How important is the mono test?

I always understood the purpose of the "mono-test" (sounds like something your doctor would do) was to reveal any frequency problems in a mix.  If you go to mono and the voice disappears behind the guitar then you know you have a problem, so work to fix it.  I was always told "if it sounds good in mono it'll sound great in stereo".

bitflipper... a portable radio at the beach ...

kids playing music out of mobile phone speakers (ffs!)

Blogospherianman
It is a MUST to check in mono, your stereo mixes will thank you as well! I find I tend to slightly adjust bass and vocals when I switch to mono. Stereo can be deceiving. Good thread!

Very true!
 
I use a piece of software to switch back and forth.

Network speakers such as Sonos introduce a whole new generation of mono problems. Sometimes people either only buy one, or only have one in their bathroom. Stereo mixes get summed, so stereo phase-inverted signals go missing. There have been a number of threads recently on the Sonos forum complaining about missing bits of songs.
 
As an example, Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones has those classic piano chords at the start, and they are phase-swapped between channels for the first 8-12 bars. In a mono mix, they disappear entirely, then gradually come back in. These chords define the whole sound of the song. I wonder how the original version was ever played on radio. I'm guessing they had to make a special mono mix.
 
Cheers, Peter.
 

I find starting a mix in mono forces me to find the frequency/tonal space for each sound to sit. This becomes much more obvious without the space created by a stereo soundstage. 

bitflipper

bokchoyboy
What is your preferred method for checking a mix in mono?  I know there are plenty of ways, but I was just interested in workflow...

Just click the Interleave button on the master bus.
 

thumbs up... thanks!!

Hi All . . . this is a great thread, keep it coming . . . there are a lot of valuable insights here, I'm saving it in my archive. For myself, Mono is a test I always seem to run at mastering time, but that may be too late in the process. I really like the idea of starting Mono, and panning it out as you go, I haven't experimented with that enough.
 
The idea of trying to sum up the mix with as few tracks as possible is a real nugget here, I've been trying to do that, though it's really mostly valid for pop songs, in orchestral music it seems the mono mix test can be unforgiving, especially when a lot is happening.

Thanks for asking this question Steve. I have been thinking this same thing for quite some time and now, here it is. I am sure between all these responses, the correct answer must be there. I knew the concept behind the "mono test" but couldn't really figure out the relevancy for the reasons some have spoken of. Anyway, thanks to you asking this question so I didn't have to, I took listen's advice and went to the Panipulator (great name!) and clicked over to mono. Fearing a complete absence of everything (not really, but almost), I was happy to hear that nothing disappeared as I have read so many times, here and there, would occur. In my estimation, they are all correct about one thing: stereo seems magical after coming from mono and one comes away with the thought that they are doing better than they may have hoped. You know, I don't think that I will change the way I am doing this (stereo/mono) but like chuckebaby, I will be referring back and forth as I need to.
 
I guess what I have learned here today is that if it (tune/mix/song) sounds okay or good in mono then not only will it also sound good in stereo but you will know that you have passed the mono test and can put that particular question or doubt behind you.
 
Just my little take on this and thanks for asking so I wouldn't have to bother chucke and Anderton.
 
thanks,
 
bob

in fact - if you look up a pensados place epsiode with mixed by ali, he says that he mixes in mono right up untill the very end
 

I used to struggle w mixing ...( I still do at times ) anyway that stems from not having a proper studio space and mixing while being surrounded on all sides due to apt living ...
This past year I have spent most of my time  looking for a solution that will work for my current situation which may or not change ..(apt living )
This may be old news for some folks ..for me it isnt ,
I will only use headphones for tracking and deep editing . Plus I will never even try to set my levels or create my guitar sounds or any other sounds using them ...
I went out and picked up a cheap Bluetooth speaker w an aux input , Velcro'ed that mini rig to a tripod and set that bad-boy right behind my lap top at eye and ear level. Next I sent my 2i4 's output to the aux in of these BT  speakers ..
Since the stereo aspect of this little rig is such a small foot print I have left my stereo interleave set only to Mono while using this set up ...
I do have monitors for later staging ...Yet, the less my neighbors hear of me and my music , the better off I am.
This way I can pick and choose my battles
A few things became very apparent in short time too me ...
Every preset on every synth, plug and amp sim is only there for one purpose ..to hype the sound of the thing while it sounds good being played alone / solo...that's how they get to sell emm to you folks
In the real world as far as I'm concerned they all sound like what starts w s and ends with hit ....
How can any manufacturer determine what's gonna sound right for me ? I have 100's of gigs of loops and sounds that I don't use for this very reason 
The only reason I keep them around is I like to nick the playing parts and learn them on my geetar ...lol 
 
Setting levels throughout the mix / song is much easier in mono because I can hear all the places the frequency's
of each instrument overlap ...
I can cut my bass and boost my kick w the same frequency I cut from the bass and hear them cooperate much better...
I find it much better to use subtraction as opposed to augmentation when it comes to EQ'ing and gain staging. Working in mono makes it much easier for me to hear very small changes and how they affect the overall sound of my tune ...
I don't have to use much automation because I can copy and past sections of my parts where I have altered my EQ settings to gell with the other instruments EQ settings depending on how dense the section of the arrangement is ...
 
Another interesting thing about my time spent in mono land ...
 
Before going there , I started wondering if my ears were getting  shot
When working in stereo I would have to borrow Mr Magoo's ear horn and place it right next to my studio monitors just to be able to hear the subtle differences the big money / boutique plugs were bringing to the table while using them in a modest pedestrian way ...for a while there I thought I was dealing w a placebo experiment  ...  
Mono solved that one real quick ....
 
anyway it has been fun rapping w Ya'll
 
Kenny
 

Sorry for the silly question, but I'm kind of newbie.  When I switch to mono should I listen to a single speaker separate from my monitors or through both of my monitors.  If separate, what is a good speaker for that?
 
Aric