User`s guide
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User's Guide Fireface 400 © RME
Mixing several input signals into one record channel
In some cases it is useful to record several sources in only one track. For example when using
two microphones when recording instruments and loudspeakers, TotalMix' Loopback mode
saves an external mixing desk. Simply route/mix the input signals to the same output (third row),
then re-define this output into a record channel via Loopback – that's it. This way any number of
input channels from different sources can be recorded into one single track.
27.6 MS Processing
The mid/side principle is a special positioning technique for microphones, which results in a mid
signal on one channel and a side signal on the other channel.
These information can be transformed back into a stereo signal
quite easily. The process sends the monaural mid channel to
left and right, the side channel too, but phase inverted (180°) to
the right channel. For a better understanding: the mid channel
represents the function L+R, while the side channel represents
L-R.
During record the monitoring needs to be done in 'conventional' stereo. Therefore TotalMix also
offers the functionality of a M/S-decoder. Activation is done in the Settings panel of the Hard-
ware Input and Software Playback channels via the MS Proc button.
The M/S-Processing automatically operates as M/S encoder or decoder, depending on the
source signal format. When processing a usual stereo signal, all monaural information will be
shifted into the left channel, all stereo information into the right channel. Thus the stereo signal
is M/S encoded. This yields some interesting insights into the mono/stereo contents of modern
music productions. Additionally some very interesting methods of manipulating the stereo base
and generating stereo effects come up, as it is then very easy to process the side channel with
Low Cut, Expander, Compressor or Delay.
The most basic application is the manipulation of the stereo width: a change of the level of the
side channel allows to manipulate the stereo width from mono to stereo up to extended.