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@@droncreation4719 That would be great. I love the sound of Transistor Bass, but when I am makin melodies/riffs, the results in piano roll are not as good, as in its "internal" sequencer - but that sequencer itself is very limited. Maybe its just some of the sequencer´s parameter which cannot be replicated in piano roll..?
@@levondarratt787 why his accent is strange? because it's Scottish, not American? lol, something strange to you might be normal for someone else. I guess you didn't see true nerds lol
Yeah, while I wish there were more frequent videos, I’m so glad Michael focused on quality over quantity. All the information is so clean cut that producers of any skill level can understand and learn from them!
Indeed, love the comparison to "imagine mixing with a low pass filter and then being amazed when you turn it off". Have often wondered how much of the "mono mixing is great" is due to precisely that effect.
I don't have that answer, but all I can say is that I have had one of my music mixed by 2 different engineers. It sounds nice in their studios but when I heard it back on my headphones the vocals were hidding the other instruments quiet a bit. ..but on my phone those instruments literally got hidden under. ( Piano and violins). I started to assume that what I heard about mono compatibility was real.
@@davidcedric3268 I've got the same problem on a mix I'm working on. I have two electric guitars playing the same riff hard panned right and left. On my studio headphones (and any other stereo speaker system) it sounds great but on my phone speaker you can barely hear the electric guitars. I've scoured the internet looking for a way to fix it but no one so far has a satisfactory solution. Nothing I've tried worked. I'm not sure what I should do
I think the main goal is that the mono mix sounds as good (if not better) than the original stereo mix, which usually elevates the new stereo mix as a 'side effect' 😉
@@austinedeclan10 This happened with me as well but with vocals. The vocals hid under music while playing the mix on a phone but the mix sounds pretty good on stereo speaker systems. I have no idea what went wrong.
@@Moktac I ended up changing the amp settings for one guitar so that they're completely different in terms of tone. I think for vocals maybe you can mono your vocal channel. Maybe that'll work
Something I was told early on with producing dance music is that many (most?) club sound systems are setup in mono because there are speakers all over with no true left or right field so it's important to always check how a track sounds in mono to ensure it will translate well to clubs. Since then I've made it a habit to check my mixes in mono throughout the production and take that into account in the mixing process.
This is true, and the big challenge right now is for artists like myself who want to branch slightly out of the underground, which is where streaming comes into play. For a long time I was only producing Techno and Minimal, had success with that on an underground level, but those tracks are built for DJ's and Clubs, period. Now that I am thinking more audience-centric, I have to consider the casual listener as well. So the challenge is keeping that interesting stereo image and depth for them while also making sure it bangs in the club.
I think it’s a good idea to check the mix in mono at various points, along with a variety of other things - like you mentioned just the left and right separately, and just the mids and sides separately. Also, I always listen to a just 250hz and below, a 250hz-6k, and a 6k-20k at various stages just to hear the balance within each of those ranges. ONLY mixing in mono is not what I would ever do, but I guess it works for some people. All that matters is that you get to where you want to go, I suppose 😂
Can you please explain any instance where you have had a problem by mixing in mono? I hear you saying that you would never do it, but I really don't understand where anything would fall apart in doing so... I can certainly see how mixing in stereo might COMPLETELY fall apart, when you play that mix on a stereo system that doesn't have the same response ranges as what you originally mixed for when you were mixing in stereo on a given system. In fact, I would argue that if you mix in stereo, you'd better make sure that your final mastered product is ONLY played on very similar stereo systems.... Otherwise you might find yourself thinking, "what in God's name happened to my music??"
I think perhaps you misunderstood me. I’m not saying I would never do it. I’m saying that I wouldn’t mix ONLY in mono from start to finish. I mix in mono at various points during mixing, and I always check how the mix sounds in mono. What I’m saying is to do both stereo and mono mixing at different times and for different reasons.
@@davidspingler6337 I appreciate your response. I'm not sure if there's anything unforeseen that I'm just not aware of, and that's what I'm trying to figure out. I actually try to steer away from stereo tracks altogether, unless I'm actually recording a live drummer with a mic on every piece... If you have a skilled and dynamic drummer, nothing can really capture his pure natural moves across his set like a stereo track, but I record my guitar, vocals and simple instruments on mono tracks and make panning adjustments when mixing (often automated), and I mix such instruments in mono exclusively, actually, I even mix stereo drum tracks in mono as well. I sometimes think that people are afraid that if they mix in mono, that their final mastered mix will not be in stereo! LOL! If that's the case, then I'm not really worried about mixing exclusively in mono, because I can get robust stereo sound from what I record, and control the full spacial perception this way, and I really don't see any drawbacks... I've never had a problem as far as my own ears tell me... You might here what I do, and think, "this is horrible" LOL!! I dunno... I'm just trying to get opinions... In any event, thanks!
I have to laugh. You youngsters are priceless ! In 1961 when I started d recording, all we had was MONO. One mic, one recorder, one basement. That's how we learned. About rooms, mic placement, gear, the whole works. Even today (2023) I mix EVERYTING in MONO, then I reach for the panorama controls LAST. Most of the problems you discuss never existed in the first place using this method. I never did it any other way. Thanks for posting, Bill P.
Whatever beats I have been able to create are all because of you! You are a gift to the producer community. Thank you for everything you have done and are doing! 🙏🏻💜
i recently used this technique in my latest track and i was AMAZED with the result , i had no ear fatigue , i had better levels , better stereo image , better focus , in short it was secret weapon for me , i started my mix in mono till i finished the project , then i switched back to stereo and did final adjustment and then i rendered my track for mastering , i think i'll do it for all my tracks .
That's my method for when I do a pre-mix for all channels. Mono is key because it meshes all those sounds together and its great for kickdrum, snares and hi-hats and all types of shakers
Oho! I agree with that final point so much! One of the reasons productions can take so long for myself and other producers I know is that we all mix our tracks in different circumstances. For example, I've started mixing the mids and sides separately, then mixing them together in stereo, then listening back on my headphones, in the car, on my speakers, etc. It might add an extra day, but it's well worth it to know how things will behave in those situations.
Mixing to me is so boring and tedious, but I always In The Mix because he gives you the information you need from a real professional perspective in an understandable way. Great work!
