Recording with Amp Emulator

[adam79]

I have a POD XT which had a left and right output. I've been connecting them to their own line in channel and recording them onto a single stereo track.
Sometimes I'll duplicate the recorded track or record a second track that's similar to the first. In either instance I've been panning the left and right sides of one stereo track to the left and the left and right sides of the other stereo track to the right.
Does this make sense, or would converting the two stereo guitar tracks to mono and then panning them accordingly work out better? Or is it ultimately the same thing? I'm just thinking in terms of if this was done thru a guitar amp.. the signal would be mono.
I plan on giving this a try tonight. I'm curious what you guys think and how you go about recording with an amp emulator.

Thanks,
-Adam

[amagras]

If you are using any stereo reverb, delays, modulation or dual cabs you should record both outputs, I personally use one stereo track in Pro Tools

[Darryl Ramm]

What are you trying to achieve?

If you intend to record stereo stuff (like say stereo reverb) then record in stereo.

If not then record one of the outputs to a mono track.

You are most likely to be better off adding stereo effects inside Pro Tools. (But again what you are trying to achieve artistically is up to you...)

You are most likely to be better off also recording a dry/DI track and reamping that though any number of amp sim plugins that I expect to sound better than the Pod XT (Avid Eleven, Bias Amp, etc.). At least give yourself that option.

[amagras]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

You are most likely to be better off adding stereo effects inside Pro Tools (...)
You are most likely to be better off also recording a dry/DI track and reamping that though any number of amp sim plugins that I expect to sound better than the Pod XT (Avid Eleven, Bias Amp, etc.). At least give yourself that option.

I support these ideas, if you are going to use amp simulators better go with a di+plugin you can tweak in the future instead of being stuck with Pod XT timbres forever

[albee1952]

Indeed....just because the Pod has a stereo out, doesn't mean you need to run it that way. One of my clients uses a Kemper and we track it in mono for the vast majority of guitar tracks. We also tend to track it with delay and reverb turned off. This is for 2 reasons;
#1-any punch-ins will not suffer from sudden echo/verb glitches
#2-we are not locked into any echo/verb settings when we get to mixdown

[adam79]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Indeed....just because the Pod has a stereo out, doesn't mean you need to run it that way. One of my clients uses a Kemper and we track it in mono for the vast majority of guitar tracks. We also tend to track it with delay and reverb turned off. This is for 2 reasons;
#1-any punch-ins will not suffer from sudden echo/verb glitches
#2-we are not locked into any echo/verb settings when we get to mixdown

I also record all my POD XT tracks dry, for the exact reason you mentioned. So in your opinion, changing the POD's stereo track(s) to mono has no real benefit in sound, over just tracking in mono?

[amagras]

If you are recording dry (eg, only amp, cab, speaker sims and the occasional overdrive pedal) recording both channels is the same as recording the mono out and duplicating the track, unless I'm completely wrong and line6 included in the XT an algorithm to reproduce the minimal room effect where the cab is supposed to be, in that case still in a real environment with one mic the room you get is mono, so yes, you can safely stick to the mono out.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by adam79

I also record all my POD XT tracks dry, for the exact reason you mentioned. So in your opinion, changing the POD's stereo track(s) to mono has no real benefit in sound, over just tracking in mono?

We have already answered that, if you are not trying to record a stereo effect from the Pod, then record mono.

But here is the thing, you have all you need to make a decision right in front of you. Listen to it and you decided what you want to do, and what exact workflow you like. That experiment should take less time than posting here and waiting for answers.


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