Exporting singular mono channels?

[Valour Winds]

So in PT10, I'm trying to take some sound effect files I've created, as mono audio tracks, and export them as a single channel?

So for instance, if I have an audio clip that's panned fully left, I want to export the left channel *independently*, can I not do that?

Instead what I'm getting with export audio files is export format: (Multiple Mono), and when I'm playing it back, it may in fact be mono, but the full left image I've created is gone, it's an equal balance between the left and right again.

So is there a way to export the file in just the left channel? Do I need to print the fully panned sound into a new mono track first?

Basically all I'm trying to do is have two mono audio files, the same sound, one panned hard left, and one hard right.

[cwsand]

Originally Posted by Valour Winds

So in PT10, I'm trying to take some sound effect files I've created, as mono audio tracks, and export them as a single channel?

So for instance, if I have an audio clip that's panned fully left, I want to export the left channel *independently*, can I not do that?

Instead what I'm getting with export audio files is export format: (Multiple Mono), and when I'm playing it back, it may in fact be mono, but the full left image I've created is gone, it's an equal balance between the left and right again.

So is there a way to export the file in just the left channel? Do I need to print the fully panned sound into a new mono track first?

Hi, I think you're a little confused between what panning is and stereo and mono files. Panning can only be done with multiple channel outputs, for instance, you can take a mono channel and pan it left or right for a stereo output. A single/mono wave file can't be played back panned without some kind of mixer to pan it. If you want a single wave file to play a mono signal panned left or right, it has to be a multichannel file, such as a stereo one with the wave file on one side and silence on the other. So I think for what you need, you'll have to pan the file where you want it, and output a stereo file.

Originally Posted by Valour Winds

Basically all I'm trying to do is have two mono audio files, the same sound, one panned hard left, and one hard right.

You can use two mono files in ProTools with the same signal panned left and right and the sound will still be mono coming from the center of the stereo image. (For years stereo files in Pro Tools were handled as two mono files.) Using just one of those files panned center will accomplish the same thing. But if you want the sound only on one side of the stereo image, you have to pan either both files to that side, or use only one of them panned to that side and mute the other. If you pan both files, the resulting audio will be slightly louder than if you mute one of them.

[Valour Winds]

Hey, I actually do think that solves my problem! Thanks for the tip, you're right on the confusion part though, so I guess I should ask now.

So if a file can only be printed into a multiple output, such as stereo, in order to print/actually embed the sound position in space, then I have to ask, why does Protools have a panning potentiometer on the mono tracks? I get the sense the sound can still be positioned at 9 o'clock, 7 o'clock, etc. as a mono track.

So I guess my question is, how can you pan the mono signal around wherever, but it won't actually print that way into another mono track??

I might fundamentally be confused at the root of belief that mono is literally just the one channel, right? Like the centre channel? I just don't understand how a mono signal can be panned a little left, or a little right, or hard L/R when it's just the centre channel, whereas I understand stereo tracks as an independent balance between what's happening in L, and what's happening in right.

I guess I should also ask, when outputting a mono track to the input of a mono track, you're just using a singular bus, correct? Say Bus 15, and if you were outputting to the input of a stereo track, it's bus 15-16, no? I noticed when you output a mono track by a mono bus, you lose that pan knob/pan positioning entirely. : S

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by Valour Winds

So if a file can only be printed into a multiple output, such as stereo, in order to print/actually embed the sound position in space, then I have to ask, why does Protools have a panning potentiometer on the mono tracks? I get the sense the sound can still be positioned at 9 o'clock, 7 o'clock, etc. as a mono track.

So I guess my question is, how can you pan the mono signal around wherever, but it won't actually print that way into another mono track??

It is the mixer that moves mono signal according to your panning, and it outputs to your stereo monitors or whatever 7.1 surround you're doing. Positioning does not come with the file, unless you BOUNCE your mix to multi-channel audio in which case you get what the mixer puts out.

A mono track is just what it says, a single channel that defaults to dead center.