Mono vs Stereo

[tonefight]

I know alot of bands run stereo Pa but usually do not do any real panning etc. Is there somekind of benefit to running stereo instead of mono when everything is panned center anyway? and by panning most of the clubs wouldn't that leave something out in different spots in the room? I guess it may be ok if you're dead center but there's alot of people on the left and alot on the right too?

[onetooloud]

I think you'll find most people run mono. Those who don't do so for there own set of reasons.

I generally run stereo, but not always. I like the control it gives me.

If you pan something too hard it will leave a hole on one side. Fill it with a different version of the same thing if need be. Maybe delayed a bit 5-20ms but not too much. Maybe mic the cabs from diferent postions.

If you pan some items left and right it will open up the center for vocals.

I try to build my mix around the vocals, this is usually the hardest thing to get right. Then add everything else to the mix around them.

One thing I love to mix like this is drums. It takes a bit more time but, once you get it the drums will walk across the stage.

Many people have stereo effect units and never use them in stereo! Keyboards are very often stereo! Consoles are bought in stereo!

Its all about imaging. I don't always work on it as hard as I'd like because it is a pain to get it right. I guess then I'd call it daul mono.

I guess the big thing is it can be a pain in the rear. You have to want to do it.

I do know when its right people notice.

[lonewolf]

You can get a little extra stereo imaging if you use just a touch of stereo delay, and vary the pre-delay times between the sides around 10 milliseconds. You can do the same with stereo reverb. The delay should be subtle and you might want to try playing around with different settings. This can actually cause frequency cancellation, so I stress, just a little.

Like Onetooloud said, you can get cool walking drums, but you shouldn't pan them too hard because many people in a club won't be in a position to get a good stereo image and will not hear anything panned hard.

[Mo Lester]

I am a studio producer as well as a live knob twister, so I like stereo, if I can have it, but if not, it doesn't kill me. the Idea is NOT to pan hard all the way out into one side, just enough to spread it out a little......

[Hannibal]

We set up for stereo whenever possible. Yes, most inputs are panned center. But, I always pan the effects return channels and the music playback source. Drum mics, just a bit from side to side, not too far. Overheads, yes, just a bit, too, whenever using two mics. It's not that difficult to set up for stereo and have the capability when you want it than to set up mono all the time and wish you could pan something for an effect and not be able to do it. Also, sometimes, the venue layout almost dictates some variations in levels from side to side, due to space, design, or acoustics. My 2 cents worth.

[Mo Lester]

We set up for stereo whenever possible. Yes, most inputs are panned center. But, I always pan the effects return channels and the music playback source. Drum mics, just a bit from side to side, not too far. Overheads, yes, just a bit, too, whenever using two mics. It's not that difficult to set up for stereo and have the capability when you want it than to set up mono all the time and wish you could pan something for an effect and not be able to do it. Also, sometimes, the venue layout almost dictates some variations in levels from side to side, due to space, design, or acoustics. My 2 cents worth.

I concur