Dude your content is like getting one of those expensive courses for free. It's amazing how well produced you videos are and how much effor you put on it. You can be sure you're helping a ton of people that rely on internet for education. You the true GOAT!! 🐐🔥
I find that turning the stereo width knob on the master track only part way to full mono gives the most useful results. Full mono is mostly a thing of the past, but this method gives more of a sense of what less perfectly stereo situations might sound like. For mixing, I still like just turning the volume down very low to hear if anything is sticking out too much, or too inaudible.
@@thestreetdisciple3955 Yeah, as I'm aware the volume down approach is pretty well-known, although now that ya mention it, I don't hear it mentioned much ... . Either way, it works like a charm. Really helps take me out of the loud=good state of mind and focus on the mix.
@@TheSwircle987 so right, I guess from watching people I really picked up from a few engineers methods working with the gear or in the box. I'm not in school so I gotta really watch closely (and listen) as much as I can lol.
One thing I do not like in mixing in mono is that some producers have extremely wide sounds, like basses sounds very (tbh way too much) wide and when listening in mono 80% of those sounds dissapears. So would say to all producers out there to be carefull with sound design and pre-mixing, do not abuse of widener even tho this sounds like ear candy on certain sounds. You do not want to get your sounds off on some audio supports. Great video, just realized I've been watching your videos for a while and never subscribed, so now done and thanks for all that content ! Greetings
I've found that inserting a Patcher (which I use to EQ mid and side, or stereo, information separately) on the master track removes the "summing" of the audio information and makes mixes come out more clear and cohesive in the full stereo mix. The quick version is, you split the audio into mono-only and stereo-only signals with a stereo separator. Then, when you mix, turn off the stereo signal in patcher by right-clicking the signal "cord" going to your stereo EQ. You'll hear the center information minus the stereo. Get levels close to where you want, then turn off the mono and turn on the stereo signals. Here you'll be fine tuning your mix, so you need a good ear. The benefit is that you hear all of (and only) your stereo signal, but IN mono. I've found it much easier to mix the levels properly this way. If you, for instance, add more stereo separation to an element, it will just get louder in the stereo signal, and won't push signal to the left and right. Adjust the level to get the sound near where you started, then turn the mono signal back on. Now, added with the mono, the full stereo mix will sound cleaner and more full, with better sounding levels. It's definitely a more advanced technique, but if we're talking about making mono-mixing beneficial, this is the best way I know.
Nailed it with your last tip. My UE Boom will immediately show me issues in my low end, while my track will show me if I have width issues. Also, just putting it on while driving casually let’s my ear pick up obvious transients like your headphone idea. At some point it’s important to just take role of casual listener.
A lot of respect that you keep your videos so educational. It is incredibly valuable that you do not dive into the swamp of pure gear review channels. 💪 Greetings from switzerland.
I've noticed you guys have put more work in the recent months to sperate all the parts of the videos very concisely. I know its a youtube feature but I can see you've gone the extra mile pre production to utilize it. I gotta say I appreciate it.
Glad to hear that you do convert your master into different formats and listen to what it would actually sound like. Sometimes, I get lazy and try to find an excuse not to do so, hence its refreshing to know that a pro actually does that.
An audio newbie here… I have watched dozens of vids on this particular topic (mixing in mono vs stereo) and this is the ONLY vid that I can follow all the way and understand. I love your delivery and clear explanation without using too many professional terms.
very well explained and thoughtful taking care of strong opinions ;) I think you showcased this topic very well, mixing in mono is probably not the best, but checking back in mono is definitely good, I will also try checking back only left and right from now on! thanks michael :)
I think you explained this topic very well. Since I started working with a DAW only a few months ago, its still very hard for me to understand most of the stuff teached in videos. But I could totally follow you and I understood everything, so thank you :)
My advice is to keep the tutorials you think relevant on a playlist, that way you can look at them again when you reach certain stages in your "audio engineering development". This has helped me a lot. Although I watched the tutorials a couple of months ago when I got the interface and started recording at home, as you know, they don't all sink in at once. Once you reach certain points in the process, you can watch the tutorials on the specific subject you need help with at the time and you'll get much more out of them, you can't learn everything at once!
U said something that is correct, almost everybody preferes listen to music in stereo but i would like to add that almost nobody listen to music in perfect stereo position (except headphones). Most of the times people listen to music in unbalanced position or to far away from the 2 speakers that it almost colapse to mono, thats when a good mono mix will shine over a just just good stereo mix...
Seriously, I learn a lot from your videos and the results are fantastic thank you for everything And I promise one day you will host me on 1 of your videos 😊❤️
Thanks for explaining this! It used to drive me mad when my hard panned rhythm guitars disappeared in mono! In time, I started to simply not worry about it, but now I know what the reason for this "problem" was.
Who needs college when you have In The Mix. Another awesome video friend. I cannot tell you how valuable some of your videos are for a beginner like me just trying to make some good sounding tasty jams. Keep up the great work
Ive been producing for a year now, and learning something new, something like this is awesome, never tought of this, thanks to youtube I got this recommended !
Yo. MREZDOEZIT here!! Just here to say that i learn something everytime i watch one of your videos and to me, hands down, you are the easiest person to listen to and understand. You do great educational videos and i just wanted to commend and thank you for all your insight. I look forward to working with you in the near future. God bless.
Another great video! I do spend some time mixing in mono, specially when I apply EQ, but all the arguments you present are very valid and make a lot of sense. I think you nailed it when you suggested that mixing in mono is just another tool to check and not the secret for a great mix. Love the content in your channel!
One thing I have noticed a lot when checking in mono, is how it effects reverb, reverb can sound lush in stereo but a lot more dry in mono, if not mixed properly. I think its a good idea to constantly switch between mono and stereo when mixing. When I listen to pro mixed audio it always sounds just as good in mono.
Man your music sounds so soothing, your mixes are precise and I honestly can't imagine how long it's going to take me to get to this level. I literally know ALL your videos and it's just so hard for me to grasp... but giving up is not an option, especially when you live in South Africa. I love you Michael, no homo. You're amazing and what I've learned from you is A LOT. big ups man.
I was recently trying out the idea of EQ'ing different frequency ranges on the entire Master Out channel to hear if certain parts are clashing and or a bit too loud. Seems to work well, nothing wrong with just trying many things as long as it works
Very useful as always! What I often think when listening to classic tunes from the 50s, 60s or 70s where engineers didn't have all those tools in place we have at our disposal today: Just an analog console and outboard gear and those mixes still translate to every sound system today - from crappy mono speakers to high-end stereo systems that hadn't even been around at the time the song had been recorded and mixed in the first place.
