Convert to mono

[gavspen]

Hi All,

I have been using the Chris Lord-Alge vocal plug on voice overs of late. It's a stereo plug, so when I insert it anywhere it converts the track, or aux, from mono to stereo, which in turn results in a stereo soundbite when mixed.

I'm only using it for compression basically, so I dont need a stereo mix. Is there any way, when exporting a sound bite, to convert it to mono, or to export just one side only? (Since the left and right sides are identical I dont need both.)

Thanks in advance,
Gavin

[CharlzS]

One option is bounce the track to mono.

[HCMarkus]

Or you can convert the file from Interleaved to Non-Interleaved in Soundbites window, then drag to desktop. You will now have two mono files with L and R appendages. Re-name either one to omit the L or R and you have a mono file.

[mikehalloran]

I use both methods, depending…

One option is bounce the track to mono.

This changes the track's level even if you set the Bounce to -3.5dB. Sometimes, I want this.

Or you can convert the file from Interleaved to Non-Interleaved in Soundbites window, then drag to desktop. You will now have two mono files with L and R appendages. Re-name either one to omit the L or R and you have a mono file.

This does not change the track's level and is faster.

[mhschmieder]

Wow, I hadn't thought of HC's trick, and I like how it doesn't change the level, as this can be a problem in carefully balanced mixes where it's just one track vs. the final mix that is being converted to mono. Especially given different pan law treatment, it can be a royal pain to rebalance the tracks afterwards.

Given that's one's settings may be determined by confidence in mix levels during the unfortunately stereo initial rendering, would one need to do a mono aux send and have that be the only contributor to the Master Fader's output channels, leaving the track's main post-compression outputs to internal routing only?

I seem to recall that you can also drag where the pre-vs-post point is in a stack of inserts. It's been eons since I've done that, but I've never seen DP remove a feature once it's in place, so you might even be able to insert Trim to get it back to mono and even have that be part of your confident mix and balance monitoring while you are choosing the plug-in's settings.

[gavspen]

Or you can convert the file from Interleaved to Non-Interleaved in Soundbites window, then drag to desktop. You will now have two mono files with L and R appendages. Re-name either one to omit the L or R and you have a mono file.

I'm not exactly sure what this means, but I'll give it a shot and report back for further instructions when I screw it up. Haha.

Thanks

[gavspen]

Thanks HC. Your method is easy and fast, but......

That gives me .wav files, of course. I forgot to mention that I'm usually converting to mp3 as I export. Any easy way to wind up with a mono mp3?

Gavin

[mikehalloran]

Thanks HC. Your method is easy and fast, but......

That gives me .wav files, of course. I forgot to mention that I'm usually converting to mp3 as I export. Any easy way to wind up with a mono mp3?

Gavin

DP is the slowest way I know to create an mp3. If you use a 3rd party converter, it will save a ton of time. AppleMusic/iTunes is free but there are other apps that take less time including DSP-Q.

I use TwistedWave which, like DSP-Q, can take a few hours of mixed format files, convert all to mp3 and put back into their own folders or a new destination in a few seconds.

[HCMarkus]

I drop the .wav file into Apple's Music, which I have set to convert to high quality MP3.

[gavspen]

Ok, so the conversion to mp3 has to happen after? No way to export a stereo sound bite as a mono mp3, straight out of DP? I know, asking way too much, right?

I’m only converting short files so it doesn’t really matter to me that DP is slow in that department.

[HCMarkus]

Ok, so the conversion to mp3 has to happen after? No way to export a stereo sound bite as a mono mp3, straight out of DP?

There might be, I've just never looked. When I drop a .wav onto Apple Music, I convert to MP3 and discard the .wav copy once the conversion. is done. That way, I don't add bloat, yet still have a copy of the MP3s I've created in one place for reference or other uses.

[gavspen]

Ok, so the conversion to mp3 has to happen after? No way to export a stereo sound bite as a mono mp3, straight out of DP?

There might be, I've just never looked. When I drop a .wav onto Apple Music, I convert to MP3 and discard the .wav copy once the conversion. is done. That way, I don't add bloat, yet still have a copy of the MP3s I've created in one place for reference or other uses.

This seems to be a two stage process, correct? Although in "Music>Preferences>Files>Import Settings" I have it set to "Import Using: MP3 Encoder" it's not happening. I drag the file into the library, but it's still a .wav file. I have to select it and then go File>Convert>Create MP3 Version. Do I have that right?

Seems like it's supposed to convert it as it imports it, but it's not doing it.

[HCMarkus]

Ok, so the conversion to mp3 has to happen after? No way to export a stereo sound bite as a mono mp3, straight out of DP?

There might be, I've just never looked. When I drop a .wav onto Apple Music, I convert to MP3 and discard the .wav copy once the conversion. is done. That way, I don't add bloat, yet still have a copy of the MP3s I've created in one place for reference or other uses.

This seems to be a two stage process, correct? Although in "Music>Preferences>Files>Import Settings" I have it set to "Import Using: MP3 Encoder" it's not happening. I drag the file into the library, but it's still a .wav file. I have to select it and then go File>Convert>Create MP3 Version. Do I have that right?

Seems like it's supposed to convert it as it imports it, but it's not doing it.

I see it as you are seeing it... two-steps, yes.

[gavspen]

So not working as advertised then?

[HCMarkus]

So not working as advertised then?

If you actually "Import" a track, maybe it will work then. Dragging and dropping doesn't.