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Quantum88
Known Participant
August 27, 2023
Question

How to convert a mono file into stereo

  • August 27, 2023
  • 1 reply
  • 14863 views

All my podcast recordings have always been in stereo and they always will, which is what I want. Unfortunately, Zoom has recently changed this without notice ( one of the many reasons I'm switching to another remote recording platform), and my two recent guest interviews were recorded in mono - which I only discovered when started editing in my Audition today.

 

I believe that it is possible to convert a mono file to stereo in Audition, but the instructions I saw online talk about blocking and unblocking the "empty channel" - and the problem is that I don't have an empty channel in the audio waveform- there is just one channel.  However the sound comes through both the Left and Right channel in my headphones.

 

I need to have my podcast in stereo, as it includes some clips that are in stereo (and need to be in stereo) - like music, and my standard intro and outro I simply add to each episode project.

 

So now I've got two guest interviews recorded in mono which I need to convert to stereo, so that the whole project can be saved in stereo.

 

How can I do that?  I would be grateful for advice with steps, including enabling two channels in the waveform view.  I work in Windows 10 on a desktop PC, with the current version of Audition (updated yesterday).

 

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1 reply

SteveG_AudioMasters_
Community Expert
SteveG_AudioMasters_Community Expert
Community Expert
August 27, 2023

It is actually very straightforward, and there's a preset for it too, but you need to alter one thing about it:

 

With your mono file open, go to Edit>Convert Sample Type. In the presets box select Convert to Stereo. By default it sets the channel levels at 50%, and that's the thing I'd change - to keep the overall playback levels the same (which means that each channel needs to be -3dB down on the mono signal), then change the values to 71%. Then click Okay and it will do the whole thing for you - no need to go through the whole manual process. When you've done this, do a Save As and keep this new file separately, so that you still have the original to go back to if you need it - hopefully you won't.

 

Now personally I wouldn't do any of this - I'd just assemble the project in a stereo Multitrack session, where you can add mono tracks (with your original file in) and pan them into the mix without any need for converting anything. Much simpler and far more flexible...

Q
Quantum88Author
Known Participant
August 27, 2023

ok many thanks!

I have just tested it and yes, it saves the whole project to a stereo mixdown file.

I just never even paid attention to it as all my original clips were always in stereo - until now.

 

thanks again!

 

 

Q
Quantum88Author
Known Participant
September 1, 2023

THANKS so much Steve for this precious tip - I really don't like working with mono files in my editor (they are just strange and different to work with), ALWAYS work with stereo even if they are just speech, so have actually converted each track to stereo - and finally I can breathe! 🙂 

I did change the values to 71% as per your advice, but don't quite understand why this is necessary.

I need to increase the volume which is fine - but is this just the volume or something else?

 

A quick additional question:  I edit my clips always in the waveformat view (for many reasons it is much easier and quicker for me).  I noticed that the volume of the same clip in the multitrack is about -4 dB or more down on it in the waveform.  Why is that?  I need to increase the volume in the multitrack before mixing.

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