MIC Recording only L or R

Cubase
1

Hi everyone,

I am trying to record vocals on Cubase 7 through a Sure SM7B MIC and a Roland Quad Capture interface.

The interface has 2 XLR inputs: Input 1L and Input 2R. I am using an XLR>XLR lead. When I plug in the MIC to Input 1L, only the left side records, and when I plug the MIC into Input 2R only the right side records.

In the “Inputs” page on Cubase looks like this:

Bus name Speakers Audio Device Device Port

Stereo in 1 Stereo Quad-Capture

  • Left 1-2
  • Right 1-2 (2)
    Mono in 1 Mono Quad-Capture
    1-2
    Mono in 2 Mono Quad-Capture
    1-2

I don’t want to record L and R independently. What do I need to do so that both Left and Right record at the same time on a single Quad Capture input?

Many thanks indeed for any help!

2

Mono source needs a mono track. :confused:

3

Needs? No. I almost always use stereo tracks, even for mono sources.

Try a mono input bus instead of 1/2 of a stereo input bus.

4

Like Scab Pickens Says, just setup a mono Buss with your mic input, then you can record
to a stereo track, if that’s what you want…

5

may I ask why?

6

Mono… Of course!

Thanks.

7

For example you could insert Stereo FX…

8

IIRC then if you have a stereo track you can still place a mono event onto it and then add stereo effects. But you can’t record a mono event onto a stereo track, it’ll record a stereo wav always. And you can’t get a stereo effect onto a mono track, it’ll always turn out mono.

I tend to record onto mono tracks (to save disk space) when I have a mono source and then move them to a stereo track if I need to.

Mike.

9

Yes you can - as said already if you select a mono input bus (which is not the same as “one side of a stereo bus”), Cubase will record a mono event on a stereo track

10

If, for example, one wanted a lead vocal with two panned layers (i.e. one central vocal and two overdubs, one panned left and one panned right), would the most common method be to record 3 takes of the vocal in mono and then to simply pan two of the recordings?

11

Usually yes, although there are different ways you can achieve similar results, this would be the best way IMHO.

12

That’s the main reason.

Another one currently is that if I have nothing but stereo tracks in my project I don’t have to look at the MONO and STEREO on my mixer channels.

13

But only if your input busses “not visible”… :wink:

14

I keep one mixer view setup with only my inputs and stereo out - it’s unavoidable in that case.

Good catch, as usual. :sunglasses:

15

Yep, it’s true, thinkingcap, it’s true, a mono input buss to a stereo channel! But I can’t help feeling the old days when the plugin’s number of outputs dictated the number of channels per ‘buss’ were better. Perhaps Steinberg could re-implement a special flexible track where mono channels become stereo or even 5.1 if we add a plugins and demand that number of outputs…

Mike.

16

And then what you get is dual mono, not stereo…very different indeed.
In most of the cases it’s a poor idea to use a stereo track for a mono source, so I am very surprised you always use stereo tracks for mono sources…
You can always use stereo buses to use stereo FXs.

17

Indeed, very different. But, not what you get. You get a mono file on a stereo track …

Mono Input Bus Stereo Track.jpg
Mono Input Bus Stereo Track.jpg984×550 95 KB

Could you explain why you think it is a poor idea? Oh, and I said “almost” always.

I do that already. Simply by using a stereo track to begin with :wink: .

18

bump … found this while setting up my shure sm7b mic.

I think what you need to understand is Shure SM7B = mono.

  • I recommend you record in mono, then run into FX to create stereo track
  • If you record stereo straight away you can run into problems with phasing etc…