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A question about Stereo vs Mono recording...


jonPhillips

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Hi all,

 

I've recently started with Logic 8 and have been wondering about the best way to approach stereo recording.

 

I used to use GarageBand and the technique I used then was to record (for example) a guitar track in mono, duplicate the track (naming the two tracks left and right respectively) and then slightly offset the two recordings so that they would be a couple of ticks (or sometimes more) out of sync. Adjusting the pan and gain controls would then give me an approximation of a 'true' stereo recording.

 

This method worked pretty well, but by the time I'd done this with several guitar tracks, a couple of bass tracks and a few vocal tracks (not to mention drums...), the number of tracks in use would begin to get out of hand.

 

Compared to GarageBand, Logic 8 is a whole different ballgame in terms of sophistication and I wondered if there is a more effective or more efficient way to achieve this recording effect?

 

In fact, I'm sure there must be a better way to work in Logic 8 – please can anyone help me out, or suggest some better working techniques?

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I always just record two tracks and pan them accordingly I think it sounds a bit more believable. If you only have one tho, first try putting a delay on it, i'd use the tape delay on about 20ms as a starting point. Then pan the sound to one side and the delay to the other and play with the levels. this is essentially what you are already doing, just a different approach.

if you want to widen something then some stereo enhancers can be quite good but i always feel that it loses something. i 'd use a chorus or something to widen as you get a bit more character but it only works on certain things. Hope this helps

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Hi Jon, and welcome, from someone who went to school in Bucks ! ! !

-

Are you recording guitar by miking up the cab, or by playing

straight in with a DI box ?

-

A guitar doesn't produce a stereo signal but a guitar played

through its amp and cab is definitely a stereo "experience" and

if it's that you're trying for, I'd suggest playing with miking and

recording on to two tracks. Then mess with it later.

-

C

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Hey, greetings from sunny Bucks (well it's sunny at the moment, anyway).

 

I've tried both - DI'ing my amp (a Carvin Belair, one of the finest sounding clean channels you'll ever hear) and miking using an SM57 just off centre and an MXL V67i set slightly back for 'ambience'.

 

My question was really more about whether to record in mono and dupe the tracks, or whether if I set the recording parameters right, to just record one track in stereo mode.

 

I'm really trying to cut down the number of individual tracks I have going on in the arrange window. Any opinions will be much appreciated.

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