Stereo Question

[Nomak]

I have a couple of basic questions about stereo, I always had a bit of trouble understanding this basic concept.

I understand it perfectly when talking about a recording in stereo, with a stereo mic set up and understand that there will be timing discrepancies and frequency differences between the two mic's. (Correct me if I am wrong)

What I don't understand are:

1) I have been told if you have a mono sample, and run it into 2 channels and pan each hard left and right respectively, you can create a feeling of width and give a stereo effect, is this true? If so how do you account for the discrepancies I mentioned in the first paragraph;

2) If the above is true, then is it possible to mimic stereo placement by adjusting the panning positions of the left and right track;

2) If I have a synthesizer and it has a supposedly stereo patch, is it actually stereo? Does the synthesizer account for the delays and differences in frequency?.

I know they are basic questions, but I would like to know the answers.

Thanks

[Barely Human]

Stereo is just a term used to describe a source utilising both left and right channels. If both left and right channels re identical, then it is in mono. There is a variety of ways to add width to mono samples using stereo expanders and reverbs. Stereo expanders use tiny delays between each speaker to give a flase impression of width.

[stjohn]

ill try to answer ... im not a recording geek though so....

1) I have been told if you have a mono sample, and run it into 2 channels and pan each hard left and right respectively, you can create a feeling of width and give a stereo effect, is this true? If so how do you account for the discrepancies I mentioned in the first paragraph;

not really... there will be a slight change in the stereo image, although you will have the same sound pretty much, which is a soundfile, at the same sound intensity in both speakers. at this point if u delayed one side a couple of samples, u would get a wider perceived stereo effect.

2) If the above is true, then is it possible to mimic stereo placement by adjusting the panning positions of the left and right track;

i suppose with synthesized sounds u could, but with recording you're way better off trying to get the best sound possible on record. what i think u were getting at before refers to phase cancellation. if u are recording at 2 instances... and if the 2 mics are out of phase..they can cause deconstructive interference where the sound is comprimised instead of boosted. i could work this but moving the mics around to what sounds best. if u have a phase flip btn too ...they can help on recording.

2) If I have a synthesizer and it has a supposedly stereo patch, is it actually stereo? Does the synthesizer account for the delays and differences in frequency?.

synths would have some sort of stereo effect yea... liek the delay i mentioned before