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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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This is not at all about a complaint or bug, just a question.
When i drag and drop individual real drum and realtracks from BIAB to Sonar, the resulting audio clips are in stereo.
As each track is just an individual instrument, does it really make an audible difference, for each instrument to be in stereo, in and of itself?
In Sonar it is very easy for me to right-click on each clip, and select "convert to mono". I am tempted to do that, use less bandwidth, etc.
Of course I will pan each instrument to different places, and the final mix will be in stereo. I am just wondering what the point is, of each individual instrument to be in stereo by itself? Can people hear a difference?
Or perhaps, if one leaves the clips in stereo, should one then not pan the clips in Sonar, but leave them all at center? Are they already panned as a combo, in the way that they were recorded?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Not all RealTracks are in stereo. Those that are take advantage of stereo mic'ing techniques that are common. Say, two mics on an acoustic guitar, one at the body near the soundhole and one over the strings towards the neck.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 225
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OP
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So far, all the clips (RT and RD) that I have dragged to Sonar are in stereo, which perhaps does not mean that the instrument was actually recorded in stereo. Could it be that BIAB defaults to rendering in stereo, regardless of whether that particular RealTrack was actually recorded in stereo? Anyone know? Or, if it renders to stereo, does that mean it is a stereo RT or RD?
Are some of the RD also recorded in stereo, and others mono?
Especially if the track being used was recorded mono, then there is no need to keep the rendered clip in stereo, identical on both sides.
If the original track was recorded in stereo, i'm not sure how many people would hear the difference, to keep the instrument in stereo, or bounce to mono? How many of you hear that difference, with a single instrument?
If however, the stereo recording pans the instrument for a particular setup in an ensemble, that would be something different. I doubt that is the case though. (Please correct me if it is the case.)
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Quote:
So far, all the clips (RT and RD) that I have dragged to Sonar are in stereo, which perhaps does not mean that the instrument was actually recorded in stereo. Could it be that BIAB defaults to rendering in stereo, regardless of whether that particular RealTrack was actually recorded in stereo? Anyone know? Or, if it renders to stereo, does that mean it is a stereo RT or RD?
Was it stereo before you dragged it?
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Are some of the RD also recorded in stereo, and others mono?
RD (realdrums) No, all in stereo as far as I know. Realtracks - Yes, some are mono some are stereo.
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Especially if the track being used was recorded mono, then there is no need to keep the rendered clip in stereo, identical on both sides.
In my opinion this is true
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If the original track was recorded in stereo, i'm not sure how many people would hear the difference, to keep the instrument in stereo, or bounce to mono? How many of you hear that difference, with a single instrument?
I hear it easily. Sometimes I desire that difference, sometimes not. Often I render to two separate mono tracks as I desire them to be panned and even adjust the volume of each channel. YMMV
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If however, the stereo recording pans the instrument for a particular setup in an ensemble, that would be something different. I doubt that is the case though. (Please correct me if it is the case.)
Not as far as I have ever seen. It is stereo recording of an instrument, but not designed to fit in a certain panned location or anything as a default. Could be wrong, just haven't seen it myself.
Last edited by rharv; 03/02/10 05:19 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Maybe you have RealBand set for Stereo?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2004
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OP
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Quote:
Was it stereo before you dragged it?
That I don't know.
When dragging the clip to Sonar, in Sonar one sees the waveform of the clip, and it is easy to see, that they are all (what i have done so far) stereo clips. in BIAB, there is probably a way to look up whether a RT is stereo or mono, but it is not so obvious.
My guess is --by default, BIAB does all rendering in stereo, regardless of whether the original RT is mono or stereo. There is probably a way to change the setting, to render in mono.
If I'm wrong about that, please let me know.
Yes, i doubt that they are recorded as panned in an ensemble. Some orchestral sample libraries do that though. They don't recommend that you pan the instruments, but leave them at center, because they have already panned them as recorded, to their normal place in a symphony orchestra.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Sonar automatically invokes Equal Energy Panning if it is a stereo track.
Which means you can pan with reckless abandon without fear of losing anything.
--Mac
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2004
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Quote:
Sonar automatically invokes Equal Energy Panning if it is a stereo track.
Which means you can pan with reckless abandon without fear of losing anything.
--Mac
What is "Equal Energy Panning"?
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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EE Panning is a way to pan a stereo track without losing the sound balance between the two tracks.
A changing balance between the amount of energy in the L and R track as you roll the Pan control either direction.
That way, if you have a stereo piano track, for example, that has the typical two mic configuration, one over the midlength of the bass strings course and one over the midpoint of the treble hammers, panning the thing hard left or hard right does not result in only hearing half a piano. EE Panning attempts to preserve the original balanced sound as best as it can, regardless of pan position.
You are thus freed to move that stereo piano track to left or right of the center in the soundstage and still have a stereo piano in the mix.
--Mac
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