Converting an Audio Track from Stereo to Mono

InterceptPoint wrote on 4/19/2009, 12:39 PM
I recently did a video of a large party and noticed that my HRD-CX7 stereo recording is not well balanced. Not sure why but the background noise from the crowd is at a much higher level in the 2nd channel. As a result I would have much better audio if I could just delete the 2nd channel and go with the 1st channel as a mono audio track.

Is there any easy way to do this in Vegas (8.1)?

Comments

arenel wrote on 4/19/2009, 12:48 PM
Right click on the track, Channels, select track

Ralph
ritsmer wrote on 4/19/2009, 1:01 PM
Right click the audiotrack - Channels - Left (or Right) only.

See more Vegas Manual page 172.
blink3times wrote on 4/19/2009, 3:36 PM
I'm not so sure that will work on the final render..... will it?

If you choose just one track... say the left, then it stands to reason that you will end up with the left speaker only on playback of the final dvd.

I would choose the left channel, then copy that channel and place it on its own track and designate it the right channel. This way you can be sure that you will get audio out of BOTH speakers on the final dvd.
TGS wrote on 4/19/2009, 3:48 PM
Left channel only or right channel only will give a mono track to both left and right. You are only selecting which side you prefer. I've never had phase cancellation either.
It's a quick easy fix if you have one lousy channel.
rs170a wrote on 4/19/2009, 3:50 PM
Yes blink, it will.
What happens when you select "left only' or "right only" is that the selected channel gets converted to a mono track so it comes out of both channels equally.

Mike
blink3times wrote on 4/19/2009, 3:59 PM
Okay.. I stand corrected then. I wasn't aware that Vegas automatically compensated.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 4/19/2009, 4:55 PM
vegas pan's separately from the event on the track level. That' s why it seems strange because if you used an audio editing app (like SF) & said "left only" it would make it a stereo file, left channel only with audio.
musicvid10 wrote on 4/19/2009, 9:00 PM
"Not sure why but the background noise from the crowd is at a much higher level in the 2nd channel.'

This is commonly a result of having your camera microphone placed to one side or the other (left or right) of the center of the room.

In addition to the suggestions that you use the best track only, you can copy each track to separate new tracks, and adjust the volumes and pans of each manually. Done this many times in similar circumstances.

Just my thoughts.
kraz wrote on 4/20/2009, 12:17 AM
not sure if I have been doing it smarter or wasting time but I go to SoundForge. ...
right click - properties ... change to mono (both channels) .. THEN do same thing again back to Stereo - so I have both channels with the same info - it is effective mono - but looks to the system as stereo - annoying part is is creates a new wav of the sound track ..
rs170a wrote on 4/20/2009, 1:46 AM
not sure if I have been doing it smarter or wasting time but I go to SoundForge. ...

kraz, the way you're doing it isn't applicable in this situation.
InterceptPoint wanted to eliminate one side of a dual-channel track.
Part of the confusion is that most folks think of it as a stereo track when in reality it's two-channel audio.
For example, my camera supports two channels (mic and/or line inputs).
When I record a play, ch.1 is a feed from the house audio board while ch.2 is the on-camera mic (for room ambiance & applause).
After bringing this "stereo" track into Vegas, I'll split it so that I'm back to having two mono tracks with separate control over each one.

annoying part is is creates a new wav of the sound track ..

From Vegas, right-click and select "Open Copy in Sound Forge".
This way, it gets added as a take in Vegas, leaving the original file there for you if you ever want/need it.

Mike
InterceptPoint wrote on 4/20/2009, 5:42 AM
Thanks for all the inputs. And of course the advice worked. I learn something new about Vegas every day.