Sampling in Mono??

Hey guys up to now I've pretty much sampled everything on my MPC in stereo, but I realise it's generally better to have the likes of drums especially kicks and snares in mono. Do you think it makes a difference to the sound if you convert a stereo sound to a mono on the MPC? Or is it better to sample the sound in mono in the first place? If it is better to sample in mono in the first place then what is the best thing to do if you're sampling from vinyl on a turntable which is a stereo output?

I would go and hear this for myself but I'm waiting on my turntable to get fixed and I also have quite a lot of drum sounds already sampled and I'm just trying to save some time.

Appreciate any advice you guys have

I like to sample in stereo-- depending on your gear, u can choose which channels u wanna use after the fact.

Sampling/recording in stereo is the way to go. You can then add whatever to the main recorded subject in mono if you prefer.

But your best bet is to do your own trial & error so you can see for yourself if you want to go that route or not.

Individual drum hits I try to keep exclusively mono so I can route them via 8-outs correctly later.

For a loop, stereo might be ok, but it just depends on the loop.

You would have to check both the left and right channels to see which one has the better sound.

A lot of sounds though might be very similar on the left and right channels, so it almost doesn't matter which you choose.
Each situation will be different.

i've recently been using MONO for all my drum sounds. sample/sample chops i keep in stereo though.

I use mono because the mpc 60 doesn't have stereo
to make stuff sound more real, take 2 similar snares and pan them 50% left and right and trigger them at the same time

I always use sterio. It adds texture (so I like to think so).

I've pretty much decided what I'm gonna do thanks to all your input so I'm grateful for all your thoughts guys, cheers!

nogginj wrote:Individual drum hits I try to keep exclusively mono so I can route them via 8-outs correctly later.

For a loop, stereo might be ok, but it just depends on the loop.

You would have to check both the left and right channels to see which one has the better sound.

A lot of sounds though might be very similar on the left and right channels, so it almost doesn't matter which you choose.
Each situation will be different.

Cheers man, I wasn't sure if taking a stereo sample and changing it to a mono would split it from the Left channel sound and the Right channel sound. I thought it would split it down the middle or something, now I know it splits L and R I won't bother re-sampling everything, I'll just change the drums to mono and pick whatever sounds best out of L and R, unless they sound much better if they remain stereo.

Grenozh wrote:I use mono because the mpc 60 doesn't have stereo
to make stuff sound more real, take 2 similar snares and pan them 50% left and right and trigger them at the same time

That's a cool idea geez, I'll try some that

All my sounds is done in mono, no matter the gear. I do something like what Grenzo does, but I throw it all into the DAW and pan away. The end result of my work will be in stereo.

Screw stereo... I go mono. Gives me more control over my entire mix. If I need stereo, I'll put the 2 files on 2 diff tracks in Logic/Pro Tools and hard pan em, one L and one R. I can effect both different ways, compress one differently, delay, reverb them differently.. theres so much I can do with both sides separated, rather than being stuck to the stereo file. Jus my 2cents baby

So if the material is already a stereo source and you re-record it twice in mono, how does that equate to a better overall improved stereo source?

Now I agree with tracking instruments & vocals going mono and placing each within the stereo field, because I go about it like this myself. But taking something already processed and adding another level of mixing on top of that doesn't quite add up to me. At this point it seems more like stacking rather than truely mixing.

If a source is already in a finished state, it seems to me that it should be sampled that way to retain it's originality and depth.

But hey, to each his own. It probably does sound better in some cases, but Idk about all the extra processes.

Be careful if you sum the stereo to mono as it can create both cancellation and frequency summing (some frequencies come out louder). This is not the same as the L channel being taken out of the stereo and being used as the primary mono channel (like some processes).

Personally, unless there is varying information on one channel compared to the other, you gain nothing in stereo so all you do is simply add to the filesize. This can also be an issue when dealing with mono sounds at the mix stage, bass being a primary example.

If there is a difference in information on either channel then record in stereo. I have found that creating room ambiances by using stereo miking techniques and re-amping my drum sounds gives both width and depth but then I am recording the room ambiance which will add varying information to either channel. Actually, all this is in my new effects book soon to be released.

However, there is a case to me made for recording in stereo and it comes down to processing at a later stage (using harmonics to distort the file and so on). It is also important to take into account the type of effect you apply when using a stereo or mono processor. You cannot believe how many people make this mistake.

dabmeister wrote:If a source is already in a finished state, it seems to me that it should be sampled that way to retain it's originality and depth.

But hey, to each his own. It probably does sound better in some cases, but Idk about all the extra processes.

i see what your saying, but why take a sample if your not gona chop it, add effects and make it your own?

you can still record it as mono and it woud probably be easyer to sit it in the mix,

the panning of alll your tracks at mixdown is what creates the stereo image.

it doesnt really matter as long as you get the sound your after as a raw sample to the quality you want,
its just another ingredient to add to the mix.

mono drums etc tend to avoid phasing and balancing problems later

lazyE wrote:

dabmeister wrote:If a source is already in a finished state, it seems to me that it should be sampled that way to retain it's originality and depth.

But hey, to each his own. It probably does sound better in some cases, but Idk about all the extra processes.

i see what your saying, but why take a sample if your not gona chop it, add effects and make it your own?

you can still record it as mono and it woud probably be easyer to sit it in the mix,

the panning of alll your tracks at mixdown is what creates the stereo image.

mono drums etc tend to avoid phasing and balancing problems later

Yeah as long as the material is/was recorded in this regard with plans to do all of those things you mentioned.

I might want to have my boy email me some lead & rhythm guitar parts we recorded last week & all are mono of course.

So from my perspective, I'm looking at making my own stereo track with eliments from within that source to play with, add efx, sample, or do whatever.

Now we're moving a bit closer to discussing MIXing.

yeah i suppose i was sending it a bit off topic.
peace