Hello! Is it possible to get stereo in direct monitoring a digital piano thru a scarlett 2i2?
I´ve read 2i2 only gives mono when direct mon. but maybe someone knows a way around this, messing around with some software/driver perhaps??
Any ideas are welcome! As well as suggesting other usb interfaces in the same pricerange that you know can monitor in stereo...

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

Hi

I'm not sure if the 2i2 can do what you ask, but I believe that the M-Audio M-Track device does allow stereo monitoring. It's a reasonably inexpensive unit.

BTW: Welcome to the forums.

Using both of the inputs/outputs and panning left and right should provide stereo monitoring.

See manual here (page 11)
https://d3se566zfvnmhf.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/focusrite/downloads/7317/scarlett-2i2-user-guide-v2.pdf

Cant find anything about panning or stereo monitoring in that manual page.
So how exactly should I pan? You mean in a DAW? You know theres no way to pan in the actual box...

Focusrite is a good brand. Nice quality and you should easily be able to monitor in stereo. Since the interface has 2 channels, it can and does monitor in stereo. Be sure to use the ASIO driver with the 2i2.

Most of the midi based functions are done in a DAW or in the various music software. Some software packages are more capable than others, so be aware of that upfront.

In Sonar, it's really easy to hear what you're doing in real time. I have my Focusrite set up as my default soundcard. It's my only sound card in the custom built DAW.

All of the Focusrite interfaces should be able to do this. IN fact, if you set the Focusrite up properly, and let it be the DEFAULT sound card, you don't even need any software running for it to echo the audio inputs back to your speakers in real time. To get a digital keyboard to echo back, you will likely need to either run it's audio outputs into the audio inputs in the Focusrite or have a DAW running where you have a sampler set up and running from the keyboard's midi input.

To get stereo monitoring, you must have a stereo source. For audio on the 2i2, that means having a left and a right output from the keyboard and putting one into the 2i2's right channel and the other into the left channel. Waaa laa.... 2 channels and the result is stereo.

With midi, I'm not sure if you can even get stereo from it. I've always dealt with midi as mono. I've never tried to get stereo from midi and don't know if it's possible. It's one of those things I never tried to do of had a need to do. Maybe someone else who works alot with midi can elaborate further on midi and stereo.

MIDI does not have MONO Stereo, it's simply data. The sound source (synth) performs the stereo work.

To OP: I was just pointing out it will sound mono if the two outputs are not panned on their way to the listening device.
The 2i2 headphone out may combine L/R to sound MONO (both centered), but the outputs will remain 2 separate channels (L/R).

It has no mixer applet and may default to using either input panned center, instead of L/R. If it has no control to pan these signals to the headphones (ala mixer applet) it may have both centered.

If I had to make a choice in this situation I'd probably prefer it as is so when recording a single channel (like a vocal mic) it isn't forced to the left side.

Thank you!
Im not sure about getting a Mtrack instead of 2i2, even if it has stereo monitoring I dont think its a good deal..

Believe me, it does not. Not by default at least...




R&L of my dig.piano are plugged into R&L of 2i2, it records amazingly in stereo, but the direct monitoring is still MONO.
Thats normal behavior on this gear, according to THIS review https://simplehomerecording.com/2014/09/25/focusrite-scarlett-2i2-review/ (read the "output" part) I quote "...small complaint is that the direct monitoring is always in mono."

So, anyone know a way to get stereo monitoring? may be some soft or driver?

MAY BE SOMEONE OWNS A 2i2 AND CAN GIVE SOME HINT?

Youre right, maybe some applet allows me to mix and pan the channels, I got it used and got no applet, just downloaded the drivers. Ill check if theres some app...

So..... you mean to tell me that if you plug in a set of stereo headphones, and listen to the playback or the realtime feed, all you can get is MONO?

That would be the first interface I've ever seen that doesn't provide monitoring in stereo, pr more accurately, monitoring of both mono channels at the same time. That would be totally useless and I doubt that Focusrite would do that. Since there are 2 channels in and 2 channels out.... it can handle stereo, and the headphone jack WILL provide a stereo output.

What you have to understand is the interface has 2 mono channels. They set side by side and act as a Left and a Right channel. That said, I use a Focusrite Saffire interface with the same setup. Both inputs are capable of being panned left or right by the DAW. So my Left Saffire input, which is mono, can be panned left, right, or centered. To get stereo, I have to record 2 tracks and pan them in such a manner as to get stereo.

