Questions: Output Selection

[mr_es335]

Good day,
Just a query, "What is the purpose of the 'Mono' option for the output?"

• Though this option may be obvious to some...forgive me, but such usage is not so obvious to me.

Also, if I happen to be employing the use of stereo preset [Guitar Rig 5], what 'type' of output configuration would then be employed?"

Lastly, is the type of output dependent on precisely here the FOH speakers would be located?

• I would assume that if such were positioned sufficiently left/right, then the use of a stereo preset might/would then be negated?

Thanks for any input provided.

[jmh]

Listening to a mix in mono can give you another perspective where you can identify issues of potential problems. The extreme example is to blend the same signal - but out of phase, which collapses into nothing.

Historically mono listening was typical, so you would absolutely want your stereo mix to sound great in mono.

There is a school of thought where some engineers initially balance their mix in mono and then pan the components at the end - and I can see how that might be rewarding and help avoiding burn-out by adding that significant feature toward the end of the mix process. On the other-hand, other guys say no-one listens to mono any more and don't bother with it at all.

I think when you shift to mono you can set it -6dB so it approximates the same volume you hear when you send it to 2 speakers (it actually works if both channels are identical - which means it already is mono) but in practice real sound originating from 2 real speakers that are physically separated doesn't quite sum to some mathematical ideal - thus the compromise. Anyway, if you were familiar with how various musics sounded flipping back and forth between mono and stereo it could be informative - as could the difference in perceived volume (I haven't played around with this enough for it to be useful to me).

[jmh]

>Also, if I happen to be employing the use of stereo preset [Guitar Rig 5], what 'type' of output configuration would then be employed?"

Since you are concerned with live solo guitar performances (I think), I would try to get your presets to sound good in mono - because every room is different, and each have unique geometries and restrictions on speaker placement... a great sounding setup in one location should not be expected to work everyplace - but I suspect that if it collapses well to mono - it would be more likely to translate - or if it sounded bad, reverting to mono may sound better.

[John Ludlow]

Also, a stereo signal works great for the person who is sitting exactly between the two speakers. Everyone who is not sitting in the middle is not hearing what you intend. You can demonstrate this to yourself by panning the output of a stereo recording of yourself 3/4 to one side or the other - that's similar to what someone sitting over there hears. Mono allows every seat in a bar or restaurant to hear something at least close to the same. Spaces that were designed with the acoustic experience of an audience in mind are better - but there's still really no getting completely away from the physics of it.

Essentially, if you're listening to a band on a stage whose instruments are individually amplified near the performer, rather than through the mains, and you're sitting at a table on one side nearer the lead guitarists amp - you're going to hear a lot of lead guitar, and not as much of the synth on the other side of the stage. Stereo mains in performance emulates that experience if you listen near one speaker or the other rather than in the ideal listening position.

[mr_es335]

Hello,

Thanks jmh and John for the replies...appreciated!

So, I would gather that leaving the setting at default [stereo] is the preferred methodology here? Correct?

Here is an image of my current setup: [Click_Me]

• The stand holds the two speaker and all three guitars...my design.

[cgrafx]

Hello,

Thanks jmh and John for the replies...appreciated!

So, I would gather that leaving the setting at default [stereo] is the preferred methodology here? Correct?

Here is an image of my current setup: [Click_Me]

• The stand holds the two speaker and all three guitars...my design.

With the speakers located effectively in the same center location there will be little in the way of stereo separation, but there still isn't a lot of reason to switch to mono.

Just leave the system stereo.

[studio-c]

I think the main thing would be not to go too crazy with wide stereo pans or flange/chorus effects in a live backing track situation. Just keep in mind the people who are sitting in front of one of the speakers.

Fun "back in the day" story...
We did music for a TV show, "Airwolf" a while back. There was a great music bumper that had the giant drum set with a fill going across the toms in glorious stereo.
PITTA PITTA DIBBA DUBBA BUBBA DOOBA BOOM... or however you'd write those arena rock cannon tom fills. Wonderful stereo placement.
We always check for mono compatability.

Anyway, watching on a TV in mono (this was more common than now, it sounded like PITTA pitta dibba... (blank..) dooba BOOM.
Someone in postproduction at the Airwolf place had flipped the polarity of one channel, or used a funky cable... Yep, when the drums went through the center, the toms disappeared.
So the show was going out in glorious out of phase mono, and in certain places would collapse.
I was horrified as I watched the episode.

Anyway, in the production process, "downstream" is a scary place...

[mr_es335]

Philip,

Thanks so much for this...for us "neophytes" a simple-and-succinct response is precisely what the doctor ordered!!

[Dave Labrecque]

Mono allows every seat in a bar or restaurant to hear something at least close to the same.

Sidebar: how many times have we heard only one side of the stereo background music in a retail setting because whoever did the wiring didn't bother to sum both sides to mono for the ceiling speakers and just connected the L or the R? Usually noticed on a mid-60s Beatles song.

I've even heard this while "enjoying" on-hold music waiting for customer support. One time I'm pretty sure I even heard a L-R thing; all the center content was missing!

I digress.

[Dave Labrecque]

PITTA pitta dibba... (blank..) dooba BOOM

Love it.