Great content as always, I tried mixing in mono once but it took some of the fun away from the process so I went back to stereo, probably not the best reason but my reason.
Hi Michael, from what I've experienced, when I'm showing a friend music or checking out someone elses music, I often reach for my phone coz it's the easiest thing to reach. So that's the reason I think mixing in mono is helpful, because most people won't necessarily want to reach for their earphones immediately. Then once they have their first impression of the track and don't like, chances are they'd never listen to it again, even if it sounded amazing on all other platforms
Stereo is the standard for smart phones these days. My old phone was in mono so I understand the importance though! If possible, try to make that first listen in headphones because it’ll just sound so much better!
Music does sound so much better in stereo, no doubt. But unfortunately we're way past the times when we were celebrating new songs and actually listening to a new piece the best way possible. In the age of Alexa and low budget bluetooth speakers (even the Bose Revolve or the Marshall Acton speakers are mono), I wouldn't be able to play my songs to any of my friends or family without totally disgracing myself if they didn't sound well in mono... It's not like people will make an effort to be sure your song sounds good. If it doesn't -- while any other song on Spotify will -- you're out.
Lots of great points discussed in this video! Personally, I believe mixing in mono should only be used to check for correlation issues between the left & right channels, and balancing your levels. Multiband correlation meters are enough to address this issue and perhaps offer a bit more of what you can't hear when mixing with your own ears in mono. While mono compatability is important, stereo compatability is also critical. So as an word of advice, check your mix in mono from time to time to set your levels and identify possible issues in timing differences between correlated signals (phase). Use a correlation to see if it's actually a problem or not. If everything's in the green, you have nothing to worry about! Only use mono as a reference, not as a guide! Happy mixing!
@@Darfail I personally use 2BC MultiCORR by MAAT because it's a multicorrelation meter that comes really handy when mixing. Voxengo has some multicorrelation meters, but aren't as visual as MAAT. MAAT also has a free correlation meter called 2BusControl which is not multiband, but it definitely helps you identify some troublespots in your mixes.
Woah! I've been struggling with making the bass and kick both pop in the mix of one of my songs. I tried reversing the polarity of the kick, which I had never thought to have done before, and it sounds so much better. Thank you!
Good vid. As someone who has been mixing for a living for the past 20 years. In some cases I start mixing in mono then switch to stereo or vice versa and other times not at all. It depends on the song and the track count. If there are tons of tracks in similar frequencies ranges phasing masking,, MONO sometimes helps get better perspective when frequencies clash or mask, but most of the time I mix in stereo...and sometimes just listen to tracks panned to the left together then check the right all together.
This is pretty much spot on, when I'm mixing I do the bulk of it in stereo but will quickly switch to mono to check for any phase cancellation issues, once I've dealt with that I go back to stereo The other thing I do a lot is mid/side eqing so that everything below about 150-200hz is mono in my final mix
I recently started to perform an optional "smartphone check": I render MP3 in good quality and listen to the mix through a smartphone loudspeaker with different volume settings. Though it sounds super extreme, this way helps to detect (or confirm) some problems, especially with bass and drums. As for the mono-test, I assume it is useful to check the mix with Bluetooth battery-powered loudspeakers which are stereo in terms of a number of speakers, but actually mono due to a tiny size. I will probably buy one for mix checking.
I agree. I have a Bluetooth speaker as well and it really does help mixing everything. It’s also helped me learn to have a “sense” of what may or may not sound good on less than stellar speakers - of course it’s not perfect but the general sense of where things need to sit in the mix for speakers that aren’t studio-grade is immensely helpful.
Thanks for the video. I started questioning the merit of mixing in mono and if I should started to use the technique as well so your video came to a very good time. What interests me most though is when you spoke about running it through different encoding simulations (11:59) what did you mean? Where is the difference in sound and what is a encoding simulation in general? I really learn a lot through your videos so keep up the good work and have a great day!
iZotope Ozone 9 Advanced has a feature called Codec Preview that is very useful for this. You can preview what your track will sound like when compressed by different codecs and bit rates.
If you have phasing issues with certain elements in the mix, you'll find either they disappear or huge volume drop when you switch to mono. The easiest and fastest way to fix these phasing issues that I know of is in Harrison Mixbus where you just region select all your tracks, right-click and optimize polarity.
I had never known or thought of the hard panning -> 50 % volume in mono (compared to no hard panning), great point! I guess I've never even panned stuff hard right or left, maybe that's why. I find useful all these that you talked about (y) In FL I assign one button from my midi controller to the master stereo to change between normal and 100 % mono at any time with one click, very handy, and very fast to compare in whichever situation. Choose latch from the "mode" menu in the "link to controller" pop-up menu, and write input + 0.5 as the formula, otherwise you'll change between 100 % stereo and 100 % mono instead of "normal" stereo and 100 % mono. An important handy concept I noticed just some time ago: ozone EQ, ozone imager and TDR Nova (TDR is free) change absolutely nothing in the mono signal when you cut or boost the side channel volume or stereo width. In English, they are very, very handy stereo tools that do not change your mono quality at all, and TDR Nova (free) and Ozone EQ (not free) can therefore be used as very precise stereo enhancers instead of Ozone Imager (the multiband one is not free). So if you cut all frequencies from the side channels, you're left with the exact same mono sound as when you make the channel output 100 % mono, and you don't have to worry about your mono when adjusting stereo. I think drum and snare sound better when they're at least a bit monoish or even completely mono. Symbals in stereo, especially with beautiful reverb and delay effects. When doing sound design, I always check every sound in mono while building and adjusting (especially unison, chorus, phaser, flanger, detune, layering). Also, some lead sounds (also from FLEX) just are inherently bad in stereo because of phaser/flanger/chorus/the like, and sometimes you have nothing you can do about it (no knob to tweak to fix it), and they at least need to be doubled or supported with another lead to ensure that the sound isn't dying in mono. Ever since one song when I first used sytrus to synthesize a complex lead, where I hadn't done that, only to find out later that it pretty much killed itself in mono (fixed by adjusting the unison settings, which in Sytrus you can very easily use to kill your monocompatibility).
