Plugin Chain - use of Mono vs Mono/Stereo vs Stereo (WAVES/CUBASE)

[brainthrill]

I have a question - perhaps a dumb one - on a DAW (I am using Cubase) when you create a plugin chain let's say on a MONO Vocal track... how does the use of MONO vs MONO/STEREO vs STEREO plugins work?

For example, WAVES plugins (many of them) come in those 3 favours...

What if you had an EQ (MONO) then let's just (not that I would do this)... a DELAY (MONO/STEREO) then let's say a REVERB (STEREO)

Is this the correct way to do it? the mono/stereo version of the plugin would change the signal to a stereo path and then the stereo reverb would process this as a stereo signal and out put it into your stereo channel in this way..

Do I have the right idea here? Does this work this way even though I am using a MONO channel in Cubase but the processing will produce an Stereo signal?

Thanks

[Richie Royale]

In Cubase, a mono channel will change a stereo insert to mono. If you place a mono piece of audio on a stereo channel then it will still be mono, but any stereo inserts (say a panning delay) will be in stereo. Most stereo plug ins though would normally be sends (chorus, phaser, delays) and sending a mono signal to them will result in a stereo output on the FX channel, provided you set up the FX channel as stereo and the effect works in stereo that is.

[Dynamic Mike]

If you want to use a stereo insert (in stereo) on a mono track, you can create a stereo group channel & route the output to that bus instead. Just put the insert on the group channel rather than the mono source track. With send effects there is no need because the return to the stereo bus will be stereo anyway.

[Urthlupe]

Here's how I use 'em Mr Brainthrill....

First up, a mono channel or aux bus will only output a single mono audio stream, and a stereo channel or aux bus a stereo audio stream.

On a mono channel or aux bus (or 'FX Channel in Cubase) insert 'mono-mono'. Output = mono.

On a stereo channel or aux bus insert 'stereo-stereo'. Output = stereo.

On a stereo aux bus, fed by a mono channel insert 'mono-stereo'. Output = stereo with mono input placed where you desire in the image - depending on the processor in use.

Kindest

Loopy

[Ahio]

And if you have 2 mono source going in the same group...the group should be mono or stereo? And the plugin with eq and rvb/dly incorporated should be mono or stereo ?

[The Elf]

And if you have 2 mono source going in the same group...the group should be mono or stereo? And the plugin with eq and rvb/dly incorporated should be mono or stereo ?

The output of the mono Group will be mono - regardless of the number of source tracks, or whether they are mono or stereo.

The output of the stereo Group will be stereo - regardless of the number of source tracks, or whether they are mono or stereo.

If you send two mono sources, panned stereo centre, to a stereo group (and assuming you do no additional panning with the Group Channel) then will emerge from the stereo Group in stereo centre. If you pan them they will emerge with their panning intact.

There is no 'should' about these decisions. You choose to use a mono or stereo Group Channel based on what you want to achieve. For example...

- If you want to apply stereo insert effects to mono sources then a stereo Group is a good way of achieving that.
(I wouldn't include delay or reverb in the 'insert effect' category - they are better placed in FX Channels and accessed via a 'send' control from the source tracks; that way you don't need a Group and you can share the effect with other channels. A stereo FX channel will be stereo, regardless of what channels are sending to it)

- If you want to collapse stereo sources to mono then a mono Group is a reasonable (though not the only) way of achieving that.

- If you want to group a stereo source, and preserve it as stereo, then the way to do that is to send it to a stereo Group.

Just set up a couple of mono/stereo Group Channels and try these things out. It's really very simple, and I suspect you are just over-thinking it.

[Ahio]

Yes,,over thinkin for sure The fact is that waves has certain plugins like chris lord alge signature that have eq-comp-rvd/dly all in one. The plugin is an insert one and has mono to stereo or stereo to stereo configuration. So Iknow what to use if I have to insert directly on a mono or a stereo track but in the case i'm running two mono tracks (say a double tracked lead voice)i begin to ask myself : And now? Should I create a stereo group and insert the cla plugin stereo to stereo or should I create a mono group and insert the mono to stereo plugin?

[The Elf]

Yes,,over thinkin for sure The fact is that waves has certain plugins like chris lord alge signature that have eq-comp-rvd/dly all in one. The plugin is an insert one and has mono to stereo or stereo to stereo configuration. So Iknow what to use if I have to insert directly on a mono or a stereo track but in the case i'm running two mono tracks (say a double tracked lead voice)i begin to ask myself : And now? Should I create a stereo group and insert the cla plugin stereo to stereo or should I create a mono group and insert the mono to stereo plugin?

If you want to hear the output of an insert plug-in as a stereo effect then it will need to be placed in a stereo Group. It's as simple as that.

Try using Waves Supertap in mono-to-stereo guise, and you will notice that the 'dry' signal can only be panned centre-to-right. I find this restrictive (split L/R widening a rhythm guitar track, for example). I prefer to use stereo-to-stereo versions of Waves plugs at all times and add something like Kelly Industries Stereo Tools ahead of the plug, if necessary, to determine how I want the incoming signal to look.

[brainthrill]

Thanks to all for replying to my question - I think that I am very clear now on the process... great information

[boulfad]

one more thing... to know what's going on in your plug in chain in Cubase, just click on the "Routing" button in the Inspector in the inserts tab. you even have a routing editor if you click on one of the links.

[Ahio]

Yes, thank you guys.