advantages/disadvantages of recording in mono/stereo

[read]

Hi guys

can you please mention any ideas that pop in your head regarding

advantages/disadvantages of recording in mono

advantages/disadvantages of recording in stereo

Thank you!

[Xenakios]

Recording what in mono or stereo?

[Fergler]

Depends how you record in stereo, too.

XY micing is less 'saveable' than other mic techniques if you want the mono source in front of it because both mics are off axis.

Mid side micing is the safest because it's essentially a mono mic as normal and a second mic added perpindicular so if you just took that mic away you get a normal mono signal if you change your mind.

Disadvantages to stereo in a mix are always the same two things imo:

1. Phase issues when summed to mono
2. Feeling of an instrument being 'oversized' compared to others in the mix (amateur mistaken with pianos, for e.g.) when all other instruments appear to be at some distance from the listener.

You could also include wobbly left/right balance issues.

[DVDdoug]

With studio recording stereo is the exception. Almost everything is multi-tracked mono and then mixed/panned appropriately across the stereo "soundstage".

So, record in mono unless you have a special reason for recording in stereo. Or if you are recording live music (especially acoustic music) you'll generally record in stereo.

[heda]

Stereo gives me a better result. More realistic recordings. It is easier to record mono but stereo is nice for the main instruments at least.

[jerome_oneil]

If I'm recording a reverberant instrument (fiddle, guitar, etc...) I'll usually mic it up in stereo, but mix it down to mono. Various portions of the instrument will give you different tones (neck vs tone hole, etc..) so to capture the "true" sound, you usually need more than one mic.