[LAU] M/S processing w/o 'convenient' plugins

[Ralf Mardorf]

On Thu, 19 May 2016 16:18:44 +0200, William Light wrote:
>On Tue, 17 May 2016, at 15:45, Jörn Nettingsmeier wrote:
>> But: M/S processing is really only useful when you are remastering a 
>> stereo mix without access to the individual components, or maybe if
>> you are dealing with stereo mic recordings as part of a larger mix.
>> If you are creating a multitrack mix from individual channels, M/S
>> buys you exactly nothing that couldn't be done better and more
>> precisely in the individual channels.  
>
>Disagree vehemently, M/S processing gives very natural control of the
>stereo image. I find that I use M/S EQing when I want to shape the
>stereo image subtly and M/S compression when I want to exaggerate it or
>make it more exciting.

In more than 30 years of audio recording I _never_ used M/S processing.
M/S microphone technique is something else and is useful, because it
does cause a mono-compatible signal, due to not being based on travel
time, but instead it's based on intensity. To "exaggerate" a signal by
intensity with a mixing console, just pan pots are required. IOW Jörn
is right, if you have full access to the individual components, you
could use pan pots instead (more than one channel completely to the
left and the other completely to the right is impossible), resp. you
could use more enhanced techniques to widen or "shape the stereo image
subtly". "Natural" stereo hearing is much based on travel time as well
as intensity.

Regards,
Ralf