If I want true stereo, I use 2 inputs at the same time (2 mics) or a true stereo source, and pan them center to hard opposite in the DAW.

Remember that the interface is simply a sound card with 2 channels. Set it up wrong and you get mono. Set it up correctly and you get stereo assuming you have stereo source material.

ALSO: My Saffire Focusrite came with a software control panel. This piece of software allows me to set up a number of parameters for the interface. It sets the default input levels and output levels, certain FX levels and I don't recall exactly, but I think it also controls channel assignments and panning presets. If that software control panel is not set up properly, it can be the cause of endless frustration.

You need to login to your Focusrite account, https://us.focusrite.com, go to the Downloads section and download and install the software mixer, Scarlett MixControl.

When you run that, you can monitor with the mixer and hard pan your keyboard left and right. I believe by default, the panning on all the mixer channels is centered which would give you a mono monitor.

The focusrite mixer software does not work with the 2i2.
Well documented.
And I believe the inputs are indeed panned center to the headphones.

However input 1 does go to output 1 and input 2 goes to output2 so it is possible to get stereo.

Well I really dont know about the headphones output, but believe it or not the MAIN LEFT&RIGHT OUTPUTS are certainly NON STEREO (during direct monitor of a stereo digital piano at least), thats my main problem with the 2i2 and the reason of my post.
Yes I agree Focusrite is a remarkable good brand, but this product of their doesnt monitor in stereo and doesnt have a digital mixer applet...

Yes its possible to get stereo, but only in recording situation.
In direct monitor mode, you only get MONO

Anyone know a way to get live monitoring in stereo?

@Leandrusi,
If it helps, with this interface I think you can only direct monitor the inputs as mono. The only possibility to stereo monitor is through the DAW. If you check out the Scarlett 2i4 you will see it has a little switch in the front panel (Mono - Stereo), that means this other interface has the stereo monitoring function. As I can deduct, this surely means the 2i2 doesn't have this function.
I imagine they do this for the following reason:
Imagine that you are recording two different instruments - each one with one channel (for example, a microphone and a guitar). If the direct monitoring is stereo by default, the user would mandatorily hear the microphone in his left ear, and the guitar in his right ear, or left and right speakers in that case. In the case of speakers this can become a bigger problem if the output is to a mono speaker system, as is my case.
As this is an economic interface, I'd say they decided not to implement the physical switch in order to reduce costs. This led them to decide whether doing stereo or mono by default. I think they did that more like a compatibility feature, trying to be effective at most situations.
I was looking for information about this feature of this interface (I'm considering buying it), and finally stepped by here, and I decided to share it in case that can help you or any others. Hope it helps.

bposfaci

The best place got ask this question is at Focusrite's web page. They do Focusrite 24/7, all year long. I'm not even sure about what you are trying to do based on this thread. MIDI itself has no mono or stereo. It is just a series of on or off messages. Your sound source has mono and stereo. If your sound source is indeed your computer/software, you would have to monitor it somewhere, but your Focusrite has a knob on it that mixes the original and the recorded signals. You can turn it one way or the other.

Focusrite can probably answer your question in less than 10 minutes.

"Anyone know a way to get live monitoring in stereo?"


If the warranty is dead, it can have a hard-wired stereo jack installed.

I found a workaround for this issue. I know this is an old topic but it comes up when searching google for "scarlett 2i2 input stereo balance".

This will only change your monitoring to stereo. You will still have to balance each line-in within your DAW.

Turn off direct monitoring
Install/Open Audacity (free)
Select your Project rate in the bottom left corner to match the settings for the 2i2
In the Edit menu, select Preferences
Select Recording then check Software playthrough of input
Close Preferences
Under the transport, select Focusrite USB as your recording source and set it to 2 (Stereo)
Also set your playback device to Focusrite USB
In the top right - Click to Start Monitoring
Minimize Audacity if you're not using it and open your DAW of choice

Leondrusi, Have you found a solution to this problem, because (3 years later) I am having the exact same problem with my digital piano. I've tried everything and can not seem to resolve it. This is the only forum out of dozens upon dozens in which I've found someone with the same complaint. I get all the same responses that you do. Thanks!