Support and discussion for all of Akai’s modern standalone MPCs including the MPC X / X SE, MPC Live 1, 2 & 3, MPC One / One+, MPC Key 37/61.
User avatar
By QuentinB Fri Oct 02, 2020 4:34 pm
NearTao wrote:What issue are you having or trying to prevent?

I'd claim I've been mixing a lot of mono content, but I suspect you're trying to do something outside what I normally do.


I've been researching mixing techniques recently and it's been suggested that I try mixing in mono, then going back to stereo after. It's said that it's a good way to tighten up your mixes. So I've been trying to figure out how to do that in box of the MPC, not really straight forward.
By CharlesRandolph Fri Oct 02, 2020 5:33 pm
QuentinB wrote:Has anyone worked out a method of mixing in mono on the Mpc one or live?


On the live run a 1/4 mono male to dual mono male cable out of 3/4 into single open channel. Then switch just switch outputs on the MPC. 1/2 for stereo and 3/4 for mono. Just be sure to mute when using one or the other.

Image

or

Order something like the passive Heritage Audio Baby RAM 2-channel Monitoring System.
Image
User avatar
By QuentinB Fri Oct 02, 2020 5:46 pm
On the live run a 1/4 mono male to dual mono male cable out of 3/4 into single open channel. Then switch just switch outputs on the MPC. 1/2 for stereo and 3/4 for mono. Just be sure to mute when using one or the other.


I'm on the One but I think I can pull that off with the available inputs and outputs. Might even have one of those cables lying around as well. I'll give it a try, thanks!
By CharlesRandolph Fri Oct 02, 2020 6:01 pm
QuentinB wrote:
I'm on the One but I think I can pull that off with the available inputs and outputs. Might even have one of those cables lying around as well. I'll give it a try, thanks!



You could use 1/4" TS to 3.5mm Mono Interconnect Cable off the headphones into single channel. All this could be avoided, if Akai Pro would program a Stereo to Mono out like they have in the sampler sections.

Image
User avatar
By ACRE Sun Oct 04, 2020 12:06 pm
Hi Quentin B, there must be a workaround to mix in mono in the Mpc. I usually work my mixes, samples, patterns etc etc in mono in my daws & then drop everything in my mpc. & yes, IMO & as many other's, they advice to mix in mono ... if it works in mono it will always in stereo, the opposite is not sure.

check this video, a very famous sound engineer talks about it, very informative actually .


Or, this one also :


Check also this article :
https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/how-to-use-ozone-utilities.html

Or there also,
https://www.mpc-samples.com/article/understanding-stereo-mono

I've been teached also to always mix in mono, afterwards you can then play with the stereo field, stereo widener etc etc, but i think those tools can get your mixes muddier if they're not used correctly.
There are countless articles on the net on this subject.

So, now, talking about mixing in mono in the Mpc only, there must be a way to work it around.
But yeah, i'm sure you can work in mono within the mpc ... theses mpc nowadays can nearly toast your bread :lol:

After a quick google search it appears that yes you can do it !!! Coooool
User avatar
By Lampdog Sun Oct 04, 2020 1:21 pm
elstebbano wrote::idea: ...or just use the stereo widener fx (don’t remember the exact name) and make everything mono there, when you turn the widening to zero..

:nod:

  • AIR Stereo Width
    *on main output path.
    *When finished mixing, bypass it or remove it from the path.

  • Anything else
    *Trying too hard.
    *Doing too much.

:-D


Image
Image
Image
By CharlesRandolph Sun Oct 04, 2020 2:16 pm
Great workaround, I didn't think about the using the stereo width.I was to busy thinking about having a direct button, low level dim mixing, using multi monitor setups, and having the ability to switch when not using the MPC.


Note: I noticed the stereo width has an EQ connected to it, shame it can't be bypass. Does anyone know if alters the signal in any way?
User avatar
By 83dude Sun Oct 04, 2020 4:08 pm
I‘d suggest using Flux‘ Stereo Tool.


Take Engine B, set both channels to Center and lower them both by exactly -3 dB (to compensate for added power). Then, you can use the engine crossfader to switch between stereo (A) and mono (B).
User avatar
By NearTao Thu Oct 08, 2020 5:07 pm
Cases wrote:
NearTao wrote:What issue are you having or trying to prevent?

I'd claim I've been mixing a lot of mono content, but I suspect you're trying to do something outside what I normally do.


Mixing in mono will result in better mixes. Thats what a lot of people learn along the way.


I gathered that from OP's response... personally I generally sample in mono, and work in mono for this reason among others. However, I didn't want to suggest "sample in mono, convert samples to mono" without knowing what the OP was looking to do, since there are other reasons to work entirely in mono... such as outputting audio at an event that only takes a single channel, and you have to worry about phase issues distorting or cancelling your center channel.