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Mid Side Processing

1) Mid/side recording separates an audio signal into a mid channel (containing center information) and a side channel (containing stereo information on the sides), instead of the traditional left/right channels. 2) Mid/side processing plugins can artificially separate the mid and side information from typical left/right stereo tracks to apply effects independently to each channel. 3) By adjusting the gain of the mid and side channels, the stereo image can be enhanced or reduced. Boosting mid and cutting sides makes the sound more mono, while the opposite widens the sound. Choosing the virtual center position determines where in the stereo field the mid channel processing is applied.

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Novevacche Demoncows
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© © All Rights Reserved
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101 views

Mid Side Processing

1) Mid/side recording separates an audio signal into a mid channel (containing center information) and a side channel (containing stereo information on the sides), instead of the traditional left/right channels. 2) Mid/side processing plugins can artificially separate the mid and side information from typical left/right stereo tracks to apply effects independently to each channel. 3) By adjusting the gain of the mid and side channels, the stereo image can be enhanced or reduced. Boosting mid and cutting sides makes the sound more mono, while the opposite widens the sound. Choosing the virtual center position determines where in the stereo field the mid channel processing is applied.

Uploaded by

Novevacche Demoncows
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mid / Side Processing for Enhanced Stereo Effects

By Guillaume Jeulin
Blue Cat Audio
http://www.bluecataudio.com
Concept Origin: Mid/Side Recording
Mid/Side recording is a quite famous recording technique that is preferred in some cases to
the traditional Left/Right recording. Looking for mid side recording in Google will give ou
man tutorials a!out this technique. "e won#t discuss it in details here$ m goal is to
e%plain how Mid/Side processing works and where it comes from.
&nwa$ as a result of our recording ou end'up with the Mid / Side (M/S) channels
instead of classic Left / Right (L/R) channels in our audio stream. *he Mid channel is also
often called Mono and Side Stereo (that#s nice$ it#s the same letters+), the Mid channel
contains the signal that is in the center of the stereo mi%$ and the Side channel contains
the rest (everthing that is on the sides of the mi%),
(*he triangles a!ove represent the listener#s head)
From Mid/Side Recording to Processing
*he relationship !etween L/R and M/S channel can !e computed so that ou can transform
an Mid/Side recording to standard listen a!le Left/Right stereo stream. *he reverse
operation is also possi!le$ which means that ou can artificiall separate Mid/Side
information from our usual L/R stereo tracks. *hat#s what is done ! our Mid/Side
processing plug'ins.
Mid / Side -rocessing for &dvanced Stereo .ffects
/opright(c) Guillaume 0eulin 1223'1224
L R
S S
M
Left / Right Stereo Mid / Side Stereo
-rocessing separatel the Mid/Side channels instead of Left/Right channels makes stereo
widening ver eas, ou control the wa ou appl our effect on the Mono (Mid) and
Stereo (Side) parts of the sound. *he simplest mid side processing ou can do is modif the
gain on Mid/Side to enhance or reduce the stereo impression of our sound, !oost Mid and
/ut Sides will make our sound more 5Mono# and do it the other wa will widen our sound,
it will sound more 5Stereo#.
*his principle can !e applied to man effects. 6or e%ample using a 5widening# .quali7er such
as 8lue /at#s "idening -arametr#.9 or 8lue /at#s "idening Lin .9 ena!les ou to choose
which frequencies ou want !oost/cut on the sides or on the center of the stereo field. Let#s
sa ou want more !ass in the middle$ and more tre!le on the sides$ :ust push 1 sliders+
Going further: choosing the Virtual Center position
Mid/Side processing can !e further enhanced with the choice of the virtual center of the
Mid/Side channels. "hat does this actuall mean; <t means that ou can decide where the
virtual Mid /hannel is in the stereo field when doing our M/S channels separation,
=ou can see a!ove that when ou move the virtual center >22? to the left or >22? to the
right ou end up with the traditional L/R stereo channels.
<n the end what happens is that ou can e%actl choose where our effect takes place. &s
e%plained !efore ou are a!le to process separatel Mid and Side channels. Since ou can
now choose where the are in the stereo field$ ou can choose where the processing takes
place.
Mid / Side -rocessing for &dvanced Stereo .ffects
/opright(c) Guillaume 0eulin 1223'1224
S
S
M
Virtual Center is a bit
on the left
S S
M
Virtual Center is
centered
S M
Virtual Center is
100% on the left
S S
Pure Stereo (M=0)
M
Pure Mono (S=0)
Left
Right
Mid
Side
Left
Right
Process rearrange
Example, 8oosting 8ass for the Mid /hannel with a 13? left virtual center position will
!oost the !ass slightl on the Left onl$ and cutting tre!le on the Side will cut it on the
right$ and on the e%treme left of the stereo field.
*hat#s a ver powerful tool to choose where ou want to appl our effect and thus
enhance the stereo rendering of our sounds. <t can !e applied to a final mi% in a su!tle
wa to appl the effect in a specific place$ and also on a track for a given instrument to
change the wa it occupies the stereo filed$ without panning it completel.
Conclusion
Mid/Side processing is an eas'to'use technique to enhance the stereo perception of an
audio track$ and choosing the virtual center position then lets ou enter the world of
advanced audio effect positioning in the stereo field.
6or more information a!out 8lue /at &udio@s Mid/Side effects$ please visit our we!site,
http,//www.!luecataudio.com/. 6ree demos are availa!le.
Mid / Side -rocessing for &dvanced Stereo .ffects
/opright(c) Guillaume 0eulin 1223'1224
Cut !reble
Cut !reble
"oost "ass
"oosting Mid bass and cutting Side
treble #ith center $%% on the left

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