Michael your neutrality is amazing. But your point has been clear and heard... I like how also your accent is almost perfectly neutral we don't need to be all brits to fully benefit from your knowledge. Thanks so much you're a gift to us.
one thing I need to point out (or add on) is that there are many "pan laws" in your DAW, different pan laws give you different reduction on overall level when you pan an instrument. from my knowledge, Logic Pro has such feature to choose which pan law you want to go. some pan laws is measured by level and others might be measured by other factors. my point is that such pan law differences might change how you perceive a stereo mix in mono. my advice (though might be ignorant and lacking of profession) is firstly try different pan laws see how they go, and then compare the mono mix to the stereo specifically for the panned tracks
First of all thanks for this Amazing Guide! I think Mix in Mono should be the First step before you start applying FX. Reverb,delays ,Even compressors that can add volume will confuse most Producers. Either way I think it's a great tip for OBSERVING &LISTENNING to your instruments and also for getting the full potential of the dynamics of every sound by checking for phase issues. If you can get the full dynamics without compressors on the mono just by correcting phasing issues then you can go a lot smoother on the compression step which comes along . Please let me know your thoughts on this!
Thank you so much for real 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 It really helps me whenever I wanna search something, learn and know about something and find you explaining them on the spot. ❤️ Thank you again
I check CONSTANTLY back and forth from my mains and a mono mixcube. I can one hundred percent get a BETTER general balance and sound in minutes on the mono cube. But for some wide stereo stuff I have to mix it in stereo to get it sitting right. And then if I switch to mono and can still fell it there, I feel I’ve done good.
Mix how you want, but, in my unprofessional opinion, you should be making your music the way your potential audience will consume it, In stereo. 11:00 explains perfectly
Fair enough. But It depends what device we are talking about when we think stereo: headphones, stereo phone speakers or speakers at home? I have experienced having a nice mix coming off my headphones, or even at the studio and in the car, but was totally muddy and unbalanced on the computer stereo, phone and home hi-fi system. Small space between 2 speakers collapse into mono from a relative distance. The small space such as on a phone makes it that when you are a meter away, it collapses into mono. On the other hand super clear quality stereo image in a studio where the space between you and the speakers is small ( similar situation in a car), you can hear separation much easier. Hence why I think mono compatibility has its importance.
dont get me wrong. Compatibility is important. That being said, mixing entirely in mono and the switching to stereo and thinking the mix sounds good because of that is exactly like what he explains at 11:00 . you just listened to a super thin mix for an hour. Of course it sounds better when you turn it to stereo. Everything is relative.
Finally this is being discussed. I was wondering if someone would ever try to explain to people that mixing in mono all the time won't exactly help. but even then I end up not using it that much because I have a template where my instrument busses are easily replaced in other sides of the mix.
As always amazing video. One of the last things you talked about was "You render your song to diffirent mp3 bitrates and that CAN reveal problems (mainly the high end)" I know this problem to damn well. i and probably many other producers struggle with this harsh high-end on lower bitrates. I would love to see a video how you would go about fixing these issues. I tried so many things and can't get it to work where i like the song as it is in the DAW and the quality isn't awful to the point where i don't know where to start TRYING to fix the Problem.
One place to start is with the true peak loudness. I find that in songs with a bright top end/ lots of high frequencies it’s best to keep the true peak loudness slightly lowers (a few 0.1dB increments lower) and this can often do wonders
I've used this recently on accident XD after spending 2 hours trying to figure out why my track felt a bit thin I noticed it had been on Mono.... it;s now my cleanest mix to date, also the latest, which also is a thing :P
We have just started a new Community challenge on our Discord Server. There are over $1000 worth of prizes to be won so please do head over there and join in.
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Thnx for these great contents
Can you cover advance level of transistor bass ....
How to use it properly
@@droncreation4719 That would be great. I love the sound of Transistor Bass, but when I am makin melodies/riffs, the results in piano roll are not as good, as in its "internal" sequencer - but that sequencer itself is very limited. Maybe its just some of the sequencer´s parameter which cannot be replicated in piano roll..?
Are you not continuing the new sounds design series?
Should I record a vocal or guitar in mono or stereo? I always record in mono, is this a problem?
Hearing “Hello and welcome back to the channel” is like a warm hug ❤️
Dude his voice is soo soothing
He is just a treat to ears❤
Big time
lol, only if you like funny nerds like that guy with strange accents or are a 55 plus years old female....
@@levondarratt787 why his accent is strange? because it's Scottish, not American? lol, something strange to you might be normal for someone else. I guess you didn't see true nerds lol
I've been producing for 14 years and this is just about the only channel i watch on the topic anymore. Very good stuff
@@DuskfoxOfficial that's awesome! Keep at it, don't give it up. Learn all you can!
Watch Kush After Hours
Yeah, while I wish there were more frequent videos, I’m so glad Michael focused on quality over quantity. All the information is so clean cut that producers of any skill level can understand and learn from them!
Indeed, love the comparison to "imagine mixing with a low pass filter and then being amazed when you turn it off". Have often wondered how much of the "mono mixing is great" is due to precisely that effect.
I don't have that answer, but all I can say is that I have had one of my music mixed by 2 different engineers. It sounds nice in their studios but when I heard it back on my headphones the vocals were hidding the other instruments quiet a bit. ..but on my phone those instruments literally got hidden under. ( Piano and violins). I started to assume that what I heard about mono compatibility was real.
@@davidcedric3268 I've got the same problem on a mix I'm working on. I have two electric guitars playing the same riff hard panned right and left. On my studio headphones (and any other stereo speaker system) it sounds great but on my phone speaker you can barely hear the electric guitars. I've scoured the internet looking for a way to fix it but no one so far has a satisfactory solution. Nothing I've tried worked. I'm not sure what I should do
I think the main goal is that the mono mix sounds as good (if not better) than the original stereo mix, which usually elevates the new stereo mix as a 'side effect' 😉
@@austinedeclan10 This happened with me as well but with vocals. The vocals hid under music while playing the mix on a phone but the mix sounds pretty good on stereo speaker systems. I have no idea what went wrong.
@@Moktac I ended up changing the amp settings for one guitar so that they're completely different in terms of tone. I think for vocals maybe you can mono your vocal channel. Maybe that'll work
You're consistently one of the top UA-cam channels for great tips and tutorials in music production. Great video!
