how do I check my mono mix "in the box"

[Ben Davis]

Is there a stock plug in or convenient routing I can use to quickly sum my mixes (for comparison) to mono in PTLE?

[MrBibidy]

Try sending everything through a stereo aux send and then just adjusting both left and right pans to center, thats one way, this might work with a master fader but I cant remember off the top of my head if they have pans, I dont think they do

[MrBibidy]

just want to clarify, to send everything through an aux send do the following: Option click on any track's output and select an open bus. Create a new stereo aux return and set it's input to the bus you just changed all of your tracks' outputs to, set the aux tracks output to your main monitors and you now have a fully panable 'master' fader

[lwilliam]

If you use option/click and you have subgroups (horns, strings, bk vox, etc), it will screw up your subgroup assignments. Option/click affects EVERY track.

A better way to re-assign outputs is to select the tracks (shift/click) you want to change and then use Option/Shift/Click. That will only modify the selected tracks.

You have to be very careful when using option/click. I've screwed up more than one session's output assignments by forgetting the difference between Option/Click and Option/Shift/Click.

Some audio interfaces provide a quick way to do this. I use my mixer to pan the two channels center.

BTW, Aux tracks do have separate L/R panning, so you can center it this way. It's not quick though.

Maybe this is what you meant: Send ALL your tracks (excluding subgrouped tracks) to a bus output instead of the interface output, then set the input of an Aux track to be that bus; then set the Aux output to the Interface output (Master output). Once you've set that up, you can pan the aux track center or hard L/R as all audio will flow through it.

+++++++

After reading the above, it may be hard to follow...here's a simpler example:

4 audio tracks; 2 instrument tracks; no subgrouping

1. Assign all 6 tracks' outputs to Bus 15/16;
2. Create an Aux track; I would label it something like "Master Aux"
3. Assign input of that Aux track to Bus 15/16
4. Assign output of that Aux track to standard output for Master Fader
5. Now you can quickly switch to mono by Option/Clicking on the pan controls of the Aux track. Remember that the top one is LEFT
6. Also remember to assign all new tracks to Bus 15/16 as the output. I would also label bus 15/16 to be something like Master OutBus.

It's not perfect, but it works once set up if you need to do a lot of switching between mono and stereo.

Feature Request: Mono button on Master Fader.

[req06]

you can just bounce to mono summed, or for checking mono compatibility use the mono button on the 002, the other options suggested are also valid

[Ben Davis]

Wow, I guess it is as hard as a thought. I would imagine there's a 3rd party plug that can sum. Logic's "gain" plug in let's has this feature. I thought Sonalskis Free G would do it, but no. (handy free plug in)

I know that some folks insist on using an aux in place of a master for sound reasons. Someone told me that the signal to the master bus inserts is post fader, but on auxes it's pre-fader. I don't know this to be true. Anyone else?

Anyway, running everything, including auxes that carry sub groups through a final aux would provide a way to check the mono mix, but that still sounds like too much thinking.

[lwilliam]

I'm playing around with the demo of Izotope's Ozone. It has a simple mono button that you can use if it's on the master fader. It's worth checking out for other features as well: a MatchEQ, a very good limiter - AND it shows zero latency in PTLE!

[Forum Member LE]

Wow, I guess it is as hard as a thought.

Since this is the LE forum is safe to assume you are using PT LE.
Notice how the LE interfaes have a MONO button
Also notice how things like the Big Knob, Central Station etc have a MONO button ?

Can't see how pushing a button could be harder than routing through a Bus or using a plug-in.
The simplist way is still to do it on the hardware even if you are working in the box the hardware is required to monitor the sound.

[tele_player]

On the 002/002R, the MONO button does what you say. On the Mbox series, it works differently, if it's even present.

[lwilliam]

Since this is the LE forum is safe to assume you are using PT LE.
Notice how the LE interfaes have a MONO button
Also notice how things like the Big Knob, Central Station etc have a MONO button ?

Can't see how pushing a button could be harder than routing through a Bus or using a plug-in.
The simplist way is still to do it on the hardware even if you are working in the box the hardware is required to monitor the sound.

I know the 002R does (and I would assume the console version does too), but the Mbox2 pro and mini don't have a mono button that I could see from the photos. The regular Mbox2 does, however.

Interesting that the latest two Mbox2s DON'T have the mono button.