plugins change track to Stereo

[PlayOliver]

Hi all, maybe a dumb noob question but here it is..\

when I set up a mono track (say a mono instrument to use a virtual piano, or a mono audio track for vocals) and add a plugin listed as 'mono/stereo' the plugin changes the track to stereo.

is there any way around this? I don't have mono specific versions of any of these plugins.

i guess my followup question, does it matter? if i want it panned to a certain place to i just make sure both stereo pans are set to the same degree? Thanks!

[amagras]

What specific plugins? I recently learned that you can link the pans so both knobs move together, can be useful in this case.

[PlayOliver]

hm can you tell me how to do that?
is there any reason I'd want a mono track instead of stereo other than doing the panning twice? linking them would fix that..

in this case the main problem is with the Chris Lord Alge Mixing Suite plugin from Waves.

[sw rec]

There's MONO plugins (which you SHOULD be using) and there's Mono to Stereo plugins, which is what is doing this. Try the MONO option on the drop down menu. And yes, it does make a difference. You're asking for phase shift problems, and the attendant cancellation.

[Matt Hepworth]

Most CLA are only mono to stereo or stereo. You want this. If you need to pan away from center just use the two pan controls.

[Stig Eliassen]

Originally Posted by PlayOliver

i guess my followup question, does it matter? if i want it panned to a certain place to i just make sure both stereo pans are set to the same degree? Thanks!

For me, it doesn't matter at all. I sometimes automate pan knobs, say, linked panning in the verses, and then pan them out in the chorus for a widening effect. I simply rely on what I hear.

[midnightrambler]

You can also use Avid "DownMixer" plug-in to turn the stereo track back into a mono track. I do find this handy on the odd occasion.

http://duc.avid.com/attachment.php?a...1&d=1472466464

[take77]

Originally Posted by PlayOliver

i guess my followup question, does it matter? if i want it panned to a certain place to i just make sure both stereo pans are set to the same degree? Thanks!

It does matter. All depending on the context you want the instrument & effect to have in the overall mix.
We're talking L/R mix real estate.

In the case of a one instrument mix, you can avail yourself of the full stereo spread of a VI or amp sim plugin.
For example, (low keys of the piano at the left and higher keys on the right).

A solo virtual guitar amp sim might be one mono amp (amps are usually mono) spread stereo with a chorus & reverb effect. But the guitar signal is still mono and the effects are stereo. Unless you use a splitter within the rig to configure two different amps or cabs that can be panned within the plug-in. All in relation to the channel's stereo pan (two pan knobs).*

If you want the effect to FOLLOW (line up with) the mono signal within a full stereo mix, then it's best to select the mono plugin option.
This is when you want both the original signal & effect to have the SAME place within a mix of several instruments. Like a guitar with a phaser pedal up front, or a mono chorus for a little modulation that doesn't inundate the whole mix. A stereo reverb can later be added on a stereo aux channel if you want both mono separation and stereo processing.

Note that, if you simply set both pan levels to the exact same degree, you are actually increasing the level of the original signal.
So if you want both the effect and signal to share the same mix real estate whilst maintaining the mono level, use a mono plugin in the first place.

Now, say you want to pan a mono signal within a mix of full instruments but want to share the same stereo space with other instruments through a stereo effect such as a room reverb.
In this case, you would create a stereo aux channel and send each individual mono signal panned as you desire. Yet they all share the same stereo space.

It's true you can also create "mini stereo" spreads within master stereo mix using the dual pan knobs (e.g., 100%+25% Left). But again this may impose upon available mix real estate.
You don't want every single space filled or the effect will be sonic clutter.
It's good to have a measure of separation & sonic room as this is just as important to the mix as the instruments themselves.

With the exception of VI's, amp sims and other all in one "mix" plugins, a good principle is to use mono track inserts for serial processing such as EQ & compression. And stereo aux channels for time based effects such as chorus, reverb, delay, etc.

Again, it's context (amount of instruments & what needs the most prominent L/R real estate).

[amagras]

Originally Posted by PlayOliver

hm can you tell me how to do that?

https://youtu.be/5QZyH_bO0LI

[take77]

Thanks for the video link amagras.