Something I was told early on with producing dance music is that many (most?) club sound systems are setup in mono because there are speakers all over with no true left or right field so it's important to always check how a track sounds in mono to ensure it will translate well to clubs. Since then I've made it a habit to check my mixes in mono throughout the production and take that into account in the mixing process.
which is funny with dance producers getting all 256 bit abbey road studios with their productions now 😃
This is true, and the big challenge right now is for artists like myself who want to branch slightly out of the underground, which is where streaming comes into play. For a long time I was only producing Techno and Minimal, had success with that on an underground level, but those tracks are built for DJ's and Clubs, period. Now that I am thinking more audience-centric, I have to consider the casual listener as well. So the challenge is keeping that interesting stereo image and depth for them while also making sure it bangs in the club.
@@subtractivemusic I make techno too. My artist channel is @MarkWiseTechno where I post my podcasts and music on here.
I think it’s a good idea to check the mix in mono at various points, along with a variety of other things - like you mentioned just the left and right separately, and just the mids and sides separately. Also, I always listen to a just 250hz and below, a 250hz-6k, and a 6k-20k at various stages just to hear the balance within each of those ranges.
ONLY mixing in mono is not what I would ever do, but I guess it works for some people. All that matters is that you get to where you want to go, I suppose 😂
That’s a really good idea David. Very well put!
Can you please explain any instance where you have had a problem by mixing in mono? I hear you saying that you would never do it, but I really don't understand where anything would fall apart in doing so... I can certainly see how mixing in stereo might COMPLETELY fall apart, when you play that mix on a stereo system that doesn't have the same response ranges as what you originally mixed for when you were mixing in stereo on a given system. In fact, I would argue that if you mix in stereo, you'd better make sure that your final mastered product is ONLY played on very similar stereo systems.... Otherwise you might find yourself thinking, "what in God's name happened to my music??"
I think perhaps you misunderstood me. I’m not saying I would never do it. I’m saying that I wouldn’t mix ONLY in mono from start to finish. I mix in mono at various points during mixing, and I always check how the mix sounds in mono. What I’m saying is to do both stereo and mono mixing at different times and for different reasons.
@@davidspingler6337 I appreciate your response. I'm not sure if there's anything unforeseen that I'm just not aware of, and that's what I'm trying to figure out. I actually try to steer away from stereo tracks altogether, unless I'm actually recording a live drummer with a mic on every piece... If you have a skilled and dynamic drummer, nothing can really capture his pure natural moves across his set like a stereo track, but I record my guitar, vocals and simple instruments on mono tracks and make panning adjustments when mixing (often automated), and I mix such instruments in mono exclusively, actually, I even mix stereo drum tracks in mono as well. I sometimes think that people are afraid that if they mix in mono, that their final mastered mix will not be in stereo! LOL! If that's the case, then I'm not really worried about mixing exclusively in mono, because I can get robust stereo sound from what I record, and control the full spacial perception this way, and I really don't see any drawbacks... I've never had a problem as far as my own ears tell me... You might here what I do, and think, "this is horrible" LOL!! I dunno... I'm just trying to get opinions... In any event, thanks!
I have to laugh.
You youngsters are priceless !
In 1961 when I started d recording, all we had was MONO.
One mic, one recorder, one basement.
That's how we learned.
About rooms, mic placement, gear, the whole works.
Even today (2023) I mix EVERYTING in MONO, then I reach for the panorama controls LAST.
Most of the problems you discuss never existed in the first place using this method.
I never did it any other way.
Thanks for posting,
Bill P.
Whatever beats I have been able to create are all because of you! You are a gift to the producer community. Thank you for everything you have done and are doing! 🙏🏻💜
Thanks, Manasi!
@@inthemix which encoding simulating software would you recommend to test a mix?
Now you gotta give him royalties 🤣🤣🤣
when i win a grammy michael will be in my acceptance speech
ok
best of luck my man!
i recently used this technique in my latest track and i was AMAZED with the result , i had no ear fatigue , i had better levels , better stereo image , better focus , in short it was secret weapon for me , i started my mix in mono till i finished the project , then i switched back to stereo and did final adjustment and then i rendered my track for mastering , i think i'll do it for all my tracks .
That's my method for when I do a pre-mix for all channels. Mono is key because it meshes all those sounds together and its great for kickdrum, snares and hi-hats and all types of shakers
Oho! I agree with that final point so much!
One of the reasons productions can take so long for myself and other producers I know is that we all mix our tracks in different circumstances.
For example, I've started mixing the mids and sides separately, then mixing them together in stereo, then listening back on my headphones, in the car, on my speakers, etc.
It might add an extra day, but it's well worth it to know how things will behave in those situations.
Mixing to me is so boring and tedious, but I always In The Mix because he gives you the information you need from a real professional perspective in an understandable way. Great work!
Dude your content is like getting one of those expensive courses for free. It's amazing how well produced you videos are and how much effor you put on it. You can be sure you're helping a ton of people that rely on internet for education. You the true GOAT!! 🐐🔥
I find that turning the stereo width knob on the master track only part way to full mono gives the most useful results. Full mono is mostly a thing of the past, but this method gives more of a sense of what less perfectly stereo situations might sound like.
For mixing, I still like just turning the volume down very low to hear if anything is sticking out too much, or too inaudible.
Makes sense - thanks for sharing
Yo same thought I was the only one, only something like compression to hear the tweaking correctly is something I have to turn up to hear better
@@thestreetdisciple3955 Yeah, as I'm aware the volume down approach is pretty well-known, although now that ya mention it, I don't hear it mentioned much ... . Either way, it works like a charm. Really helps take me out of the loud=good state of mind and focus on the mix.
@@TheSwircle987 so right, I guess from watching people I really picked up from a few engineers methods working with the gear or in the box. I'm not in school so I gotta really watch closely (and listen) as much as I can lol.
One thing I do not like in mixing in mono is that some producers have extremely wide sounds, like basses sounds very (tbh way too much) wide and when listening in mono 80% of those sounds dissapears.
So would say to all producers out there to be carefull with sound design and pre-mixing, do not abuse of widener even tho this sounds like ear candy on certain sounds. You do not want to get your sounds off on some audio supports.
Great video, just realized I've been watching your videos for a while and never subscribed, so now done and thanks for all that content !
