The M(id)/S(ide) ProcessingThread

[loopdon]

This might be interesting to some of you:

Download

BX_Solo

http://www.brainworx-music.de/images/bx-solo.jpg

http://www.brainworx-music.de/index.php?nav=26&um=2&lang=en

or:

Voxengo MSED

http://www.voxengo.com/files/scrn/msed14-large1024.jpg

http://www.voxengo.com/product/msed/

What you want to do:

Try them and have a listen to your favourite tunes,
preferably CD or Vinyl format, not mp3 and
listen to The MID signal alone and the Side signal alone.

Do the same with your tracks and compare the to the mastered offerings :yup:

Points to compare (amongst others):

- Frequency distribution
- RMS/volume of each
- RMS /Volume ratio MID:Side
- which instruments reside where (mainly)?

This can offer a new perspective on EQing and compression etc.
You can eq the two signals independently if you fell like it:
If you feel adventurous and your DAW allows it you could:

- Make the MID signal compress the SIDE signal etc.
- Apply different FX to one/or both of the signals

Some presets in Fabfilter Pro-C for example make use of M/S stuff.

[Milesy]

I always assumed M/S processing was a mastering engineers tool for fixing certain problems in a mix.

[loopdon]

That's true.

It still can be rather enlightening whilst producing/mixing/evaluating your own work.

Like checking if you have to much/any lows say below 80/100 hz
in the side channel. While i wouldn't advise eqing this out via M/S eqing @home- i would rather have a check what might be causing this.

In an article i read it is summed up as follows:

- No extremes (Low or high) on the side channel. The beefy lows and tops should rather sit in the MID channel.

- Significantly quieter side signal

- Ideally have the frequencies evenly go down like: \
from the low end to the top (say 10 KHz) in the SIDE channel