It doesn't really matter specifics in "how to" in a specific DAW etc.
Just have an idea I am exploring technically - requires treating L/R differently on the main bus.
I can do this in programming, just want to check ideas out first in a makeshift experiment - before that large (and possible wasted) effort.
i.e. split the stereo into 2 mono signals - do something - then put it back together in a daw.
Any views on it are welcome - how would you do it ?
I use pro tools, so everything's mono anyway. e.g. a stereo track is actually two mono tracks that by default are stuck on one stereo track, so all track control affect both equally. You can grab one track from the stereo pair, or grab both, and drag them to mono tracks. What DAW do you use?
Cubase 4 - which I think can do the same thing (i.e. record split into mono tracks )
I generally record everything in mono - so it is not really an issue with stereo tracks.
Take the simplest of projects
I record a single mono guitar track the output goes to the main stereo bus -
It is really a case of how do I get at the L/R of that bus.
The only method I can think of is to send the mono recording to two mono group channels and hard L/R them into the stereo bus.
Which gives me L/R to plugin on independently.
Could you do something like that easier with pro tools ?
It's not something I want to do routinely so it doesn't really matter too much if it is a bit of a pain, just wanted to test an idea out for a VST.
On a stereo track in pro tools, you have the option when you add a plugin to either add "dual mono" or a stereo plugin. Dual mono basically adds a mono plugin twice, and processes each side separately.
There are many other ways to do this. The easiest would be to send the track output to two mono aux tracks (may have different names in Cubase), pan those aux tracks hard left and right, and work from there. Then mute the original (mono) track and just use the output from the panned mono aux tracks.
Yep ;)
Funny though as it threw me initially as it is something I have juat been taking for granted.
i.e. the routing/adding algorithm DAWs are built on.
Obviously there is only mono - the DAW just creates a stereo illusion as a workflow/UI metaphor.
It goes unnoticed as it is a natural workflow - people want to hear that mono guitar recording on both monitors/phones not have to send it to 2 mono buses that represent L/R outputs.
The want to think in terms of panning L/R rather than setting levels of sends to mono outputs that are then routed to the L or R speaker.
It simplifies workflow a lot as it is the given use case 99.9% of the time
But it also obscures at the same time.
e.g. surround sound - working with 5 speakers - you would have to go back to rolling your own routing entirely completely based on mono
the stereo metaphor would no longer makes any sense.
"Everyone on the bus!!!!!!"