono file sat on a stereo track and a mono file sat on a mono track?

Thanks
Jim

[Hugh Robjohns]

I'm not a Logic user, so I'll let others cover the options.

But if you have the same (identical audio on the left and right channels you technically have 'dual-mono' audio sitting in a stereo channel/track.

Of course, it means you're storing twice as much audio on your drives as you need to (for that track), but other than that there's little difference between a mono track and a stereo one. A stereo track would expect stereo plugins, though, and stereo channels have balance rather than pan controls which sometimes have different ranges.

Simple summing to mono would result in a 6dB rise in level because adding two identical signals doubles the voltage. However, most intelligent mono summing systems introduce some degree of attenuation to compensate.

[desmond]

In Logic Pro X, if I meant to record something in mono but in fact have a stereo file - and there is no meaningful stereo information I want in that recording, a dry bass guitar performance direct from a keyboard for example - is it sufficient to simply change the channel stip mode to mono? Sufficient meaning, the left and right channels will be summed.

Yes.

How does doing that differ from keeping the channel strip stereo but setting the mono function in the stock gain plug-in or indeed actually converting the stereo file to mono?

It doesn't really.

Following from that last point, what's the difference between a mono file sat on a stereo track and a mono file sat on a mono track?

There will be twice as much audio information going through the mixer, as you have two duplicate channels running, and you'll need to use stereo plugins unless you force-insert a mono one to sum again.

The bottom line is, it doesn't really matter, just do what's easiest, it's going really going to matter much to your resources or mix regardless of what method you choose.