Studio One gives you the option to set each track to stereo or mono.
Typically, I work in mono for vocals, bass, and kick. However, mono makes them sound smaller and less staged.
Are you using all of the above settings in mono?

 

I occasionally do mono checks to make sure it’s mono-compatible, but will always prefer the final mix be in stereo, as much as I can, to me, that means mostly stereo tracks.

as you noticed, making those busses mono, it loses its side information, which can it feel more “narrow”.
You have to compensate for louder volume if you’re making certain busses completely mono to make it sound more balanced in your song. This way, your harmony and overall balance of your mix can still be intact.

depending on which genre, maybe it’s best to leave some of those busses in stereo to retain that side information.
It doesn’t invalidate your current workflow tho.

 

Thanks for the reply.
Ye, it's kinda tricky part. The thing is that the mix sounds dirty if you set every track as stereo. That's my concern.

 

Then, I would suggest to EQ your busses/tracks more in addition to making some tracks more "narrow".
Sidechaining is a god-send when used properly.

You can either carve EQ into those spaces to make your overall mix less muddy (whether individual or overall mix/both).
Try a 3.5k cut dynamically in your mixbus to see if you notice your track more open more on your overall master.

 

You have to think of mixing like a play.
Not every element can be the main character, and if some players have to be mono, and lower in volume—than it has to be done.

Hint: For an overall tighter mix, mixing in mid/side with Fabfilter or other EQ's that's capable. Your side information is usually the most stereo. You can cut the side lower overall, leaving the mid intact. That also might open up your mix more.

 

The further down the frequency spectrum you go, the less wide the signal should be.
This is, because acoustically bass is represented as omnidirectional.

This does not mean, that the highs or the mids should be widened isolated.
To me multiband wideners simply just make the sound highly artificial.

 

the source files for kick, vocal and bass recordings are obviously mono track with single mic configuration, even they are multiple mic (or DI) on some each of them is still a mono recording that result in mono track, so I set the track to mono in S1. Just mono plugin processing on the track like the usual EQ, Comp, Channel Strip, transient design or phase related plugins.

In a case when I receive a file that is already stereo because of recording technique, I treat it like a stereo track, no changes. I inspect every file to find every mono file that was rendered to stereo with 0 side channel information. I will change the track type to mono track so the plugin loaded is a mono version with single channel processing.

These mono tracks have SEND to a lot of Stereo FX Tracks with stereo plugin or mono-to-stereo type of stereo plugin in it. Some are summed back to a Bus (stereo track) where I do most of the stereo related processing, like widening, separate channel processing etc.

That workflow is 100% for CPU management and efficiency to not use stereo plugin for mono track. I think most people work this way.

 

For me is: Kick and Snare 100% mono
Bass: mono from zero to 320hz
Vocals: main source is mono but has fake stereo tools as doublers

Mono signals have punch and don't make the listener confused down the spectrum.

 

In an acoustic environment - drum kit: Hi-hat, snare, snare bottom, kick, sub-kick, OHL, OHR, toms 1-5 all mono, Room (2mics) in stereo as it's rarely close to the rest in the mix, Prescence only. Bass mono, Keys stereo, horns mono each, though grouped horns in stereo . There is only one reason I do this. After gain staging, it is way easier to give them their own space in the stereo field and panning, whether fixed or automated, becomes a breeze - for me that is. Each to their own.

I do not think there is any hard and fast rule, it depends on what music, what instruments and how many, and what needs to be achieved.
In a huge Orchestral mix, 64 stereo files would not be fun. Other than a sectional room recording added to it, I would automatically convert them all to mono except for a grand piano and harp. Stereo field placement should never be underrated.

 

That's helpful info. I'll give it a shot soon.
Thanks!

 

this post by Stevie is pure gold, he condensed in a few words the typical-basic workflow for a professional sound engineer, I advice the OP to study it and follow all the steps listed. It may sound weird at a first read, it needs attention.

and yes, most people work this way. I am enjoying the last CLA MWTM videos, would be useful to watch all his MWTM series to understand how to work with mono sound sources like vox bass kick or snare and then make them sound LARGER than life in the final stereo mix

As Stevie summed, the trick is to start from a mono-punchy track and then work with multiple parallels (reverbs, delay, tape adt, comp) to give "controlled width" and 3Dness without loosing punch and mono compatibility

that said, there are particular cases, for example when working with drum samples or "live spacial-special recordings", but thats another sport...

 

If you use stereo effects (e.g. ping-pong delay) as an insert (automatic for a send), you should set it to stereo. Otherwise, if there is one mic, then it can be mono to save some CPU.

 

Not sure if this video is of any use for anyone but it's interesting anyway.

 

Great! Thanks for the details. Very helpful!

 

Oh, this one is not exactly related to my question, but it shows me the solution of mid-side. I didn't realize those kinds of handy plugins. Much easier than Pro-Q mid-side solution.
Thanks!!

 

Last edited: Dec 14, 2024