Splitting Stereo Sample into Two Mono Samples

[LamarPecorino]

Has anyone had any experience with splitting a stereo sample into two mono samples and then placing them close together in the stereo field? Most of my sample libraries offer stereo samples. However more often than not, I find that what I needed was a mono or very narrow stereo signal. My DAW will split the stereo signal into two mono signals. I was wondering if anyone had experienced phase issues or any negative issues. Thanks in advance!

[AlanHall]

Please define "placing them close together in the stereo field"? If you want to collapse the stereo field, there should be a plugin that does this. I don't know what DAW you use; in mine there's a "trim" plugin that can accomplish pan and gain changes, I use it a lot for what you describe.
Any stereo sound must fold to mono without artifacts, or it's a cr@ppy sample.

[GBall]

No worries. Phase can't come into play when there is only a single mic or channel for a single instrument. A phase problem always requires more than one signal source for the same instrument for them to have a chance for the two sources to be out of phase with each other. So you might get what you want with the least hassle by using just one side of them. Two different instruments always have the potential to interfere or mask each other, but that's not the same thing.

Phase problems are most often due to a time difference: in the studio one mic is just far enough from another that it receives the sound slightly later, and so the sounds are out of phase with each other. Not trying to sound technical - just using that to explain one of the dangers in splitting the signal may be in how you choose to process them afterwards. - If you use an effect that delays one of them slightly in relation to the other. Big differences don't hurt you, just as mics more than a few feet apart or really close together don't have this issue. The danger zone is like somewhere between 1-3ms I think.

Not saying that I am any kind of expert, and I'm always glad to learn from someone else.

[AlanHall]

It's not clear to me where the stereo samples came from, and whether they've been captured by a mic array or a single sample sent through a stereo effect (like many keyboard patches I recall from my younger days!). In either case, I agree that taking either L or R alone should render results as good as, or better than, summing them. Rarely are the two channels so dissimilar (assuming ONE sound source) that simply eliminating one side gives a bad result.

[LamarPecorino]

No worries. Phase can't come into play when there is only a single mic or channel for a single instrument. A phase problem always requires more than one signal source for the same instrument for them to have a chance for the two sources to be out of phase with each other. So you might get what you want with the least hassle by using just one side of them. Two different instruments always have the potential to interfere or mask each other, but that's not the same thing.

Phase problems are most often due to a time difference: in the studio one mic is just far enough from another that it receives the sound slightly later, and so the sounds are out of phase with each other. Not trying to sound technical - just using that to explain one of the dangers in splitting the signal may be in how you choose to process them afterwards. - If you use an effect that delays one of them slightly in relation to the other. Big differences don't hurt you, just as mics more than a few feet apart or really close together don't have this issue. The danger zone is like somewhere between 1-3ms I think.

Not saying that I am any kind of expert, and I'm always glad to learn from someone else.

Thanks for the explanation. I appreciate it.

[LamarPecorino]

It's not clear to me where the stereo samples came from, and whether they've been captured by a mic array or a single sample sent through a stereo effect (like many keyboard patches I recall from my younger days!). In either case, I agree that taking either L or R alone should render results as good as, or better than, summing them. Rarely are the two channels so dissimilar (assuming ONE sound source) that simply eliminating one side gives a bad result.

The samples come from different libraries such as Arturia or Lounge Lizard.

[AlanHall]

The samples come from different libraries such as Arturia or Lounge Lizard.

So they're from reputable sources, eh?
You shouldn't have any phase issues with them in that case.

[LamarPecorino]

Thanks, Alan.

[cassmcentee]

Hi Lamar!
I tighten the Stereo Width closer to a Mono Width by using either:
Plugin Alliance's "Brainworx bx_control V2"
Ozone's "Imager"
or Cubase's "Stereo Imager"

[LamarPecorino]

Hi Lamar!
I tighten the Stereo Width closer to a Mono Width by using either:
Plugin Alliance's "Brainworx bx_control V2"
Ozone's "Imager"
or Cubase's "Stereo Imager"

Hi Cass!

I think that I have Ozone's Imager. I'll check it out!