Stereo or Mono track in X1 for Acoustic Guitar

Hi, 

 I have done some digging in other threads via search but am struggling to find something conclusive. 

I'm recording an acoustic guitar with 2 mics ala XY config. 

 Should I record both in a STEREO track 

Or both into 2 seperate MONO tracks? 

 I assume that the mono way allows more flexibility but I think underneath it all I am still not fully sure on the difference between the two. 

I understand that mono sound sources should be recorded mono etc. But im still not grasping it. 

When you pan a stereo track hard left, I assume that the right channel is just being turned all the way down. But with mono, isn't the same thing happening but on one track? 

Maybe someone can link me up on a good explanation or provide one here? 

Cheers, 

Sam. 

The difference lies in what you do with the panning. You are correct about using a stereo track. It is more oonvenient but if you pan to one side on a stereo track you are only lowering the volume of the other side.

With two mono tracks you have a lot of control over the final pan position. The guitar could end up hard lef/right of course but then again you can put it at 3 and 9 O'Clock or 8 and 2 O'Clock. You cannot do that so easily on a stereo track unless you use another plug in to do it.

More flexibility but just ensure you treat the two tracks at once if you are sliding them in time etc.. Plus what Mike has said above. You can apply two different treatments if you need to.

Acoustic guitar is a mono instrument. Listened from listener (not player) position of course. Miking guitar using two mics is a good way to catch the right sound of Your guitar: strings above fretboard sounds brighter, more metalic..etc, strings above guitar body sounds different, and additionally sounds guitar body itself. That is the reason you use two (or more) mics. The "stereo effect" recording  acoustic guitar has a sense if we are talking about an ambience of your room.
Try to record your guitar using M/S (MID/SIDE) method. This method allows to catch fine stereo ambience, and allows to control the sound much more thand XY method. You will need two mics: one with 8-pattern, and one-cardioid. Search the web for details.

You can have as much control as you want with the panning on a stereo track.

Use the Channel Tools plugin.

Another avenue to explore if you've got the right microphones is to set up a Blumlein Pair.

Should I record both in a STEREO track Or both into 2 seperate MONO tracks?

 
It's purely a logistical preference
Unless you plan to process each channel separately, you can accomplish the same thing either way.
Two separate mono tracks offers more direct control over panning/placement.
That said, you can use Channel-Tools (plugin) on a stereo track to achieve the same results.
Channel Tools can swap left/right channels, invert the phase, independently pan the left/right channels, etc.  Simple but very useful tool...
 

Just only try M/S method, and You''ll never want to use XY. Just try