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M/S decoding help

Subject: M/S decoding help
From: "Rob Danielson" danielson_rob
Date: Sun Jul 9, 2006 9:11 am (PDT)
Thanks for the clarifications, Max. Even with 24
bit files, bit depth saturation in quiet
locations often drops under 1%, so, having the
discrete original would be a high priority for
me. Then, the stereo files I export can go into
my library without special tagging because the
file number traces to the Mid & Side
originals/session for re-mixing needs.

Stacked LR>MS  MS>LR plugs might be especially
useful for a person whose M-S mic doesn't have
the option to create discrete files, like a Sony
MS957? Rob D.


At 11:07 AM +0000 7/9/06, maxfrick78 wrote:
>--- In  Rob Danielson <> wrote:
>  >
>  > At 11:45 AM +0000 7/8/06, maxfrick78 wrote:
>>  >  > M-S  can be recorded as "encoded" or as discrete M and S channels.=
 I
>>  >>  prefer the later because  there are more options when creating the
>>  >>  stereo image in post using speakers or whatever monitoring I want t=
o
>>  >>  emulate.=A0
>>  >
>>  >
>>  >Hi everybody,
>>  >many people have expressed the preference of
>>  >recording MS-mics to discrete mid and side
>>  >tracks. I would prefer the opposite since if you
>>  >record a decoded "normal stereo" signal
>>  >you can much easier audition and handle your
>>  >material because it's just like using any
>>  >other stereo file.
>>
>>  Hi Max--
>>  [An aside: M-S stereo image monitoring in the
>>  field isn't a high priority for me. Because its a
>>  fixed jig, I usually position my M-S rig in a
>>  setting with my ears/hand claps and referring to
>>  vegetation, land-forms, relief etc. I do refer to
>>  headphone monitoring with my adjustable ORTF rig.
>>  My monitoring needs are quite different from
>>  recording a specific species with a shotgun mic!
>>  :-) ]
>>
>>  My question is, when you save your field
>>  recordings in your library, do you use a system
>>  to identify the stereo files that you recorded
>>  with an M-S array?
>
>Hey Rob,
>I would call the files "FileName MS-ST.aif" (for
>MS-Stereo). Then "FileName MS.aif" would
>be a discrete MS-recording.
>Unfortunatly the decent MS-setup I would like to
>own is out of my budget so far, so I can't
>record my own sounds in MS but I regularely use
>MS-recordings of ambiences (made by
>others) in my job (film post). And yes, they
>always record it as discrete M and S channels,
>that's why got a bit annoyed by it.. ;-)
>It would be simpler for me if they had decoded
>it to stereo and I would have to use MS-
>encoders/decoders only if I really needed it for
>the scene (if we're talking about sound in
>film-post). But maybe it's just me..
>
>
>
>>  >  ...the conversion LR -> MS -> LR is fairly
>>  >simple and doesn't change a thing in the actual
>>  >source material.
>>
>>  Have you tested this by chance? I've been
>>  thinking it might be prudent to confirm that an
>>  identical pair could be re-created if needed. Rob
>>  D.
>
>
>You can easily try it yourself using two
>MS-decoders in a row and boosting the signal
>+6dB in the end. You'll end up with what you
>started. I have to admit that I haven't done
>any really heavy testing on this but it is a
>technique used in music-mastering; encoding +
>decoding complete mixes to alter the mid-channel only, for example.
>And yes, Ed is right, as in any processing in
>the digital domain there would be some
>changes if you dive deep enough. 24 bit files are a great plus here.
>My point was that nobody should be afraid of
>storing their MS-recordings decoded to
>stereo because you can alway turn it back to MS.
>It's just a bit of summing and phase-
>swapping, nothing more. No magical "messing with
>your stereo-image" or something like
>that.
>cheers,
>Max
>
>


--
Rob Danielson
Peck School of the Arts
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
http://www.uwm.edu/~type/audio-art-tech-gallery/





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