# Mono Samples



## Hans Adamson (Dec 8, 2010)

Is there any advantage to using stereo samples rather than mono samples?


----------



## JonFairhurst (Dec 8, 2010)

It depends on the design of the lib. The Drums of War 2 demos sound great in stereo without processing as they are recorded in a nice room and placed accordingly. 

Of course, percussion is easier than sustain instruments. If you are using convolution, mono may be enough - especially if you are doing modeling.


----------



## Hans Adamson (Dec 8, 2010)

Thanks Jon,

What about from a programming point of view?


----------



## Frederick Russ (Dec 8, 2010)

Funny you should ask Hans as I've been giving this some thought lately. If its going to be for a piano piece where the piano is spotlighted, then I think stereo wins absolutely. An acoustic piano track or an acoustic guitar cue would seem to be specific times when stereo information is crucial - especially where perceptually you want them right out in front. 

Perhaps content in context with the overall goal is what needs to be defined first in any given production. Lately I've been thinking about how the ear perceives specific instrument sounds spatially in relation to how they sit dimensionally in an orchestral setting. Stereo information is there - say a flute being played about 20 feet away from you - but the actual stereo field seems to be perceived to be more narrow. One beauty of Broadway Big Band was utilizing a recording method where the instruments really sit well in the overall mix - but the stereo information of the instruments seemed more narrow and defined specifically within the context of the ensemble. 

I'm pretty sure expert orchestral mixers like John Rodd and orchestral recordists like Shawn Murphy might weigh in differently as far as ensemble mixes though. On VSL stuff it seems normal to use Waves S1 a bit to narrow the field on the instrument groups to place it better in the mix. Even on pop & rock productions, sometimes mono tracks scattered throughout the production is the cleaner and better way to go overall than a collection of stereo tracks. But probably only in that case.


----------



## lux (Dec 8, 2010)

my guess is that Hans is asking about the difference between using a stereo wav and two L/R mono's when programming in Kontakt. 

but i could be wrong..


----------



## Hans Adamson (Dec 9, 2010)

Thanks all, for the thoughtful and interesting replies. The recording and user aspects of mono vs stereo is indeed still relevant. However, my concern was actually more with computer resource aspects when programming in Kontakt. If there is a advantage/disadvantage to use stereo or mono for recorded mono source files of the upcoming Art Vista GrooveMaster electric bass libraries when programming the lib in Kontakt. The reason I asked is that I vaguely remember having read something about mono files in Kontakt. ~o)


----------



## germancomponist (Dec 13, 2010)

Hans, 
mono samples need less ram and less CPU-power, and mono-samples are easier to handle (finding loop points e.t.c.) And, for an electric bass, I think mono would be very ok, because the most people will use a virtual amp plugin e.t.c.


----------



## germancomponist (Dec 13, 2010)

Hans, can you tell us more about the upcoming Art Vista GrooveMaster electric bass libraries? 

"GrooveMaster".... can mean a lot!


----------



## Hans Adamson (Dec 15, 2010)

germancomponist @ Mon Dec 13 said:


> Hans, can you tell us more about the upcoming Art Vista GrooveMaster electric bass libraries?
> 
> "GrooveMaster".... can mean a lot!


Hello Gunther,

I didn't see this post until just now. I wrote a blurb yesterday about the GrooveMaster bass libraries and you can read it if you scroll down in the thread below:
http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19142
/Hans


----------

