SoundBite: Left-right stereo to MS and back again
Transcript
In today's SoundBite, I'm going to convert a stereo track to MS then convert it back again. Here's my stereo track "left center right left center right". I'll start by splitting my stereo track into two mono tracks. It sounds the same. "left center right left center right". I'll pan both tracks center and bounce to a mono file which I'll call M. It sounds like this... "left center right left center right". And now I'll bounce.
The S track will be the difference between the left and right channels so I'll use a plugin to invert the phase of the right channel. It sounds like this panned into mono... "left right left right". You'll notice that anything in the center cancels completely. And bounce...
I'll clear these tracks now and import the M and S tracks back in.
I won't play this because it doesn't make any audio sense. To convert back to left and right I'll duplicate the S track. On one of the copies I'll use my plugin again to invert the phase. Now I can add M and S together which will give me my left channel... "left center left center". And bounce...
And now I'll subtract S from M which will give me my right channel... "center right center right". And bounce...
I'll clear those tracks and import my new left and new right channels. Because I named these files ending in L and R, Pro Tools will put them directly onto a stereo track. It sounds like this... "left center right left center right". And let's compare the original stereo track with the one I've created... "left center right left center right left center right left center right'". Thank you for listening.
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David Mellor
David Mellor is CEO and Course Director of Audio Masterclass. David has designed courses in audio education and training since 1986 and is the publisher and principal writer of Adventures In Audio.
@thecheapaudioengineer: Is it possible differentiate center left and right ??
Left channel
Right channel
Center channel
From left and right??
@DrGameTazo: Does stereo imager use this trick(MS) to do effect??
@AudioMasterclass replies to @DrGameTazo: Without investigating I would guess that it allows narrowing or widening of the stereo image. Possibly skewing too. My answer to your question therefore - maybe.
@DrGameTazo replies to @DrGameTazo: @@AudioMasterclass thx for the answer
@joedeegan3870: I am amazed at how good pre stereo recordings sound. I theorize that Stereo is a stop gap solution to the problem of lack of separation between instruments, what I think of as clumping together.. Lack of transient response is the problem.
@garysmith8455: All my orchestral/choral/organ recordings have been exclusively recorded with a single point Mid Side mic. Could not be happier with the results, same for my clients.
@fpvwalleit-drones2884: I wonder if a non-audiophile can hear an inverted sound?
@lowearthorbitmusic: Great Video!
@erwintimmerman6466: Very useful! As for the why, maybe it would be good to add that normally (not with test tracks such as these or specific 60s tracks) most of the energy is in the center and only a fraction of it is in the sides, which makes the side track less critical and easier to compress with lossy codecs or with data transmissions. If you lost the side track completely you would still have a good mono track whereas if you'd lose the left channel track you'd lose everything panned hard left. You could maybe give a real-word example with a music track.
@MG53v8: My phones stereo field is stuffed
@CocaCoala: That was the most comprehensive and concise illustration of an M/S-matrix I've seen so far. Thank you for that!
@OctavianMusic: wow!
@jimschliestett5202: What is the use-case for this? If I can relate to the "why", I'd be interested to try this in Logic!
@AudioMasterclass replies to @jimschliestett5202: Processing recordings made with MS microphone technique; processing M and S separately; understanding this important aspect of audio fundamentals; fun!
@DaveChips replies to @jimschliestett5202: If you are using outboars gear, you could easily split audio for dual mono compressor to process mid/side instead of L/R separately, and then sum it back together.
@AudioMasterclass: If you like this video, you're probably a good fit for Audio Masterclass. We'll help you take your recordings from where they are now to a technical standard that's ready for commercial release https://www.audiomasterclass.com/?aid=14
@reptilespantoso: These short tips are nice. I know the tricks/tips/theory myself, but for new users, it's great.
@AudioMasterclass replies to @reptilespantoso: Glad you like them!