Re: stereo

[Matthias Grob <matthias@grob.org>]

I had quite some experiences with mono/stero, as a musician and sound 
engineer and I found:

Its fundamental to have least the reverb stereo, otherwhise its a mess.

Its always helpfull to do some paning because even a listener outside 
the stereo field can percieve it, unless there are no room reflexions 
at all.

Mono on a stereo speaker setup creates ugly phase effects that 
improve a lot even with a random slight panning, because for every 
instrument the phase cancellations happen on a different spot, so the 
ear can distinguish them and does not suffer that pressure feeling of 
two mono speakers.
If you have only one mono instrument and no reverb, join the two 
speakers into one corner.

I never understood why anyone would pan one conga full right and the 
other full left and such. It sounds a bit strange in the stereo field 
and horrible outside of it. I only pan stereo effects fully L-R and 
keep mono sources close to, but not quite in the center.

Autopaning sounds are fascinating, but such may distract from the 
music, depends on the intention. Usually the effect is great to 
express confusion or euphoria.

Since I want to keep my looping rig as small as possible, I use only one 
EDP.
The PCM80 output produces some nice stereo effects that I loose, 
because I prefer to have them mono instead of hearing them stereo 
first and the mono from the loop.
The PCM90 creates reverb after the EDP and gives a nice feeling of 
space to everything.
I did play with two EDPs and panned my melodies (on "Jejum" for 
example) and I like the result. But I find it difficult to remember 
to pan them right while improvising.

>I need a stereo setup on stage badly because I need separation
>of my main (usually rhythmic) loop and the lead/improvised parts. If
>everything goes through a mono amp my solo will be lost especially over a
>more massive, multi-layered background. Infact, I am using up to two
>smaller (Gibson 10-16W) and one midsized amp (Fender Bassman or Dynachord
>Bass King). Soundguys love stereo, it makes their job more important ;-)
>
>Andreas

I am not sure what we should call stereo. Several instruments from 
several speakers probably not. So a loop that comes out of a 
different speaker than the realtime instrument probably not either, 
but it certainly helps for clarity!

-- 


          ---> http://Matthias.Grob.org