Mono Track To Stereo

[kozikowski]

For all those people who find themselves with a mono USB microphone in a stereo show.

Tracks > Mono Track To Stereo.

http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic ... 798#p79786

Koz

[waxcylinder]

+1

[steve]

-1
but I'm open to persuasion.

How often is it necessary to convert a mono track to a stereo track? On Mixdown or Export, if there is stereo material it will automatically be converted to stereo. If there is only mono data then it will automatically be converted to a mono file (irrespective of whether it is a 1 or 2 channel mono track).

The only reason that I can think of for needing to convert a mono track to stereo is if you want to apply a stereo effect (such as stereo reverb, stereo chorus or ping-pong delay). More commonly stereo reverb would be applied to mix of tracks, in which case the individual mono tracks would be panned appropriately in the stereo field, and when "Mix and Rendered" would automatically become a stereo track.

If required mono track to stereo track is only 2 clicks anyway:
1) Edit > Duplicate (or Ctrl+D)
2) Track drop-down > Make Stereo Track

The disadvantage of having a special "Mono > Stereo" button is that many users would think that it turned their mono track into stereo
In reality it would turn a 1 channel mono track into a 2 channel mono track.
It may also encourage the myth that a stereo track is required for sound to come out of both speakers.

[kozikowski]

<<<many users would think that it turned their mono track into stereo>>>

Yes. So?

<<<In reality it would turn a 1 channel mono track into a 2 channel mono track.>>>

Or, classically in the US, Two-Track Mono. Yes.

<<<It may also encourage the myth that a stereo track is required for sound to come out of both speakers.>>>

You haven't said anything bad yet.

<<<
1) Edit > Duplicate (or Ctrl+D)
2) Track drop-down > Make Stereo Track
>>>

Now you're putting a Track Function under Edit. Wrong. I didn't know it was there. I wonder how widely known that tool is and would associate it with Tracks.

Tracks > Mono Track To Stereo, just calls those two functions.

"Duplication of effort!" he cried. Let me introduce you to Photoshop. If you ask five different artist how to generate a particular picture, you will get five different -- sometimes radically different answers. Guaranteed. I did it once in the Design Division on the second floor.

And they will all get a desirable result. I'm finding that the hallmark of high quality software is the absence of a single, enforced, straight-line pipeline. Single lines generate Forum questions.

Koz

[steve]

<<<many users would think that it turned their mono track into stereo>>>

Yes. So?

Audacity user: "I've converted my mono track to stereo, but it still sounds like it's mono. What's wrong?"
Koz: "Oh good grief, not again - it's sounds like it's mono because it IS mono. When it says 'mono-to-stereo' it doesn't really mean stereo, you stupid person".

I'm finding that the hallmark of high quality software is the absence of a single, enforced, straight-line pipeline.

Method 1
1) Edit > Duplicate
2) Track drop-down > Make Stereo Track

Method 2
1) Tracks menu > Add New > Stereo Track
2) Ctrl + A (or just select both tracks)
3) Tracks menu > Mix and Render

Method 3
1) Ctrl+D
2) Pan one to the left and the other to the right
3) Mix and Render

Method 4
1) Import mono track twice
2) Track 1 - Track drop down menu > Left Channel
3) Track 2 - Track drop down menu > Right Channel
4) Export

Method 5
1) Set pan position to 0.1 (or any non-zero value)
2) Mix and Render

Method 6
1) Ctrl+SHIFT+M
2) Track drop down > Make Stereo Track

And the question we haven't addressed - why do you want to do it anyway?

[Ctrl+N]

Get rid of the split stereo track to mono. Its redundant and confusing, and clutters up the audio track drop down menu.

Most burning software will convert a mono wave file to stereo. Or to put it another way, the single track wave file will become 2 channel audio on an audio CD.

[steve]

Get rid of the split stereo track to mono. Its redundant and confusing

A common use for this feature, and the reason that it was introduced, is for people that routinely record two instruments/sounds as a stereo track - one instrument left and the other one right, and then want to split into two mono tracks.

Consider a singer-guitarist with a mixing desk and a standard stereo sound card.
Plug the guitar and vocal microphone into the mixing desk - pan the microphone left and the guitar right - record as a stereo track - split to mono - you now have the vocal on one track and the guitar on another and the two instruments can now be processed individually.

This is not the only use, but it is a very common use in which it is extremely convenient.

[whomper]

-1

ditto

but I'm open to persuasion.

How often is it necessary to convert a mono track to a stereo track? On Mixdown or Export, if there is stereo material it will automatically be converted to stereo.

If required mono track to stereo track is only 2 clicks anyway:
1) Edit > Duplicate (or Ctrl+D)
2) Track drop-down > Make Stereo Track

i have needed to do it. but you are right. do not need a button.

will cause more confusion than help. do put that tip in the wiki andor docs.

how many average users know it is automatically converted or how to do it manually.

[whomper]

Get rid of the split stereo track to mono. Its redundant and confusing, and clutters up the audio track drop down menu.
.

-1

no no no.
i have needed that ability. can't diddle one track alone without it and then make it back to stereo.

[kozikowski]

<<<Audacity user: "I've converted my mono track to stereo,>>>

But as you point out, a touch of the balance controls and it is Stereo! It's only two-track mono if they're the same.

Remembering that the original post had two instruments on line at the same time in a stereo show. One entirely left and the other entirely right.

Stereo Track to Mono
Mono Track to Stereo.

Who was the champion of Stereo Track to Mono? How did that slip by? Surely there's other ways to do that.

Koz