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Please forgive my ignorance, but can someone tell me the difference between recording something in stereo as opposed to recording mono and then doubling it and using two channels? I mean, if you are using the same mikes, do you place them differently to capture a different part of the sound? Whats the deal?

Comments

KurtFoster Wed, 02/16/2005 - 09:59

You have 2 ears .. left & right ... You hear in stereo.

One mic on one instrument will generate a mono signal ... two mics, properly spaced will create stereo.

Many people get confused about this because most modern / pop productions are considered to be "stereo" recordings, when really most of them are multiple mono tracks, panned into a stereo image ...

anonymous Fri, 02/18/2005 - 12:00

When you record something using two mics, you realy capture diferents parts of the sound. You don't need two mics to record a voice, but you need 2 mics to record one acustic piano, if you whish a good sound.
If you use just one mic and doubling it in two channels, you don't get the same result. The left mic capture a diferent sound information than rigth.

KurtFoster Fri, 02/18/2005 - 15:52

Actually, what you capture with 2 mics isn't "different sounds" (close though) it's difference signal ... the difference being phase differences ...

Here's an interesting experiment..

Take a long wire from one of your monitors + terminal and another from the other monitors - terminal and hook those up to a 3rd speaker and see what you get. That's the "difference signal" (what makes stereo, stereo). This is also known as the "Haffler effect", as in David Haffler the amp designer.