While I've been at this for a couple years now, I've gotta come clean and ask......
 
I'm still unclear on the reasons some folks record mono guitar tracks, and some record stereo guitar tracks (vocals too). I've seen both types on the countless tutorials, screenshots, etc, I've looked at.
I use Amplitube for all my guitar tracks, and have been using the mono input. I feel like I'm missing out on something not using the stereo setup in Amplitube??? And it seems like most FX I see out there are stereo.
 
Can someone please enlighten me on the pro's and cons of each (mono and stereo tracks)???
 
Thanks so much!
 
~Jeff

A mono track only contains one channel of information. If you record a mono source, guitar, vocal, etc. and you recorded it to a stereo channel you would have two channels of audio but they would be exactly the same. this is redundant if you were not going to process the data in any way. However, being mono or stereo can have an effect when you start applying processing to the audio.
 
For example a delay plugin may take a mono input and create a stereo output. The same delay could also take a stereo input and process the two channels differently producing a stereo output as well. However, if the stereo input is just a copy of a mono input then it is effectively the same as using a mono input to the effect.
 
However if you record a stereo track where the left and right channels of audio are different, maybe different mics, amps or the output of a processor then the stereo track makes sense.
 
Really all I am saying is that if you truly have a mono source then use a mono track. If your source, whether it be from a stereo instrument or the result of running a mono source through stereo processing, has differences between the two audio channels that you want to keep then use a stereo track.

reginaldStjohn
A mono track only contains one channel of information. If you record a mono source, guitar, vocal, etc. and you recorded it to a stereo channel you would have two channels of audio but they would be exactly the same. this is redundant if you were not going to process the data in any way. However, being mono or stereo can have an effect when you start applying processing to the audio.
 
For example a delay plugin may take a mono input and create a stereo output. The same delay could also take a stereo input and process the two channels differently producing a stereo output as well. However, if the stereo input is just a copy of a mono input then it is effectively the same as using a mono input to the effect.
 
However if you record a stereo track where the left and right channels of audio are different, maybe different mics, amps or the output of a processor then the stereo track makes sense.
 
Really all I am saying is that if you truly have a mono source then use a mono track. If your source, whether it be from a stereo instrument or the result of running a mono source through stereo processing, has differences between the two audio channels that you want to keep then use a stereo track.

Thanks Reginald. Getting clearer.....
 
Yes, I'm recording all mono. So what you're saying is.......it would be basically pointless for me to record a stereo guitar track via the stereo option on my interface, as opposed to mono (left or right input only)? So the only time a stereo track is needed is if, for instance, I'm recording a real amp with two mics, or two amps simultaneously? I can understand that.
 
So all the fx I have in Platinum will work as designed with a mono track (i.e. delay, chorus, flange, etc)? For some reason when I think of stereo, I think of a "bigger" sound. But I guess that's not the case......

I have never seen a tutorial where someone recorded "stereo" vox or guitar, but I haven't been looking for one. My guess is whoever it was was just lazy and selected the first stereo input on their interface.

There is literally no benefit to recording a mono source in "stereo" (really it's duo mono at this point) since Sonar can still feed it to any effect and make it stereo (if the effect does anything to make it stereo, that is). All you're doing is wasting disk space, speed and processing power.

That's right. If the source is mono, record it in mono.
Very few sources are stereo. Mostly outboard synths and guitar processors.
These are stereo and benefit from a stereo recording as that will capture the built in effects etc.
You can actually cause phasing issues with stereo recordings of mono sources.
The other benefit of mono tracks is the ability to pan them in the stereo field. It's a PITA to work with stereo tracks and panning.
And it's certainly easier to look at a mono wave form on the screen and see what's up.

Outputs from a guitar processor such as a Pod will be presented as stereo so I always record to a stereo track, plus an additional DI out from the Pod to give me the option of trying something else after recording

the only time you would want to use a stereo track to record guitar is if your going to print it.
(print FX directly/use track FX) or if your guitar is using a stereo pan FX, mic'ing 2 cabs...similar to reason number 1.
 
for vocal ? I have no clue why someone would do that other than recording a chorus of singers on the left side of the room and the right side of the room.

Bristol_Jonesey
Outputs from a guitar processor such as a Pod will be presented as stereo so I always record to a stereo track, plus an additional DI out from the Pod to give me the option of trying something else after recording

now this ^^^^ is the way every guitar track should be done if your printing a processed signal.
however... BJ are you using a POD ? we need to talk

remember that audio mixes are a three-dimensional space... you have panning, L and R, as well as front to back using reverb.  Recording instruments etc as mono allows you to pan them in that final output stereo space for separation and clarity.  Putting all of your tracks at dead center results in a mix without space and causes frequencies to conflict (not the best term but you get the idea).

I think a device like the POD presents a "stereo" signal just because it is too lazy/inconvenient to switch between one channel and L/R depending on which FX are used. Anything with reverb on it will usually be stereo, dual amp mic'ing etc. But a simple patch with one amp or just a wah or phaser is definitely mono, regardless of if the POD sends you two channels.

It's not a huge issue but if you're using single amps and adding FX (reverb or stereo delay) from the computer I would record it in mono.