Converting Stereo to Mono

[Tritonemusic]

Hi folks. This is my first post here. I think I must be overlooking the obvious but still haven't been able to find an answer.

I received 8 Stereo AIFF tracks of drums from a partner (kick, snare, low tom, high tom, etc.). I imported them into PT8 and realized that they're actually centered (one mic per track, recorded in Mono but bounced to Stereo AIFF).
What is the best approach to take to convert these 8 Stereo tracks to Mono tracks (since that's what they're really supposed to be)? Is there a way to convert them within PT all at once, or do I have to bounce them in real-time, one by one, and then bring the Mono tracks back into PT? I hope that made sense.

Thanks a lot for your help. I certainly appreciate it.

[albee1952]

Highlight the track names and go up top to the TRACK drop-down menu and select "split to mono" (or something like that) and all your stereo tracks will be split out to 2x mono tracks. You will then want to delete(or at least disable and hide) the extra tracks. Another method is, delete all the tracks(in the edit window), create the correct number of new mono audio tracks, go to the REGIONS bin and click on the little arrows by each stereo region, which will "explode" them to show L&R regions separately. You can then drag the Left (or right) of each onto your new empty tracks.

[Tritonemusic]

Wow, right under my nose. Quite embarrassing. Thanks, Albee.

[dunego]

In the case I want to convert stereo tracks to mono summed I got to real time bounce track by track ?

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by dunego

In the case I want to convert stereo tracks to mono summed I got to real time bounce track by track ?

Yes

[dunego]

That´s a shame. Is ridiculous how Pro-Tools doesn't do simple stuff that all the competitors does, and how slowly they implement new features on the software. BTW dual mono files are so god deam old... stereo files already are dual mono files. The only reason I can think for that is that they use 90% the same code as PT 4.

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by dunego

That´s a shame. Is ridiculous how Pro-Tools doesn't do simple stuff that all the competitors does, and how slowly they implement new features on the software. BTW dual mono files are so god deam old... stereo files already are dual mono files. The only reason I can think for that is that they use 90% the same code as PT 4.

While this may be true, maybe a more important question is; why do you have the need to mono-sum any stereo track? Setting both pan knobs to 12 o'clock will net the exact same sound.

[Submersible]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Highlight the track names and go up top to the TRACK drop-down menu and select "split to mono" (or something like that) and all your stereo tracks will be split out to 2x mono tracks. You will then want to delete(or at least disable and hide) the extra tracks.

That would be like turning the pan knob on your stereo all the way to one side and thinking that you're hearing a mono mix of the song. You're not. You just threw half of the information away. You have to engage the mono button (if it has one) that will sum the left and right sides together.

I can't think of any way to collapse stereo to mono in Pro Tools without bouncing or re-recording. I've been looking, though.

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by Submersible

That would be like turning the pan knob on your stereo all the way to one side and thinking that you're hearing a mono mix of the song. You're not. You just threw half of the information away. You have to engage the mono button (if it has one) that will sum the left and right sides together.

I can't think of any way to collapse stereo to mono in Pro Tools without bouncing or re-recording. I've been looking, though.

Like I said, put both PAN knobs to 12 o'clock and you get summed mono out of a stereo track.

[dunego]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Like I said, put both PAN knobs to 12 o'clock and you get summed mono out of a stereo track.

Yep but it´s still double processing 2 mono files. Plugins will have to be stereo, double processing power. BTW a maybe little off topic here but a freeze feature in PT would be nice too. What´s the deal with it, maybe freezing tracks doesn't sounds 'professional' ?