How to combine stereo signal on mono track?

[highpass]

Dear colleagues,

hopefully I can explain my problem/question quite understandable since I am not a native English speaker.

My synthesizer is connected with both outputs (left and right) to both inputs (1 & 2) of my Fast Track Pro. So, if I want to set up a stereo track recording, I just select the stereo inputs (1 AND 2) of the FTP in PT MP9 and start the recording.

Now let's say that I want to record a complex synth pad, which has some different information on the left and the right channel. But I want to have the recording on a mono track which is combining L+R information. Let's assume that I don't have a problem with mono compatibility of the stereo signal.

How to do that?
If I set up a mono track, I can only select input 1 OR input 2. But in this case I would loose the information of the other input.
Is there a way to combine both inputs to one mono track?

Or is the only possibility to unplug the "right" jack of my synthesizer and use only the "left" jack which is in this case also mono (left/mono)?

Or is it much easier and I just don't see the obvious?

Thanks a lot in advance!

[hooksound]

Record on two separate mono tracks and pan them both center. If you want to pull only one fader during mixing, then buss the two tracks to one mono AUX track or bounce them to a new mono audio track.

[highpass]

Hello hooksound,

thanks for your answer!

Only for me to have the right understanding (please tell me if there is mistake in my thinking): two mono tracks are finally the same than one stereo track, right? Just with 2 faders. As far as I understood the matter, the stereo track is two mono tracks (in one fader but with two pans) which are panned hard left and right. Or the other way round: if you pan both stereo pans to the middle it will have the same effect like mono? Or not?

What I actually would like to have is a "real" mono track with one fader and one pan.

But I want to try your proposal and record two mono tracks and try to bus them in one mono AUX track. That seems to be a good work-around.
Or, if that does not work, you are right, I could bounce it to mono track.

I've just hoped, that one can record directly stereo to mono.

Thanks!

[albee1952]

Most every synth I have seen allows for a mono output by using the correct 1 of the 2 output jacks(My Motif outputs say L/Mono and Right, so using the left only will put ALL the sound on that jack).

[highpass]

Yes, that's what I've mentioned in my first post. This possibility exists.

But I can hardly believe, that - with the today's mighty DAWs and hardware - the only way to select mono or stereo recording is to plug or unplug the jacks from the synth each time.

[albee1952]

Here's a solution so you never need to change patch cords: Hook up your keyboard for stereo operation(with 2 cables). When you want to record a stereo track, call up a stereo audio track and go. If you want mono, call up a stereo AUX track(set for the inputs of the keyboard), set the output of the AUX track to none, add a mono send to the AUX track(to any open bus), create a mono AUDIO track and set the input to the same bus. record the audio track. Now you get summed mono from your stereo input signal

BTW, if you set up this scenario in its own session and save it, you can call up the tracks into any session by using the Import Session Data command, navigating to that session and import the tracks.