Greetings
I've found that inserting a Patcher (which I use to EQ mid and side, or stereo, information separately) on the master track removes the "summing" of the audio information and makes mixes come out more clear and cohesive in the full stereo mix.
The quick version is, you split the audio into mono-only and stereo-only signals with a stereo separator. Then, when you mix, turn off the stereo signal in patcher by right-clicking the signal "cord" going to your stereo EQ.
You'll hear the center information minus the stereo.
Get levels close to where you want, then turn off the mono and turn on the stereo signals. Here you'll be fine tuning your mix, so you need a good ear. The benefit is that you hear all of (and only) your stereo signal, but IN mono.
I've found it much easier to mix the levels properly this way. If you, for instance, add more stereo separation to an element, it will just get louder in the stereo signal, and won't push signal to the left and right.
Adjust the level to get the sound near where you started, then turn the mono signal back on.
Now, added with the mono, the full stereo mix will sound cleaner and more full, with better sounding levels.
It's definitely a more advanced technique, but if we're talking about making mono-mixing beneficial, this is the best way I know.
Seriously???
I was just thinking about this topic and your video notification pop up!!!
Appreciate you man!❤️
He is a wizard.
@@realhuman5688 😂😂
The algorithm is getting better
Nailed it with your last tip. My UE Boom will immediately show me issues in my low end, while my track will show me if I have width issues. Also, just putting it on while driving casually let’s my ear pick up obvious transients like your headphone idea.
At some point it’s important to just take role of casual listener.
A lot of respect that you keep your videos so educational. It is incredibly valuable that you do not dive into the swamp of pure gear review channels. 💪
Greetings from switzerland.
I've noticed you guys have put more work in the recent months to sperate all the parts of the videos very concisely. I know its a youtube feature but I can see you've gone the extra mile pre production to utilize it. I gotta say I appreciate it.
You made some great points in this video! It's not just mix in mono and everything will be alright. Thanks for your clarity and information!
Glad to hear that you do convert your master into different formats and listen to what it would actually sound like. Sometimes, I get lazy and try to find an excuse not to do so, hence its refreshing to know that a pro actually does that.
Absolutely the best teacher I've ever heard.
Bravissimo!
Theres so many videos of techniques I look into, but yours are always by far the most informative and trustworthy. Thank you for these !
An audio newbie here… I have watched dozens of vids on this particular topic (mixing in mono vs stereo) and this is the ONLY vid that I can follow all the way and understand. I love your delivery and clear explanation without using too many professional terms.
This channel drops the rarest of gems... loving the content!
i have been watching every video for years thanks for all that help, much love
Glad to see you again with a brand new tutorial
very well explained and thoughtful taking care of strong opinions ;)
I think you showcased this topic very well, mixing in mono is probably not the best, but checking back in mono is definitely good, I will also try checking back only left and right from now on! thanks michael :)
I think you explained this topic very well. Since I started working with a DAW only a few months ago, its still very hard for me to understand most of the stuff teached in videos. But I could totally follow you and I understood everything, so thank you :)
My advice is to keep the tutorials you think relevant on a playlist, that way you can look at them again when you reach certain stages in your "audio engineering development". This has helped me a lot. Although I watched the tutorials a couple of months ago when I got the interface and started recording at home, as you know, they don't all sink in at once. Once you reach certain points in the process, you can watch the tutorials on the specific subject you need help with at the time and you'll get much more out of them, you can't learn everything at once!
Great advice
U said something that is correct, almost everybody preferes listen to music in stereo but i would like to add that almost nobody listen to music in perfect stereo position (except headphones). Most of the times people listen to music in unbalanced position or to far away from the 2 speakers that it almost colapse to mono, thats when a good mono mix will shine over a just just good stereo mix...
Seriously, I learn a lot from your videos and the results are fantastic thank you for everything
And I promise one day you will host me on 1 of your videos 😊❤️
Thanks for explaining this! It used to drive me mad when my hard panned rhythm guitars disappeared in mono! In time, I started to simply not worry about it, but now I know what the reason for this "problem" was.
Who needs college when you have In The Mix. Another awesome video friend. I cannot tell you how valuable some of your videos are for a beginner like me just trying to make some good sounding tasty jams. Keep up the great work
Ive been producing for a year now, and learning something new, something like this is awesome, never tought of this, thanks to youtube I got this recommended !
Yo. MREZDOEZIT here!! Just here to say that i learn something everytime i watch one of your videos and to me, hands down, you are the easiest person to listen to and understand. You do great educational videos and i just wanted to commend and thank you for all your insight. I look forward to working with you in the near future. God bless.
Another great video! I do spend some time mixing in mono, specially when I apply EQ, but all the arguments you present are very valid and make a lot of sense. I think you nailed it when you suggested that mixing in mono is just another tool to check and not the secret for a great mix. Love the content in your channel!
One thing I have noticed a lot when checking in mono, is how it effects reverb, reverb can sound lush in stereo but a lot more dry in mono, if not mixed properly. I think its a good idea to constantly switch between mono and stereo when mixing. When I listen to pro mixed audio it always sounds just as good in mono.
Excellent video.
You Rock, Man
You've added so much value to my understanding of Mixing.
Man your music sounds so soothing, your mixes are precise and I honestly can't imagine how long it's going to take me to get to this level. I literally know ALL your videos and it's just so hard for me to grasp... but giving up is not an option, especially when you live in South Africa. I love you Michael, no homo. You're amazing and what I've learned from you is A LOT. big ups man.
Big up fellow Azanian 🇿🇦
I was recently trying out the idea of EQ'ing different frequency ranges on the entire Master Out channel to hear if certain parts are clashing and or a bit too loud. Seems to work well, nothing wrong with just trying many things as long as it works
You guys deserve so much more and it's all gonna reach you. Thank you!!!
This is the most comprehensive video on this topic.
Very useful as always! What I often think when listening to classic tunes from the 50s, 60s or 70s where engineers didn't have all those tools in place we have at our disposal today: Just an analog console and outboard gear and those mixes still translate to every sound system today - from crappy mono speakers to high-end stereo systems that hadn't even been around at the time the song had been recorded and mixed in the first place.
Great content as always, I tried mixing in mono once but it took some of the fun away from the process so I went back to stereo, probably not the best reason but my reason.
