Running Stereo live and studio...??

Most people on the forum would recommend using mono for live because if someone is sitting on one side of the stage and not dead center, they’re not going to hear your stereo effects the way they’re intended.

I still prefer to run stereo live because I use a little delay widener in my last FX slot (the reverb slot) and it makes my sound in my in-ears so much better. I’m the only guitarist in my band, so my main guitar signal is equally loud in both channels and I don’t use a ton of ping pong style delay. So it works for me.

I use the delay widener in the last slot instead of the “X” slot because I’ve found that if I put that widener effect before my delays and reverbs, it has a negative effect on their sound. I go with the delay widener instead of the double tracker because even on low settings, you can hear the guitar signal panning from left to right when using the double tracker (a major flaw in my option because if it weren’t for that, the double tracker is amazing).

I'm no expert on this so my understanding could be totally wrong...

I don't think most venues sum to mono, but by definition, they don't tend to make use of the stereo field. That is because most instruments are mono. The exception is drums where you have multiple inputs across the kit and they might lightly pan 1 tom right and 1 left.

So I think most venues will have the capability to support stereo.

Now, should you run stereo? As OhG mentioned, most people run mono - I think if you were a 2 guitar band I'd defo run mono, single guitar, stereo I think is more viable for more ethereal sounds.

Stereo is only worthwhile if making use of stereo effects and even then the benefits of changing the signal between the left and right speakers. This will give a much wider sound.

However I think this brings risks:

1) Wider to me often means "thinner" rather than bigger - to me, A full mono sound will fill the frequency range better than a wider effect ( Not sure if I'm describing this correctly). Whilst they are independent ( sound thickness and "wideness") I think there will be some

2) At volume the effects because more prominent so I suspect you will need to dial them back a touch to get the right effect

3) Too much panning will result in a very patchy soundscape for anyone not dead centre facing the band

4) Beyond a certain distance, the effect I think loses benefit as both ears get more cross over from each channel

That makes sense in my head but appreciate I've not explained it well and I might be talking crap :). I think the answer is - give it a go!

Quote from metalwolf

Hi Gents, thanks for that - some great points and V8GUITAR it all makes perfect sense to me - I am going to experiment with both ideas that you guys mentioned - In recording and post production the possibilities are endless but its very interesting when we will or die by the sword in a live environment -

In recording and studio situations most people prefer to track real doubles whenever you need a stereo double of instruments. There are situations where synthetic doubling and widening is used but you have to be careful because when you make a mono source into stereo you are messing around with your center image. Reverb, Delay etc. is different here.

Live you have more or less the same problems with the added room of the venue and the more or less good setup of the front of house system. If you use too much synthetic widening you can mess up the signal so much, that people will have problems to hear you in the center. The only thing which really worked for me was the tc mimiq in a double amp setup. And before people say that this could never work just go to a Dream Theater Show. But they also have an awesome crew and sound guys so they know what they are doing there.

As I have some experience as foh I could absolutely work with some stereo delay and reverb. As long it is not ping-pong delay the whole show sometimes it's nice to add a bit of excitement too. And live I'm also more into using delays, a reverb can mess with the natural sound of the venue too much for my taste, except if you want to have a special FX like lofi reverbs, shimmers or something like that which is essential to your tone.

And before a FOH tech sums your stereo signal into mono use a mono signal on your side and turn off the widening. If you use synthetic widening like the ones in the Kemper or the tc mimiq and you mix this to Mono than you can get into real trouble.