Voiceover Record Stereo with Mono Mic

[Dave514]

Sirs:

My computer is Win 7 64bit Adobe CS6. Using  mono mic thru M-Audio Pro-USB. How can I record to both channels at the same time? Otherwise I must copy and paste which very time consuming.

Thanks,

David

[ryclark]

Are you recording into the Waveform edit view or the Multitrack view? If you are recording from a mono mic why do you want to duplicate the audio onto two tracks? In either case you should just record a single mono file which will only use up half the space of a dual track mono recording. A mono file will playback out of both speakers from the Waveform view or, if you are recording into a stereo Multitrack session, can be panned to any position between the two track stereo output.

[Bob Howes]

Yup.  Easiest was is to simply record you mic to a mono track.  When setting up your session, click on the Input box (in the settings panel at the left end of each track) and you'll be offered a choice of mono or stereo track.  If you record mono, you can still specify the final mix to be a stereo file and you can also use the various pan controls to put the sound anywhere you want it.

If there is some reason your original recording must be in stereo (actually 2 track mono since you mic is a mono device) rather than cutting and pasting, you could also try Edit/Convert Sample Type  (Shift+T as the shortcut) and tell it to make a stereo track.

[Dave514]

Thanks but nothing worked.

[ryclark]

Which of the above suggestions didn't work? All of them will work if used correctly. Are you trying to record into the Waveform or Multitrack view? If you let us know what you tried we can perhaps give you some more guidance.

[Dave514]

I'm using waveform and when I record on the one channel it only playsback through one speaker. i have to cut and paste to have it play through both.

None of the suggestions worked.

David

[Bob Howes]

If you're in Waveform view, my suggestion of Edit/Convert Sample Type WILL work.  You have to change the setting in "Channels" to say Stereo on the drop down menu but you only do this once.  It remembers you previous setting next time you do it.

However, I'd strongly recommend that you record your voiceovers in Multitrack and set your track to Mono as mentioned above.  Multitrack records your work directly to a file so you don't have to do a Save at the end.  It also has a powerful "back up" facility (set under Edit/Preferences so you can preserve a copy at a different location--even the Cloud--in case something like hard drive failure or power bump happens--it's saved me a couple of times.  I also edit in multitrack--I have the same facilities (though done in a different way) to make super-accurate edits but it's non destructive so you can go back and change your mind--or fix things if the client changes his mind.

Your mic is mono.  all you achieve by recording in stereo is doubling the amount of disk space the file uses. 

[Dave514]

Bob:

I appreciate you help. In Waveform I tried your suggestion and it didn't work. In Multi, I changed the Stereo to Mono Track 1 and the method to Write, however the record button was greyed out. At any event I'd only get single track and playback through one speaker most likely. Disk space isn't a problem. I'm going to YouTube to learn more about it. i thought the solution would be easy peasy...LOL

Thanks again

David

[MikeHarrison]

Dave, I'm also a voice-over using Audition, except I'm on a Mac.

First, as Bob Howes pointed out, unless someone has requested it, there's no need to record stereo (or even 2-track mono) files for voice-over, as a microphone is a mono device. And there's also no need to record voice-over in a multi-track session (unless you'll be reading against a music track, etc.). Mono files – if recorded and played back in Waveform and not Multitrack view – will play out of both left and right channels.

Excuse me if I'm repeating what others have said, but as you said you were hoping it would be "easy-peasy." It really is.

So, in Waveform view, use whatever command is performed to create a new audio file. When the new audio file dialog box opens, choose a mono file (and make whatever other selections you need) then click OK.

A single mono blank waveform window will open. Record. Stop recording. Play back. Unless there is some other issue somewhere else, you should hear what you recorded from both left and right speakers or from both cups of your headphones.

[Dave514]

Mike:

Thanks for your response. When I record and playback I only hear from one speaker unless I cut and paste to the other track.

Thanks,

David

[MikeHarrison · Accepted solution]

I know that, David. That's why I suggested opening a NEW MONO file, not a stereo file. A mono file should play from both speakers.

[Bob Howes]

Have you actually tried using Edit/Convert Sample type in Waveform?  It's something I do probably about 50 times a week and never have a problem.  (I do mainly theatre sound and my 40 years of effects library is mainly mono--but needs to be in stereo to burn a back up CD.)

Your mention of being in "Write" mode in Multitrack makes me think you're using the wrong controls.  Write is a mode for when you're using Automation Lanes and has nothing to do with input/output or stereo vs mono.

The control you need to use is the one marked with a big white right-facing arrow.  It will probably say "Default Stereo Input" in the default mode.  Click on that box and you should be offered a choice of None, Mono, Stereo and Audio Hardware.  Click on mono then record as normal and you'll have a mono track.  Note that all this is done prior to recording.  If you record in Default Stereo you'll get exactly the problem you have of only recording in one channel.

If you really want to record in Waveform view, when you click on record you should get a "New Audio File" box pop up where you can name the track and set parameters.  The third box down gives you the option of recording in mono or stereo--select mono and you'll have a track that plays out of both speakers.

If this is destined for Youtube it'll not make any difference if you give them mono or stereo since your mic is mono anyway.  All that will happen with stereo is that the same sound is played twice.  Even if you eventually add stereo music or whatever, as long as the final mix is stereo, a mono mic will just slot in at the centre.

Seriously, it really is "easy peasy" and, as you've seen, there are various ways to achieve what you want without cutting and pasting.

Edited to add:  I see that while I was typing, Mike posted a screen grab of the box from Waveform that I was talking about.  Set that to mono and all will be good.  For any tracks you've already recorded use the Convert Sample Type which again is far easier than cutting and pasting.

[Dave514]

Bob:

For the part below you're correct.

"If you really want to record in Waveform view, when you click on record you should get a "New Audio File" box pop up where you can name the track and set parameters.  The third box down gives you the option of recording in mono or stereo--select mono and you'll have a track that plays out of both speakers."

Now for the Edit/Convert:

My settings are as follows:

When I set my "New Audio File" to either mono or stereo it records only on one channel.

So what am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

David

[Bob Howes]

Okay. Where it says "Channels" change the dropdown from Stereo to Mono and you should be good!

Let us know how you get on.

Bob

Sent from my iPhone

[Dave514]

Bob:

Yes, I was able to do what you suggested.

Thanks,

David

David B. Monier-Williams

[mk89289781]

This really helped me and I'm a total newby - you are right easy peasy 🙂

Thanks so much for taking the time to explain this!

Mica