8:28
Hi Michael, from what I've experienced, when I'm showing a friend music or checking out someone elses music, I often reach for my phone coz it's the easiest thing to reach. So that's the reason I think mixing in mono is helpful, because most people won't necessarily want to reach for their earphones immediately. Then once they have their first impression of the track and don't like, chances are they'd never listen to it again, even if it sounded amazing on all other platforms
Stereo is the standard for smart phones these days. My old phone was in mono so I understand the importance though! If possible, try to make that first listen in headphones because it’ll just sound so much better!
Music does sound so much better in stereo, no doubt. But unfortunately we're way past the times when we were celebrating new songs and actually listening to a new piece the best way possible. In the age of Alexa and low budget bluetooth speakers (even the Bose Revolve or the Marshall Acton speakers are mono), I wouldn't be able to play my songs to any of my friends or family without totally disgracing myself if they didn't sound well in mono... It's not like people will make an effort to be sure your song sounds good. If it doesn't -- while any other song on Spotify will -- you're out.
Brilliant explanation of this whole stereo/mono setup.
Lots of great points discussed in this video! Personally, I believe mixing in mono should only be used to check for correlation issues between the left & right channels, and balancing your levels. Multiband correlation meters are enough to address this issue and perhaps offer a bit more of what you can't hear when mixing with your own ears in mono. While mono compatability is important, stereo compatability is also critical. So as an word of advice, check your mix in mono from time to time to set your levels and identify possible issues in timing differences between correlated signals (phase). Use a correlation to see if it's actually a problem or not. If everything's in the green, you have nothing to worry about! Only use mono as a reference, not as a guide! Happy mixing!
Thanks for the tips. Which plugin do you recommend for this?
@@Darfail I personally use 2BC MultiCORR by MAAT because it's a multicorrelation meter that comes really handy when mixing. Voxengo has some multicorrelation meters, but aren't as visual as MAAT. MAAT also has a free correlation meter called 2BusControl which is not multiband, but it definitely helps you identify some troublespots in your mixes.
@@shinyukomusic cool thanks so much
Been watching your work for a while and I just want to say that you are an absolute gem! Thank you for everything you've done and all the tutorials! 🙂
Thank you so much for the kind words :)
Woah! I've been struggling with making the bass and kick both pop in the mix of one of my songs. I tried reversing the polarity of the kick, which I had never thought to have done before, and it sounds so much better. Thank you!
The only channel that trains, informs and empowers for free. Thanks #Michael
Appreciate you keeping it legit man!
Good vid. As someone who has been mixing for a living for the past 20 years. In some cases I start mixing in mono then switch to stereo or vice versa and other times not at all. It depends on the song and the track count. If there are tons of tracks in similar frequencies ranges phasing masking,, MONO sometimes helps get better perspective when frequencies clash or mask, but most of the time I mix in stereo...and sometimes just listen to tracks panned to the left together then check the right all together.
Super informative
Definitely check in mono! Especially to check the bass
Checking the phase of the bass range has definitely improved my mixes
This is pretty much spot on, when I'm mixing I do the bulk of it in stereo but will quickly switch to mono to check for any phase cancellation issues, once I've dealt with that I go back to stereo
The other thing I do a lot is mid/side eqing so that everything below about 150-200hz is mono in my final mix
Your channel has been a game changer for me. Thank you for the content.
I recently started to perform an optional "smartphone check": I render MP3 in good quality and listen to the mix through a smartphone loudspeaker with different volume settings. Though it sounds super extreme, this way helps to detect (or confirm) some problems, especially with bass and drums. As for the mono-test, I assume it is useful to check the mix with Bluetooth battery-powered loudspeakers which are stereo in terms of a number of speakers, but actually mono due to a tiny size. I will probably buy one for mix checking.
I agree. I have a Bluetooth speaker as well and it really does help mixing everything. It’s also helped me learn to have a “sense” of what may or may not sound good on less than stellar speakers - of course it’s not perfect but the general sense of where things need to sit in the mix for speakers that aren’t studio-grade is immensely helpful.
I totally agree with your benefits
Because I'm used to listen with a mono speaker and I've gotten better with the quality in the mix
This demystifies so much for me. Fabulous content and integrity as always. Thanks!
Wow! This was incredibly insightful!
Learnt more about mixing in general in this more than other videos that are literally meant to teach you mixing.
That is one the best music production channels on UA-cam. This video was so insightful!
Thank you! The mix mono skill remained a myth to me, this video is giving me a much clearer sense ❤
Thanks for the video. I started questioning the merit of mixing in mono and if I should started to use the technique as well so your video came to a very good time.
What interests me most though is when you spoke about running it through different encoding simulations (11:59) what did you mean? Where is the difference in sound and what is a encoding simulation in general?
I really learn a lot through your videos so keep up the good work and have a great day!
iZotope Ozone 9 Advanced has a feature called Codec Preview that is very useful for this. You can preview what your track will sound like when compressed by different codecs and bit rates.
If you have phasing issues with certain elements in the mix, you'll find either they disappear or huge volume drop when you switch to mono. The easiest and fastest way to fix these phasing issues that I know of is in Harrison Mixbus where you just region select all your tracks, right-click and optimize polarity.
I had never known or thought of the hard panning -> 50 % volume in mono (compared to no hard panning), great point! I guess I've never even panned stuff hard right or left, maybe that's why.
I find useful all these that you talked about (y)
In FL I assign one button from my midi controller to the master stereo to change between normal and 100 % mono at any time with one click, very handy, and very fast to compare in whichever situation. Choose latch from the "mode" menu in the "link to controller" pop-up menu, and write input + 0.5 as the formula, otherwise you'll change between 100 % stereo and 100 % mono instead of "normal" stereo and 100 % mono.
An important handy concept I noticed just some time ago: ozone EQ, ozone imager and TDR Nova (TDR is free) change absolutely nothing in the mono signal when you cut or boost the side channel volume or stereo width. In English, they are very, very handy stereo tools that do not change your mono quality at all, and TDR Nova (free) and Ozone EQ (not free) can therefore be used as very precise stereo enhancers instead of Ozone Imager (the multiband one is not free). So if you cut all frequencies from the side channels, you're left with the exact same mono sound as when you make the channel output 100 % mono, and you don't have to worry about your mono when adjusting stereo.
I think drum and snare sound better when they're at least a bit monoish or even completely mono. Symbals in stereo, especially with beautiful reverb and delay effects.
