Guide: M/S processing in Mixing & Mastering

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-- Guide: M/S processing in Mixing & Mastering

Posted by Raphie on Mar-05-2011 08:30:

Guide: M/S processing in Mixing & Mastering

A lot of questions have been asked lately about "depth" and "width" in recordings. One of the ways to articulate and bring out stereo information in a recording is the usage of M/S (Mid/Side) coding.

M/S transforms a Left/Right signal into a Mid/Side signal, where both can be treated individually in order to get better processing results in your mix. The simple option is to insert a M/S plugin and turn up the side signal a notch in order to get a wider stage. However, often this also introduces some unwanted artifacts in kick and bass, which sort of make this option not very viable for dance music.

More advanced is to use a plug that can be put in ENCODER and DECODER mode and convert te signal to M/S, process M & S seperately and then ENCODE it back to stereo.

VOXENGO has a FREE VST , which allows you to do exactly that:

MSED

MSED can be used in 2 ways:

1- Inline Mode:
- Insert 1 instance, select "Inline" which allows you to change gain for M & S independently, changing the relative volume between the 2 WITHOUT additional processing. > just place the plug somewhere in the masterbus and start changing level

2- Encoder / Decoder Mode:
- Start 1 instance in "Encoder" Mode at the top the chain, this converts L/R in M/S (L=M) (R=S)

- Place any stereogear behind the Encoder and it's left channel will process Mid signal, while it's right channel will process side signal

- At the end of the chain, place another instance of MSED, but now in "Decoder" Mode, This converts the processed signal back from M/S to L/R

You need real STEREO plugins to insert inbetween, where you can dissable the "stereo linkage" in order to have the M & S dynamics being processed induvidually, if you don't have real stereo plugins, you can also convert your channel to 2 mono channels (DAW dependent) and process the M & S signal seperately with mono instances of your plugins.

A clear advantage of M/S processing can be to avoid the "treble crunch" which is compression distortion on highs, which is triggered by heavy compressing. limiting the lows. But there is a multitude of scenarios where this technology can be leveraged.

As with all effects, being conservative is key, otherwise you might introduce more issues than solving.

MSED is free, so suggest you give it a go and hear for yourself.

Posted by Storyteller on Mar-05-2011 10:15:

Good tip and great plugin, been using it for quite some time. Many people don't know about this and how it can greatly improve a well mixed track by making it sound a bit wider .

Posted by Morvan on Mar-05-2011 11:28:

Why would you use this if you are an artist who can just go into the mixbus of the specific element that needs width without touching the kick/bass. Only useful for mastering engineers really.

Posted by Raphie on Mar-05-2011 13:04:

quote:
Originally posted by Morvan
Why would you use this if you are an artist who can just go into the mixbus of the specific element that needs width without touching the kick/bass. Only useful for mastering engineers really.

not really, u can also use it on your drumbus to widen your percs, or on a few pads, or, there is no rule to only use it on masterchannel

Posted by Morvan on Mar-05-2011 13:56:

Fair enough. You got any audio examples of what you can do with a single sound/instrument by using this technique?

quote:
A clear advantage of M/S processing can be to avoid the "treble crunch" which is compression distortion on highs, which is triggered by heavy compressing.

How come? You only compress the M or how exactly does this prevent compressions distortion on the highs?

Posted by Raphie on Mar-05-2011 14:14:

The idea is that the mid information will trigger the compressor earlier than the side ,hence with stereo compression EVERYTHING is pushed depending on what triggers. I will try to make some examples and post them here.

Posted by kitphillips on Mar-06-2011 06:13:

http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...ght=dimensional

Posted by Andy28 on Mar-07-2011 23:51:

Re: Guide: M/S processing in Mixing & Mastering

quote:
Originally posted by Raphie
A clear advantage of M/S processing can be to avoid the "treble crunch" which is compression distortion on highs, which is triggered by heavy compressing. limiting the lows.

That should help me then..

Good read Raphie, kit too.. I've messed about with the m/s in Abletons eq after seeing ilya soloviev's use of it and saying that it helps make things wider.

Good video I thought

Will give that plug-in a bash, Cheers

Posted by kitphillips on Mar-08-2011 06:56:

Was loving that cheesy track before the vocals came in. Still a sucker for cheesy trance I guess even after all these years

For what its worth, I think all the layering he's doing there is strange. I can't see how you'd need that many tracks to get a good sound TBH and I think its overthinking the problem. Maybe its because he uses presets (Noticed he uses nexus) more than making his own sounds, which compromises his ability to use one synth instead of 4(!! for eg on the bass).

Anyway, it can make things wider I guess, but its really the tip of the iceberg. MS is one of the most powerful but underused techniques out there IMO, and it really should be a basic thing that people know how to use up there with frequency and dynamic manipulation.