Modern tracks in mono?

2023-08-06 14:49:08

Have any of you heard of modern tracks (2000s-present) that were recorded in mono instead of the standard stereo? Is there a reason why the artist/band would record in mono?

Re: Modern tracks in mono?

Reply #1 – 2023-08-06 18:49:58

Production would be easier (lazier?)

Let's say you have a Solo Artist, with just guitar or vocals, Or maybe just a single instrument, a piano. It's a lot easier to go thru production without worrying about stereo, you setup the few mics that you need, keep everything centered and you are done with that part.

But for most bands a simple stereo separation of instruments, seems to give better results with the audience. It sets a stage where it's easier to imagine the band playing in front of you. You wouldn't have all the instruments clumped up in the dead center of a stage, so using stereo reflects that.

And then you have even more meticulous use of stereo for setting up the stage, for example Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

It's a tool artist have at their disposal. Tends to gives better results with the audience. So why not use it?

Going back to a single instrument a piano. You can even stereo separate by pitch. Have the lower octaves with a slight left bias and vice-versa.

Re: Modern tracks in mono?

Reply #2 – 2023-08-08 12:20:02

Aesthetics is the only reason to record in mono. Contary to the person above, I've not been in a mixing / mastering studio for a decade who cared about mono performance. No one will compromise stereo for mono compatible recordings any more..

Re: Modern tracks in mono?

Reply #3 – 2023-08-08 12:34:39

I am streaming mono using Chromecast to a single loudspeaker. From pure laziness, I am simply picking one side of the stereo-mix (often simultaneously streaming stereo to my living room).

Listening to one side of the stereo mix while making dinner, while hearing the entire mix from the other room is ... quite interesting at times.

Re: Modern tracks in mono?

Reply #4 – 2023-08-08 21:13:55

Making sure something sounds good on phone speakers is something a sound engineer I talked to said he does because that's how a subset of the audience will listen. Wouldn't be surprised if some modern pop music mixes at least downplayed the stereo aspect so it sounds similar/familiar on everything including crappy phone speakers and store speakers for that reason. Full mono would be kind of crazy, maybe there's a genre that would sound fine in mono but especially metal gets so much mileage from playing with stereo that it would suffer heavily.

Punk wouldn't be terrible in a mono-only world, a lot of that has a muddy low effort sound as a feature.

Re: Modern tracks in mono?

Reply #5 – 2024-01-03 15:18:15

They are not true mono.
Everything is divided into left/right channels. (20Hz/20Hz) = 44100 Hz