When doing sound design, I always check every sound in mono while building and adjusting (especially unison, chorus, phaser, flanger, detune, layering). Also, some lead sounds (also from FLEX) just are inherently bad in stereo because of phaser/flanger/chorus/the like, and sometimes you have nothing you can do about it (no knob to tweak to fix it), and they at least need to be doubled or supported with another lead to ensure that the sound isn't dying in mono. Ever since one song when I first used sytrus to synthesize a complex lead, where I hadn't done that, only to find out later that it pretty much killed itself in mono (fixed by adjusting the unison settings, which in Sytrus you can very easily use to kill your monocompatibility).
Thank you for the information! opened an entire new world of mixing for me!
This was absolutely useful as mono has a very different mixing experience than stereo
found your music from this comment, sick shit. subscribed.
@@nerds-nonsense thanks sooo much fam, send me a message if you got any tips for me
Thanks for posting this video, Michael! This really helped me improve my mixing technique!
This is one channel where I like the video even before starting watching
Been missing my laptop but videos like these have enlighten me
I was thinking to search about mono mixing ..and as i open UA-cam and got your video notification ..love u your work bro..❤❤❤
Michael your neutrality is amazing. But your point has been clear and heard... I like how also your accent is almost perfectly neutral we don't need to be all brits to fully benefit from your knowledge. Thanks so much you're a gift to us.
Really clarified, thank you so much Michael!!
Always with the gems 🔥🔥I would be no where near where I am without these videos
one thing I need to point out (or add on) is that there are many "pan laws" in your DAW, different pan laws give you different reduction on overall level when you pan an instrument. from my knowledge, Logic Pro has such feature to choose which pan law you want to go. some pan laws is measured by level and others might be measured by other factors.
my point is that such pan law differences might change how you perceive a stereo mix in mono.
my advice (though might be ignorant and lacking of profession) is firstly try different pan laws see how they go, and then compare the mono mix to the stereo specifically for the panned tracks
Great advice - especially using different quality versions of MP3 compression to check the quality.
You're the best teacher I have ever had 🙌
First of all thanks for this Amazing Guide! I think Mix in Mono should be the First step before you start applying FX. Reverb,delays ,Even compressors that can add volume will confuse most Producers. Either way I think it's a great tip for OBSERVING &LISTENNING to your instruments and also for getting the full potential of the dynamics of every sound by checking for phase issues. If you can get the full dynamics without compressors on the mono just by correcting phasing issues then you can go a lot smoother on the compression step which comes along .
Please let me know your thoughts on this!
Thank you, very informative as usual 👍👍
I like your stuff =) I've been producing for 4 years and your videos are helping me a lot =) I appreciate it and Greetings from Perú
Thank you for the tips ❤️
The hand signals help so much - Love your videos!!! ❤
Nice thank you for sharing this technique. A lot of producers and sound engineers really need this.🔥
Wonderful input about mono, esp. the headphones on table trick! A very balanced tutorial; thanks Michael. More sound design please😍
Great explanations! Useful stuff! Thank you for taking the time to make this video. 😎
Thank you so much for real 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 It really helps me whenever I wanna search something, learn and know about something and find you explaining them on the spot. ❤️ Thank you again
I check CONSTANTLY back and forth from my mains and a mono mixcube. I can one hundred percent get a BETTER general balance and sound in minutes on the mono cube. But for some wide stereo stuff I have to mix it in stereo to get it sitting right. And then if I switch to mono and can still fell it there, I feel I’ve done good.
Mix how you want, but, in my unprofessional opinion, you should be making your music the way your potential audience will consume it, In stereo.
11:00 explains perfectly
Lots of tradesmen have one earbud in. Cars also don't produce the best stereo width, you're never in the middle.
Fair enough. But It depends what device we are talking about when we think stereo: headphones, stereo phone speakers or speakers at home? I have experienced having a nice mix coming off my headphones, or even at the studio and in the car, but was totally muddy and unbalanced on the computer stereo, phone and home hi-fi system. Small space between 2 speakers collapse into mono from a relative distance. The small space such as on a phone makes it that when you are a meter away, it collapses into mono. On the other hand super clear quality stereo image in a studio where the space between you and the speakers is small ( similar situation in a car), you can hear separation much easier. Hence why I think mono compatibility has its importance.
dont get me wrong. Compatibility is important. That being said, mixing entirely in mono and the switching to stereo and thinking the mix sounds good because of that is exactly like what he explains at 11:00 . you just listened to a super thin mix for an hour. Of course it sounds better when you turn it to stereo. Everything is relative.
This channel is my bible for music production...I swear I've been recommending your channel to almost everyone .. *-*
Finally this is being discussed. I was wondering if someone would ever try to explain to people that mixing in mono all the time won't exactly help. but even then I end up not using it that much because I have a template where my instrument busses are easily replaced in other sides of the mix.
Thanks for showing us a demonstration with your hands 🙌🏽 and how mono works, what it does and what happens when it’s in stereo 💯
Love your videos. They help a lot. Lots of love man
As always amazing video.
One of the last things you talked about was "You render your song to diffirent mp3 bitrates and that CAN reveal problems (mainly the high end)"
I know this problem to damn well. i and probably many other producers struggle with this harsh high-end on lower bitrates.
I would love to see a video how you would go about fixing these issues.
I tried so many things and can't get it to work where i like the song as it is in the DAW and the quality isn't awful to the point where i don't know where to start TRYING to fix the Problem.
One place to start is with the true peak loudness. I find that in songs with a bright top end/ lots of high frequencies it’s best to keep the true peak loudness slightly lowers (a few 0.1dB increments lower) and this can often do wonders
4:38 - you can use -6 pan law to solve this issue. I would add, making an arrangement in mono will give a pure benefit in all following stages.
I NEEDED TO HEAR THIS VERY SUBJECT! You're my hero! 🔥
I really love the way you teach I have learned a lot from you,keep up 💯
I've used this recently on accident XD after spending 2 hours trying to figure out why my track felt a bit thin I noticed it had been on Mono.... it;s now my cleanest mix to date, also the latest, which also is a thing :P
same, I have found that my leveling is much better when I mix in mono
@@erenyeeagah204 twas an happy accidental experiment for me, will repeat it XD
@Klaus K dont underestimate how great i am at missing the obvious xD
i just thought my mix was lacking:P