I recorded a piano track in stereo using my Stereo Channels 3-4 on my Focusrite Scarlett 6i6. Track levels are great and the pan function is fine, but I need a way widen the stereo field (or change spread placement or narrow on future projects) without using effects. Is there a way to do this on a stereo channel or do I have to create 2 separate channels (one for left and one for right) and route them to a piano bus to accomplish?

Sonar's Channel Tools plugin can manipulate stereo width and spread.

Without a PLUGIN, the only way I know how to accomplish managing the stereo field is by recording 2 mono tracks instead of one stereo track (like in the old days when desks only had mono tracks).

Thanks for the quick reply! I was hoping to avoid another plugin for resource reasons. Nonetheless... when you're talking about the Channel Tools, are you referring to the Pro-Channel or an Effects plugin under Cakewalk?
 
I'm not by my computer now, but I believe I've used the Stereo Enhancer by Nomad before. It works ok, but I mainly use that on group buses or master. What I was hoping to find is a function that would allow me to pan the left and right channel of that track independently similar to this stereo track found in Pro Tools (see the last example in the picture below).

 

jimkleban
Without a PLUGIN, the only way I know how to accomplish managing the stereo field is by recording 2 mono tracks instead of one stereo track (like in the old days when desks only had mono tracks).

Oh ok. I was afraid that was the case. It's no biggie, but a workflow eye-sore to me. Thanks!

<p>Thanks for the quick reply! I was hoping to avoid another plugin for resource reasons. Nonetheless... when you're talking about the Channel Tools, are you referring to the Pro-Channel or an Effects plugin under Cakewalk?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm not by my computer now, but I believe I've used the Stereo Enhancer by Nomad before. It works ok, but I mainly use that on group buses or master.&nbsp;What I was hoping to find is a function that would allow me to pan the left and right channel of that track independently similar to this stereo track found in Pro Tools (see the last example in the picture below).</p> <p><img src="https://macprovid.vo.llnwd.net/o43/hub/media/1088/7399/Image_4.png" alt="" width="444" height="537" /></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Channels Tools is a plugin. Just look for it in your VST list. It's much more flexible than the Nomad Blue Tubes Stereo Imager thingie. Be sure to read the F1 help on it before using it so you can understand what all the various controls do.
 
It is a very useful plug and should not cause too much of a resource hit.
 
Cheers.

i setup my normal template to use a 2.1 configuration (and ignore the LFE channel) and this allows me to use the surround panner to set stereo channels width, position, and "depth". i can then do things like push reverb out just past the speaker boundaries and set the "room delay" to the edges which gives a nice room feel. for bass and bass drum, unless i have a stereo effect, i keep them mono and centered but may vary the depth. guitars, keys, backing vox etc i can adjust the width etc to get the placement i like. i usually start mixing using a single mono avantone speaker (centered) and once things feel about right i switch to the stereo monitors.

Channel Tools plugin is really what you want.  Low CPU load.
 
Glen

Not sure if Channel tools is better.... i feel like i can control stereo fields better with 2 mono tracks.  Don't get me wrong, channel tools is great if you want to additionally add delay for pseudo automatic double tracking but two mono tracks give me the feeling of more precision in reducing then moving the stereo field.  I probably will be proven wrong here and I hope I am so I can learn something now.
 
Jim
 

jimkleban
Not sure if Channel tools is better.... i feel like i can control stereo fields better with 2 mono tracks.  Don't get me wrong, channel tools is great if you want to additionally add delay for pseudo automatic double tracking but two mono tracks give me the feeling of more precision in reducing then moving the stereo field.  I probably will be proven wrong here and I hope I am so I can learn something now.
 
Jim
 

I personally keep pretty much everything on the track side of my mixer in Mono and do any fancy stereo work on the busses (or these days in Aux tracks as needed).
 
Also keep in mind mono clips/signals can be outputted in stereo interleave for stereo effects. That is where Channel Tools can also be helpful.
 
AAAAAAND Channel Tools does Mid/Side processing as well which AFAIK is not possible on a regular track in Sonar.
 
In fact I'm pretty sure CT was Cakewalk's answer to the lack of on track dual stereo pan controls (as shown in OP's Pro Tools screecaps above) and M/S processing.
 
Can't be sure about that but it does seem like that's the modus operandi when the core program can't do something specific that others can (ie: create a plug/module scheme so as not to entirely disrupt the coding/workflow potentially leading to much bigger problems and/or the cost/headache of Baking such things directly into the main program).
 
meh... now I'm just blathering.
 
Also... I ain't no pro talking type dood.