One peripheral question. Mike has his vocal on a stereo track. So far I don't have a clear understanding of when a mono or stereo track is preferable in a tune production and mixing situation. I get keep a stereo track or signal stereo. But when, and why is a stereo track preferable for a mono signal like most instruments or vocals?
That's a really good question. And it's one I don't have a bullet-proof answer for.
I think if I was assembling several instruments for a recording, I would generally want a mono recording for most instruments. I would want drums on as many individual drums as I could. Cymbals are usually done with a pair of overhead mics, and I would generally want those in stereo. Mono tracks give you the ability to place an instrument in the sound field. You can pan a mono instrument easily. Vocals, too. If you're in doubt about how much difference is present in a stereo pair, you can use the
Phase Meter plug-in in S1. A purely mono signal (or identical pair on a stereo track) will show up as a very nearly vertical line. The wider the graphic is, the more difference there is between the left and right channels. This may determine how you process the track.
Things I would want to record in stereo would be any instrument that is using two different signal sources, such as an old Rhodes electric piano that uses a stereo vibrato or an organ that uses a Leslie rotary speaker. If you're recording a guitar that's using some form of modeling, you may encounter stereo effects introduced by the modeler. In those cases I would record stereo and if possible also record a dry signal in mono. That said, panning a stereo recording may cause some portion of the recorded instrument to sound odd.
Sometimes a 'stereo' signal isn't really stereo, it's just a mono recording done on two tracks. Both tracks are the same.
You will have more control over instrument placement in a recorded sound field with mono inputs and you can largely control the 'ambience' in that sound field better if there is very little or no room ambience. Mono recordings tend to usually be close mic'ed specifically so room acoustics don't figure in to the recorded signal.
Having said all that, if I wanted to record a live concert and use the acoustics of the venue as part of the performance, I would likely put out at least a pair of mics that were pointed away from the live performance and record them as a stereo pair to better replicate room ambience.
If I was recording a band in a live performance, I would still close mic as many of the instruments (and multiple mics on drums) mainly in mono so I have the ability to overcome any deficiencies introduced by the room.
I don't know if that sheds any light and it certainly isn't gospel
I don't thing everyone is ready for "Straight Life" though.
