Even though there will be information in the left and right channels, it will not be a true stereo recording.

I would record the music in stereo, then record the vocal, that would result in a recordind with more depth.

8)

so what you are trying to say is that i have to record the vocal and instrument in stereo separately, then join them together using multi-track editing function?

Hmm. Sounds to me like what you are recording are really two mono channels. Surely your software supports that? One mono for the song and one for the music. It makes more sense in the mixing process as well, you probably want to add different kinds of effects on the two mono channels.

Now the suggestion to record the song in stereo is sort of outside the normal, is it not? Surely in a studio setting you almost always record the song mono and later place it in the stereo field and add all kinds of effects or whatever.

Gunnar

when I first read the title of this thread, I thought you were recording regae music with steel drums, and then I thought you were holding your customers tracks hostage for more money.

You should just record your music with two mono channels, I'm pretty sure your software can support this.

many thanks to you guys!

today, i tried to record vocals (L) and instruments (R) separately in mono mode using Soundcraft Compact 10 as my main recording mixer, and the M-Audio Delta 410 PCI interface. My preferred sofware sequencers are the Mackie Tracktion 2, Magix Samplitude, Cubase SX and the Adobe Audition. Tracktion 2 seems like the perfect one for me to get the recording job done while the Magix Samplitude takes the editing part.

After recording the 2 signals without any effects, i listened to them carefully and i think they just sound like Stereo. I really can't tell the difference.

Am i missing something here? I'm a bit confused now :)

if im understanding you, youre saying record one on left, another on right, then sum them together as if you recorded 2 tracks? if so youll just get mono even if it is coming out of both speakers. nothing is stereo about merging 2 mono tracks together.

if all you can work with is 2 channels (or one stereo channel rather) you are better off miking the entire room with 2 mikes.

else your instruments will just be in mono unless you use effects to make it sound stereo, which never sounds as good as true stereo.

if all else you can just offset left/right instruments by delaying one side, although doing so will create an off balance type effect (one side louder than the other) unless you use a setting like 400ms, which is pretty noticable (can sometimes work on single instruments).

well...

My point is that my mixer has only 1 pair of Rec Out, and the sound card has only 1 pair of Audio In.

Because i want to record both a vocal signal and the instrument signal at the same time on separate channels on the same track or each signal on separate tracks (2 track-recording). That way, after recording i can edit the vocal without touching the instrument

on the mixer, i panned the MIC CHANNEL (vocal) to the LEFT. the STEREO INPUT (instrument) to the RIGHT.

Then in this case, i used Mackie Tracktion 2 as an example. Track 1 was set up as [Analog 1 to the soundcard] to record from the MIC CHANNEL. Track 2 as [Analog 2 to the soundcard] to record from STEREO INPUT CHANNEL.

Each channel was record at the same time but separately. After the recording's done, i put the recorded vocal on to edit. The vocal could be heard on both L and R speakers (it should be heard only on the Left speaker. This balanced panning could be set by Mackie Tracktion internally).

As you said earlier, this has to be MONO. I was curious and i listened to a MONO sample, it's quite a difference from a STEREO one. My recorded vocal (dry and not yet treated with effects) is very much of the Stereo Mode even though you said it's Mono.

I'm really confused. That'll be awesome if you guys out there can help me get through this.

thanks.

If by 'mono' you mean the vocal is in both channels, well that has nothing to do with a signal being mono or not. Mono tracks can be panned in the stereo spectrum. Exactly what is making you think this is in stereo?

You spent an awful lot of money on software for someone who doesn't understand the the most basic recording concepts.